Monday, 13 October 2014

Learn Allen Bradley PLC Programming | Sofcontraining.com

 FLEX LOGIX CONTROLLER SYSTEM COMPONENTS IDENTIFICATION


I: FlexLogix Platform

For distributed-control:
• (i.e., control platform is located at or close to the process/machine).
• Allows application to be simplified by dividing it.


This system has the following characteristics:
• Reduced size for smaller spaces
• Can be mounted on a DIN rail or panels
• Can be mounted vertically or horizontally
• Modular


FlexLogix Hardware



II. Flex Logix Main Component


FlexLogix Main Component

Flex Logix Features:
• 64 Kbyte (1794-L33) and 512 Kbyte (1794-L34) fixed memory:
• 1794-L33/A and 1794-L34/B support non-volatile memory to retain project without a battery
• Two communications slots installed in controller
• Support for NetLinx™ networks:
  – EtherNet/IP
  – DeviceNet
  – ControlNet


FlexLogix I/O placed on DIN rail:
• Supports one or two banks
  – (up to 8 local I/O modules and 8 extended local I/O modules)
Flex IOs

FlexLogix I/O placed on DIN rail:
• Extended local I/O modules can be located 1 to 3 m from local I/O
• FlexLogix systems support up to 512 I/O points

NOTE: FLEXLOGIX BANKS CAN EXTEND UP TO 10 FT. (3 METERS) WHEN USING EXTENDER CABLE.

III. FLEX LOGIX COMMUNICATION.
Connected directly to the controller in the daughtercard slots:



Easy Learn Allen Bradley PLC Programming

RSLOGIX 5000 SOFTWARE COMPONENTS


I: RSLogix 5000 Programming Software.

Tip: Because all Logix5000 platforms have

All ControLogix, FlexLogix, and CompactLogix PLC types used common control engine, RSLogix 5000 software is used to program and configure all Logix5000 systems.

Used to perform the following tasks:
• Develop and modify code
  – (e.g., ladder logic, function block diagrams, Structured Text etc.)
• Monitor project and system component operation during operation
• Configure hardware modules (communication module, I/O module, etc..)



II. RSLogix 5000 Software Advantage.

RSLogix 5000 software offers the following benefits:
• Flexible, easy-to-use, Windows®-based editors and components
• I/O configuration wizards
• Ability to copy and paste components between projects
• Same look and feel as RSLogix 5 and RSLogix 500 software:
   – Ladder logic instruction set built on PLC® instruction set
• Multiple programming language options
   – ladder logic, function block diagram, sequential function chart, and structured text.
• Your configuration will depend on the language options selected and installed.


III. RSLogix 5000 Software Windows.

Main Screen at Default Configuration
1. Toolbars
2. Controller Organizer
3. Routine Editor / Tags Window
4. Results Window


IV. RSLogix 5000 Toolbars.

Following toolbars are available:
• Standard toolbar
• Online toolbar
• Path toolbar
• Language Element toolbar


Standard Toolbar: Standard Microsoft options:
• New
• Save
• Cut
• Copy
• Paste
• And more


Standard Toolbar

Online Toolbar: toolbar that provides controller status. Tab/drop-down lists are available for viewing related information:


Online Toolbar


Path Toolbar: toolbar specifically used for communicating with controller and viewing communication status:



Path Toolbar Screen


Language Element Toolbar: toolbar containing programming elements, grouped by tabs, for entry into an active routine. Each language has its own element toolbar:


Language Element Toolbar

V. Controller Organizer


Controller Organizer
 
Above is showing the Expanded Branch/TASK,  Main Routine, and Sub-Routine in hierarchy.

NOTE: THE CONTROLLER ORGANISER CAN BE OPENED OR CLOSED BY USING THE TOGGLE ORGANISER WINDOW BUTTON.

Routine Editor/Tags Window: Displays open routine or tags collection opened through Controller Organizer:

Routine Editor Tags Window




Results Window: window at bottom of main window that contains the following tabs:

Results Tabs
• Errors tab: Results of verification for errors in the project
• Search Results tab: Results of a search for a project component
• Watch tab: Window for viewing data in an open routine


Sunday, 12 October 2014

Using a Framework for a PLC Project | Sofcontraining.com

Why should I use a framework for my control and automation projects?

Before we start looking at the reasons for using a common framework, I’ll start by explaining what it is I mean by it.
Simply, a framework is a piece of software or a library that provides generic or common predefined functionality. The framework is reusable and can be extended by a user in order to provide a bespoke / custom solution.

Advantages
Efficiency and Cost
The framework will typically provide up to around 50% of the application developments features thus resulting in a huge saving in time. In addition, the use of predefined, pre-tested code will dramatically reduce development and coding time.
Improved documentation and customer support.
Once again, the use of the software framework and predefined code will speed up the production of manuals as much of the content relating to common automation tasks can be written once and used time and time again.

Quality
The use of predefined , pre-tested code dramatically improves the quality of the software product, ensuring consistency and fewer programming errors.

I’m going suggest two frameworks.
The first shall cover PLC and the second HMI.

PLC Framework
The framework should be split into program areas covering,
  • Version
  • Constants
  • Global Code and Startup
  • Input Mapping
  • Safety Interface
  • Interlocks
  • Recipe Handling, Engineering SP
  • Data mapped from the HMI or SCADA
  • Data mapped to the HMI or SCADA
  • Device Handlers
  • Alarm Handling
  • Output Mapping
  • Communications setup
  • Statistics
  • Any program sequences.
The picture below demonstrates this. The example shown was created using Mitsubishi GXWorks 2.
Note: The program naming does not dictate program flow as this can be set elsewhere.
 framework
HMI Framework
The HMI framework should incorporate the following generic features:
  • Security – Predefined levels of access
  • Multi Language Support
  • Alarm Handling
  • Logging
  • Trending
  • Common Icons, Pushbuttons and displays

Friday, 10 October 2014

Schneider Electric with PLC Scada Automation | Sofcon.com

A post-Invensys-acquisition update
By Rick Zabel, Publisher & Editor

  Last week in Orlando, FL, Schneider Electric hosted its first Global Software Customer Conference since it acquired Invensys in January. The conference has its roots as WonderWorld, the former Wonderware company’s own user conference. Over the years, after Invensys acquired Wonderware, the conference evolved into OpsManage, a global event that emphasized all of Invensys’ software, control, and safety offerings. Since Schneider Electric's purchase of Invensys, I have been waiting to hear some news about the integration of the two companies. That news, as it relates to software, was delivered last week at the conference.

In April of this year, Schneider Electric created a new business unit called Global Solutions. Global Solutions is made up of four key offerings. One of those offerings is Software, which will continue to be led by Ravi Gopinath as Executive Vice President. The Software business consists of the legacy Invensys brands—Wonderware, SimSci, and Avantis—as well as Schneider Electric’s Citect, Ampla, and OASyS DNA (Telvent SCADA) software brands, integrated into one business.
In addition to the Software business, Global Solutions consists of the following offerings:
  • Field services and product support applicable to other Schneider Electric product offerings.
  • Segments, activities related to industry-specific and key account level, global sales and after-market customer relationship management.
  • Digital services, which is a basket of offerings that may or may not leverage software. Examples include cyber security risk assessment services and Telvent weather forecasting service.
Global Solutions and its President, Daniel Doimo, will be headquartered in Lake Forest, CA, which has long been the headquarters for Wonderware and the Invensys software business. Doimo stressed that software is a key pillar to Schneider Electric's global strategy. "We invested in software because we have the vision," said Doimo. "We don't want to reinvent the wheel - we want to spin it faster." Schneider Electric’s Global Solutions business will deliver holistic and integrated solutions to its customers. They are committed to tailored solutions for specific industry segments. Doimo and Gopinath believe the more robust, combined solution set offers the most comprehensive portfolio to help its customers achieve operational efficiency. However, Gopinath stressed, "We are always looking for opportunities to strengthen our portfolio through acquisitions."

Improving the user experience and driving additional value are the cornerstones of everything the company does. Gopinath said the software business has and will continue to focus incessantly on improving user experience, even as the customer persona is rapidly changing. Their second focus is interoperability, which is where architecture comes into play.

Software Architecture

At the core of its software solutions, and at the lowest layer of the architecture, is a common platform called Wonderware System Platform. It is the information management framework for all of the company’s software products. It is open, scalable, and secure, and it works across multiple hardware platforms. The second layer consists of applications that perform specific functions, like HMI, historian, MES, asset management, etc.  The third layer encompasses solutions for specific industry segments.


Prior to the Invensys acquisition, Schneider Electric introduced StruxureWare, a unique software platform of integrated applications and suites that delivers visibility into energy and resource use across an organization. The StruxureWare concept and name will be used in the newly combined software business. StruxureWare will be a collection of applications or solutions that are tailored to specific industry use cases.  They will provide specific, unique functions required by industry segments. A few of these StruxureWare offerings have been defined, but they are still early in the process of defining others.

R.K. Narayan Biography | Malgudi

  1. QUICK FACTS

    NAME
    R.K. Narayan
    OCCUPATION
    AuthorJournalist
    BIRTH DATE
    October 101906
    DEATH DATE
    May 132001
    EDUCATION
    Maharaja College of Mysore
    PLACE OF BIRTH
    ChennaiIndia
    PLACE OF DEATH
    ChennaiIndia
    ORIGINALLY
    Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami
  2. R. K. Narayan
    Film writer
  3. R. K. Narayan, full name Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, was an Indian writer, best known for his works set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi.
    1. Born: October 10, 1906, Chennai
    2. DiedMay 13, 2001, Chennai
    3. Education: University of Mysore
    4. Siblings: R. K. Laxman
    5. Awards: Filmfare Award for Best Story, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan

    R.K. Narayan Biography

    Author, Journalist (1906–2001)

    Indian author R.K. Narayan is widely considered to be one of India's greatest English language novelists known for his simple and unpretentious writing style.

    Synopsis

    Indian author R.K. Narayan is widely considered to be one of India's greatest English language novelists known for his simple and unpretentious writing style, often compared to William Faulkner. Narayan has been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature multiple times but has not yet won the honor. His popular works include The English Teacher, The Financial Expert andWaiting for the Mahatma.

Thursday, 9 October 2014

Understanding The Programming Of The PLC

The programming of the plc is a procedure of making commands, arrangements, and measurements used by the PLC to make control on a machine or operation. The body of this process is the plc and the program is the brain.In fact, the programmed PLC makes a machine looks like a human. PLC stands for programmable logic controller.A PLC has begun in the 1960's by Modicon Company. 

Its initial application was in the cars production factories in which it removed the old relays and replaced it with the plc.

As usual, a better solution is always in a creative mind, though it was a simple decision and control system effective for the era. Quickly, a communication can be a mechanized switch operated by an electric supply to switch it on and off. 

Getting mechanized by nature is big compared to electronic devices and transferring components usually degrade and wear, and finally are unsuccessful. Producing the preferred relay common sense needs many relays and many more wires in order to connect them. Rewiring is needed if the logic is wrong or needs to be updated.
The PLC reduces many of these actual relays to create common sense which moves and circuits them almost to the software. PLC development has typically been and still at Step ladder Diagram or Step ladder Common sense. It continues to be mostly employed language for encoding a PLC, despite the fact that you will find choice spoken languages. The basic reason is, it is rather like the electric powered schematics employed for communicate reason.

Ladder reasoning is programmed using frequent power icons like those utilized for contacts and coils. A step ladder diagram program appears to be a power drawing that electricians are comfortable and familiar with, very easy adoption from the difficult-wired relays for the PLC was attained. Programming a PLC demands a certain knowledge and skill.

Comprehending the method that will be operated or programmed is paramount. Start-up and Shutdown characteristics tend to be overlooked or provided little focus at the start in which the concentration is in the principal features of the machine or process. The PLC should be picked to match the application as well as each one of the outputs and inputs accounted for and extras integrated in the event that the task expands or to deal with components that have been basically overlooked. Planning upfront will save time and frustrations later, as with all projects.


Getting together with all the stakeholders or those engaged might be a wonderful initial step. Hash out the range and establish a time-range and possess individuals included agreement to it. Later on, when extra features or characteristics are asked for, you can support the explanation of the coding task getting more than initially proposed.

PLC coding is only area of the whole job of automating a piece of equipment. An expert must layout and stipulates the ingredients that provide the PLC with its inputs and outputs that are going to control. If you are only responsible to programming the plc, so you need all the inputs and outputs lists and their specs from the engineer.

He or she will also be the main one to deliver a controlled narration or information from the project. Undertaken one step more in advancement, Boolean Reason diagrams might be provided to you the developer which can (if in depth adequate) be used to create the program. Quite often the Handles Electric Engineer will also carry out the programming and perhaps the HMI coding... but which is another subject.


So in wrapping it up, PLC programming is about giving brains to machines processes using a specialized computer and requires significant knowledge and skills. I will tell you it can be a very fulfilling job when it comes to struggle, constant studying, teamwork and last and positively not very least, monetarily get.

Enhanced motion control, safety and performance

Kollmorgen Automation Suite version 2.8 delivers new functions

With an embedded EtherCAT configuration tool, version 2.8 of the Kollmorgen Automation Suite (KAS) software accelerates the development of modular machine architectures.

The new release of the integrated development environment now enables users to build complete EtherCAT systems and configure all peripheral components, including HMI, I/O, controllers and motors, with a single tool. Along with ergonomic improvements, the resulting simplification makes life easier for system developers and boosts engineering efficiency.
One of the key innovations in Kollmorgen Automation Suite 2.8 is the embedded EtherCAT configuration tool, which makes it easy to integrate EtherCAT components (including those from other manufacturers) into the application. With this open architecture, Kollmorgen reduces development time for modular, multi-purpose machine architectures. Another clear advantage of this approach is that direct communication with Kollmorgen AKD PDMM servo controllers from PC-based applications is now possible using UDP and HTTP protocols.

EtherCAT, safety and visualisation: the new software release 2.8 of Kollmorgen Automation Suite (KAS) offers a variety of new functions for faster machine development.
Convenience is also enhanced by the incorporation of safety technology in the engineering process. For this purpose, the release integrates Kollmorgen's new KSM series of safety modules. These compact devices combine Safe PLC with Safe I/O in a single package and provide TÜV-certified functions up to performance level e of ISO 13849 or SIL 3 of IEC 61508.
Version 2.8 of the Kollmorgen Automation Suite also features performance enhancements for servo amplifiers. The user-programmable controllers in the AKD PDMM family form the core of KAS thanks to the "IPC inside" philosophy. Future devices feature twice as much capacity at rated currents up to 24 A and faster processors. Along with general performance enhancements, application options are expanded by the inclusion of new motion control functions.