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Flex I/O – How to add on Ethernet to ControlLogix (S21)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article (and video) I walk through how to add Ethernet Flex I/O to a ControlLogix System:

Step 1) To start, open your RSLogix 5000 or Studio 5000 project and find your Ethernet communications module under I/O Configuration. Once you find it, expand it by clicking on the plus sign (+) so you can see the “Ethernet” network under it:

NOTE: While some CompactLogix and ControlLogix controllers have Ethernet port(s) built-in, most will require you to add one to your project before you can add Distributed Ethernet I/O like Flex I/O.

Step 2) Next, right click on “Ethernet” and select “New Module”:

NOTE: While you may be tempted to try to add or “Discover” Flex I/O “Online,” this is not supported as shown below:

Step 3) In the “Select Module Type” window type in the part number of your Flex I/O Ethernet Adapter. In this example I’m using a 1794-AENT:

Step 4) Next, select your Adapter from the list and click on “Create”:

Step 5) In the “New Module” window, check the default “Revision” and “Chassis Size” to see if they match your actual Adapter and application. If not, click on “Change” to edit either or both fields:

Note: If your Adapter is already powered and wired to the network, you can check it’s revision by first finding it in RSLinx, and then right clicking on it and selecting “Device Properties”:

Step 6) If you need to make a change, click on the “Change” button and update the “Revision” and/or the “Chassis Size” to match what you have installed and click on “OK.” Note that most Flex I/O Adapters support up to 8 modules, which is a chassis size of 8:

Step 7) After your Module Definition matches your physical hardware, you need to “Name” your adapter and give it an “Ethernet Address” before clicking on “OK”:

NOTE: It’s important to understand that your Flex I/O Tags will show in Controller Tags using the name you give your adapter here. In our example we used the name “EFIO.”

Step 8) Once you’re finished adding all your Ethernet devices, click on “Close”:

Step 9) With your Flex I/O Ethernet Adapter added to the I/O Configuration, the next step is to add your Flex I/O Modules to the Adapter. To do this, right click on the Adapter and select “New Module”:

Step 10) Now find and “Create” each of the Flex I/O modules connected to the Adapter:

Step 11) Just like with the Adapter, you can also find a module’s “Revision” in RSLinx Classic by right clicking on the module and selecting “Device Properties”:

Step 12) As you add each module, confirm the “Module Definition” and “Slot” is correct before clicking on “OK”:

Step 13) Once all your modules have been added, you’ll find their I/O Tags in Controller Tags with the “Name” you gave your Flex I/O Adapter.

In this case we used “EFIO” as our adapter’s name, and below you can see our new “EFIO” Flex I/O Controller Tags:

The Automation Show, Episode 21:
Adding Ethernet Flex I/O To ControlLogix

I hope you found today’s article (and video) about how to add Ethernet Flex I/O to your ControlLogix helpful!

If you have any comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to post it using the “comment” link found below my signature.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

What’s New At The Automation Blog And School, Summer 2019 (Article & Video)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

It’s been a busy summer here at Insights In Automation, and I thought I’d take a moment to review what’s new at The Automation Blog and School!

You can either watch the video version here, or scroll down for the text version below the video:

What’s new at TheAutomaitonBlog.com

1. Recruiting Freelance Writers

First up, we’re now actively recruiting Freelance Writers to submit articles for publication here on The Automation Blog.

We’re doing this with one goal in mind: To broaden our audience by publishing articles on industrial automation topics which lie outside of my own areas of expertise, including products made by vendors other than Rockwell, as well as Rockwell products other than PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA.

We’ve already had a few people sign up, and you’ve probably noticed their posts over the last couple of weeks.

So if you’re interested in joining out team, please submit the contact form on this page and I’ll get in touch with you next week.

2. Submit a News Tip

Now that our forums are up and running to handle reader Q & A, I’ve brought back the “submit news tip” link to the top of the site for those of you who want to shares news about products and happening with us.

The new form offers you the choice of submitting the news tip anonymously or with credit given.

3. TheAutomationBlog.com/join and TheAutomationExchange.com now part of TheAutomationBlog.com

For those who might not be aware of this change, over the summer we migrated the above two sites into this one.

We also attempted to migrate every product, user, order, and receipt from the store at TheAutomationExchange.com to the new store at TheAutomationBlog.com, so any previous orders you’ve made at the old site should now show up here.

4. Looking to trade a ControlLogix Course for an RSLogix 5 license

As you’ve probably seen on The Automation Show, we’re hard at work putting together our product backboard in Studio B.

One product we’d like to fully integrate with the rest of the equipment is our PLC-5, however Rockwell has formally rejected our request to purchase their PLC/HMI Toolkit by telling us we just don’t qualify.

Not wanting to waste money on an expensive toolkit full of products we’ll never use, we’re thought we’d reach out to our readers and connections to see if any of them would be willing to trade us a license of RSLogix 5 for a ControlLogix course from The Automation School.

So if you have a license of RSLogix 5 you no longer need and would be willing to transfer to us, please contact me using this form here.

5. Become a member, get free stuff!

We’re very thankful to those individuals who’ve been backing our site, some as far back as 2014!

In order to show them our appreciation, we’re in the process of updating our membership program so that all our backers will be able to browse our site Ad Free, as well as get access to free download too!

We’re not ready to release the details as of yet, but stay tuned as we plan to roll it out shortly!

What’s new at TheAutomaitonSchool.com

1. Last Chance Sale for Compact (Logix) Basics

I’m prepping to film the very last chapter of my CompactLogix course, Compact Basics, and wanted to let everyone know that my “Last Chance” sale ends on September 30th!

So if you (or someone you know) would like to learn all about the CompactLogix line, then please head over to TheAutomationSchool.com/courses/compact-basics-course/ to save 20% off this course and get if for just $119!

2. All Contact Links in One place

In our recently updated “top menu,” you’ll now find all of our contact links in one place!

These include links to our pre-sales questions, group enrollment questions, returning student discounts, upgrade coupon requests, and general contact link.

3. Recruiting Instructors

Last but not lease, we’re always on the lookout for instructors who’d like to join me in teaching over at The Automation School.

So if you either already have a course or would like to create one, please contact me about teaching at The Automation School by using this link.

Well that’s it for our Summer 2019 update!

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please don’t hesitate to leave them below 😉

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Troubleshooting A Tension Application: Knowing Your Components

By
Paul Hunt
-

I was recently involved in troubleshooting a machine that I’d originally built and programmed for some prototype work, and which was later moved into production.

Unfortunately, it had developed an issue that caused it to run unsteadily, and of course production needed it fixed a.s.a.p.!

Sound familiar?

The issue seemed to be related to the closed-loop tension for one of the servos.

In this particular system, the PLC receives a load cell value from a signal conditioner that is powered by 24VDC. This signal is an analog signal of 0 to 10vdc.

Like many signal conditioners, the one used had a setting to allow selecting different input ranges (typically in the millivolt range for load cells). The output is then sent to the PLC where it has specific programming and/or hardware to handle the input signal (common ranges include 0 to 10VDC, 0 to 5VDC, andr 4-20mA).

As I saw it, I needed to determine if the issue was (a) the load cell setup, (b) the servo system itself (improperly sized?), or (c) a problem within the PLC code.

I started troubleshooting by stepping through the measurements and setup for the analog input, hoping to eliminate both the load cell configuration and the PLC’s code. Then if needed, I’d inspect the servo system.

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash
Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

When designing a servo system, the user needs to consider the speed of the motor, inertias, and the torque needed for the final system to work. So I thought it doubtful that at this stage it would be the design that was the problem since the machine had run successfully for over a year.

However, remember that this system was created as a prototype to test a process, I had to concede that the process of specifying parts and how they would be used was not done in a typical way.

Also, another unfortunate point about moving a prototype machine into production is the fact that when you’re asked to put together a prototype on a limited budget, it’s common to make use of used equipment already on hand, as well as not design the system with longevity in mind.

Back to the troubleshooting of the machine, the first step I took was to take a detailed look at the load cell.

The process engineer was using three different load cells that are swapped out depending on the load of the material in the machine, and the range of tension needed.

Intuitively I knew that could pose a problem, but luckily all three outputed a standard 21mV signal. Upon reviewing the design and specifications of each load cell, I found they were also all the same resistance and had the same nominal excitation voltage (10VDC).

So at that point I eliminated that part of the system as being the cause of the problem.

Next I focused on the signal conditioner, which had a series of dip switches used to set the starting and ending input values from the load cell (in this case, 0 to 21 millivolts.)

The signal conditioner also had a bank of switches that set the output signal discussed above.

But something I did notice was that the switches were NOT at the default settings for this unit. This is something I knew I needed to double check, but after I did I found that they all looked good.

Next, I moved on to reviewing the PLC parameters in the analog hardware setup.

This system is controlled by a Mitsubishi FX5, programmed with GX Works 3, which is one of the nicer software packages I’ve worked with (more on that in a future article.)

For some reason, I found non-default parameters set in the scaling, shift, and clip settings, which seemed odd?

So I decided to download the defaults, but found the issue still there.

But when I combined the defaults with a control function that would force a fixed tension (used for debug purposes,) the unstable condition completely went away?

Not only did it go away, the system was much more stable with lower values of tension, which meant the issue is definitely not what I originally thought.

To be absolutely sure, I ran through the below testing process several times:

  • Start the machine
  • Begin with a fixed output for tension.
  • Switch over to PID controlled tension after a short period.

Each and every time the system would now run perfectly smooth.

I discussed the issue with some of my colleagues and found that some of the other machines with similar controls would also startup at a fixed tension before switching to PID control after several seconds, confirming what I was seeing.

With that issues resolved, we’ll now be adding this additional tension switching functionality into not only this machine, but also future machines which we are getting ready for production.

So in summary, the solution to the issue was different than what I expected. In the end the system just needed to stabilize first with fixed tension setting prior to into PID control. Once this was discovered, a simple process change was all that was needed.

So when analyzing a system to resolve issues, you have to keep an open mind as to what the issue might be, as well as understand how the different components of the system interact as well as how peripheral equipment can affect them.

Written by Paul Hunt
Senior Automation Engineer and Freelance Writer

Have a question? Join our community of pros to take part in the discussion! You'll also find all of our automation courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Sponsor and Advertise: Get your product or service in front of our 75K followers while also supporting independent automation journalism by sponsoring or advertising with us! Learn more in our Media Guide here, or contact us using this form.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)
 

How IOT works

By
Nilesh Soni
-

How IOT works, from an ERP perspective.

Definition:

Simply put, IOT (Internet Of Things) is a system where machines talk to each other without the need for users to get involved.

It’s used to provide next-generation automation by identifying the state of a system with the help of various devices and sensors, and today major applications for IOT include monitoring and analysis.

A typical IOT system comprises of 4 components:

  • Data Source
  • Data Transfer Medium
  • Data Processing
  • Client (User interface)

Data Source:

It is the source that generates/collects data from the environment, and it can be any type of sensor (temperature sensor, pressure gauge, flow meter, etc.), any type of machine (weighing machine, CNC machine, etc.) or any type of PLC controllers.

The basic function of this source is to generate data about the state of the system, for example: A steam turbine system consists of many temperatures, pressure, and flow sensors, this sensor understands the state of a steam turbine and generates data about the temperature and pressure of turbine.

Data Transferring Medium:

This component’s main function is to fetch the data from the data sources and send data to the cloud then this data goes for further processing.

This data can be sent to cloud by several mediums like: Cellular, Ethernet, Satellite, etc. Which medium is used completely depends upon the availability and compatibility with the source of data.

For example: For one of our applications we used a Raspberry Pi computer as data transferring medium to connect with a PLC, and it fetches the data via. a Python Script and sends that data to a server.

Data Processing:

This component compares the data through some conditions and performs the actions accordingly. This action can be either monitoring, alarming, performing tasks like shutting down the system or activating another process, and typically is comprised of algorithms that contain if-else statements.

In my experience, the most popular platform for IOT data processing has been AWS IOT (Amazon Web Services IOT.) AWS IOT provides a platform that uses the MQTT protocol for data transferring, allowing users to develop their own algorithms and define custom actions that meet their requirements.

For example: In one of our applications we monitor the temperatures and pressures of a Steam Turbine. In applications like this, users can define a certain range for temperatures and the actions to take if temperature crosses that range.

Client (User Interface):

It’s the component that shows the processed data to the user in a presentable form, and typically makes use of bar graphs, pie charts, and other graphical objects. It also shows notifications of alarms and messages, and provides a user interface to respond to these back to the data source.

For example: In our Steam Turbine system, if blades temperature crosses the given range, our Turbine needs to trip immediately. Hence we made an alarming system that sends alerts via notification and messages, and with the help of user interface users can now send trip signals to the PLC.

Summary:

In summary, from my perspective as an ERP Solutions provider, utilizing IoT not only makes interfacing with automation systems easier, but it also adds an extra layer of safety to the system by integrating alarming and emergency trip systems.

Written by Nilesh Soni
Provider of custom ERP solutions and Freelance Writer
Edited by Shawn Tierney

Have a question? Join our community of pros to take part in the discussion! You'll also find all of our automation courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Sponsor and Advertise: Get your product or service in front of our 75K followers while also supporting independent automation journalism by sponsoring or advertising with us! Learn more in our Media Guide here, or contact us using this form.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)
 

Tips to Optimize Your Smart Factory for Maximum Efficiency

By
Megan Ray Nichols
-
Photo by Dids

Whether you already have a smart factory or are creating one, you undoubtedly want to operate it at peak efficiency. Doing so helps you increase worker productivity while keeping clients happy. Here are some tips for success.

1. Use Data to Inform Your Process Improvements

One of the top advantages of smart factory equipment is that it continually collects data to inform plant operators about operations. However, many people who run smart factories realize they have data available, but don’t know how to use it effectively.

Some analysts say there are four data-driven evolutionary phases for smart factories. In the earliest stage, companies have data to use, but it’s hard to access. But, the final one encompasses action-oriented data. Then, companies have large, validated data sets and feel confident enough in them to make decisions based on the results.

There are no quick processes to make better use of your data. But, once you believe you’re in the last data evolution stage, dig into the information and use it to guide what you do next.

2. Get Employee Feedback About the Tech

When companies make their factories smarter, they can often do the same amount or more with a smaller workforce. However, you’ll almost certainly have workers that directly work with smart factory machines. They should ideally be the first points of contact as you assess what’s working well and what isn’t.

Ask them what they like best about the smart factory as well as any frustrations they have about the inefficiencies that remain. Moreover, be aware that making your facility more efficient may require adjusting your workforce so that it has the know-how to take your factory into the future.

A survey from PwC found candidates with four-year or advanced degrees get three-quarters of non-factory-floor jobs at smart factories. Furthermore, the most common way to upskill workers to meet advanced manufacturing needs is to train them in-house.

After speaking with your factory floor employees about the new tech, you may learn the workforce has skill gaps to address. If so, internal training could fill them.

3. Update Your Factory Layout Every Year

Your smart factory almost certainly has features that assist with inventory management. For example, workers might use handheld scanners as they move around the facility floor to retrieve or restock items. Or, your factory might have autonomous vehicles that safely transport products to the proper places.

Photo by Dids

In any case, you’re probably not selling precisely the same products now as you were this time last year. That’s because successful businesses grow and change with time. One way to boost efficiency is to adjust the factory layout annually and ensure your most-sold products are in the most accessible sections of your inventory storage areas.

The layout update may indicate you need new equipment to accommodate the changes. In that case, always take the time to give employees the training they need to feel confident about the new layout and equipment.

4. Consider Implementing Predictive Maintenance Technology

Unplanned downtime due to maintenance negatively affects both profitability and profits, and the outcomes tend to get worse the longer a stoppage persists. When Intel investigated what manufacturers do to improve their smart factories, they talked to company representatives about their most prominent pain points. Nearly a quarter of respondents cited equipment maintenance and upkeep as being problematic.

But, if smart equipment has predictive maintenance features, it’s easier to spot issues before they become severe enough to stop production. If you already use predictive maintenance tech on some machines, improve it by seeing if other pieces of machinery tend to have unexpected breakdowns more often. If so, focus on adding predictive maintenance sensors to those things, too.

When machines run more consistently, your facility should quickly become more efficient. The predictive maintenance tools used may also inform you of process deficiencies you should change because they make parts wear out more rapidly than normal.

5. Ensure All Efficiency Improvements Connect to a Larger Strategy

It’s tempting to see inefficiency in a factory and address it immediately without making sure it supports your overall strategy. Research from Capgemini found 56% of the participants surveyed invested at least $100 million into their smart factories. But, only 14% of them said they felt satisfied with their success levels so far.

That’s not to say you should hold off with any planned smart factory enhancements. But, whether the upgrades relate to efficiency or something else, spend time thinking about how you’ll measure success and align it with a strategy.

Help Your Smart Factory Grow

These tips will help you achieve better efficiency in your smart factory. Then, you’ll be in a better position to excel.

Written by Megan R, Nichols
STEM Writer and Freelance Blogger

Have a question? Join our community of pros to take part in the discussion! You'll also find all of our automation courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Sponsor and Advertise: Get your product or service in front of our 75K followers while also supporting independent automation journalism by sponsoring or advertising with us! Learn more in our Media Guide here, or contact us using this form.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)
 

Troubleshooting 101: Not always what you think, but how you think

By
Paul Hunt
-
Photo by Chandler Denise on Unsplash

Not many people spend their entire career in one place or the same position.

Photo by Nikita Kachanovsky

As you move up and on to different positions and other seemingly brighter opportunities, as most do for much of their career growth, the ability to step back and look at an issue becomes increasingly important.

You may be the last in line on the frontlines to get something running or the one that everyone else is looking to for ideas.

Either way, there are a few steps or guidelines I feel that can be kept in mind to make any automation troubleshooting experience go smooth and hopefully end with a successful result.

1. Previous Knowledge

Take advantage of the knowledge from the technician, the operator, and the maintenance personnel that deal with the issue every day. This is key. Every one of these positions involved has a unique perspective on the equipment or system.

Communication becomes more and more crucial in troubleshooting (just as most daily activities) especially as technology continues to move forward and continue to make the face to face interactions less and less common.

2. Understand & Review

Review and know what you are looking at. Whether it’s a system or a single piece of equipment, know what you are looking at. Understand the problem at hand. Keep in mind too that diving way in-depth with technicalities may not be the best initial approach.

Take your time in reviewing and being sure something less technical or simple to fix could have been overlooked. Might be best to just find what it is supposed to do when the failure happens and work backward.

Sometimes a situation just needs a set of fresh eyes to help expose the issue.

3. Keep calm

Photo by Chandler Denise

Regardless if you have an entire afternoon or a few seconds to look over the code in the robot between items as they come down the assembly line (been there…not fun), keeping a cool head will ALWAYS be more beneficial to the troubleshooting process than getting frustrated or angry (at yourself or other people involved).

4. Take Notes

Do what you can to document steps taken previously and along the way. This is important when trying to be as efficient as possible and not trying the same thing more than once.

Good records will help with future issues on this equipment or similar equipment to determine if the same fix needs applied or something else needs to be looked at.

This can be as simple as Notepad notes in a text file or screen capture (with software or Alt + PrtScn). No such thing as too much information…ever!

5. Stumped?

Step back…take a walk…check postings (or post a question) in forums… come back tomorrow if you can. The key is to rest your thought process.

Sometimes, you will be surprised to see that the answer will just appear as if magic.

Be ready for a delay though. Sometimes this epiphany won’t happen until you are fast asleep. Maybe it will wait until in the morning starting your shower and getting ready for the day.

Though these steps are good points to follow, I think the key is to stay calm and let your mind work.

Even though you may have the most advanced knowledge of the equipment or process, often it comes down to the thought process in finding the cause more than knowing the system like the back of your hand.

Written by Paul Hunt
Senior Automation Engineer and Freelance Writer

Have a question? Join our community of pros to take part in the discussion! You'll also find all of our automation courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Sponsor and Advertise: Get your product or service in front of our 75K followers while also supporting independent automation journalism by sponsoring or advertising with us! Learn more in our Media Guide here, or contact us using this form.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)
 

TIA Portal, S7-1500 – Create, Download, and Test your first PLC Program (S20)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this week’s episode of The Automation Show, John DeTellem of Siemens walks us through how to create a new program for a Siemens S7-1500:

For more information, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video.


The Automation Show, Episode 20 Show Notes:

Special thanks to John DeTellem for sending in this video!!

Related Articles:

Support Shawn’s work on TheAutomationBlog.com/join!

You can now support Shawn’s work on The Automation Blog and Show with a small monthly pledge! To become a Patron, visit us at https:// TheAutomationBlog.com/join.

You can also purchase the entire season for a one time donation of $15 at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theautomationshow.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Vendors: Would you like your product featured on the Show and Blog? If you would, please contact me at: https://theautomationblog.com/contact

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

TIA Portal, S7-1200 – Creating your first PLC Program (S19)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this week’s episode of The Automation Show, I walk new users through how to create their first Siemens S7-1200 Ladder Logic Program:

For more information, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video.


The Automation Show, Episode 19 Show Notes:

Special thanks to Siemens for sending us the S7-1200 starter pack!

Related Articles:

Support Shawn’s work on TheAutomationBlog.com/join!

You can now support Shawn’s work on The Automation Blog and Show with a small monthly pledge! To become a Patron, visit us at https:// TheAutomationBlog.com/join.

You can also purchase the entire season for a one time donation of $15 at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theautomationshow.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Vendors: Would you like your product featured on the Show and Blog? If you would, please contact me at: https://theautomationblog.com/contact

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Point I/O – How to add on ControlNet to ControlLogix (S18)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this week’s episode of The Automation Show, we take a look at how you add ControlNet Point I/O to a ControlLogix system:

For more information, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video.


The Automation Show, Episode 18 Show Notes:

Related Articles:

Support Shawn’s work on TheAutomationBlog.com/join!

You can now support Shawn’s work on The Automation Blog and Show with a small monthly pledge! To become a Patron, visit us at https:// TheAutomationBlog.com/join.

You can also purchase the entire season for a one time donation of $15 at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theautomationshow.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Vendors: Would you like your product featured on the Show and Blog? If you would, please contact me at: https://theautomationblog.com/contact

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Point I/O – How to add on Ethernet to ControlLogix (S17)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this week’s episode of The Automation Show, we take a look at how you add Ethernet Point I/O to a ControlLogix system:

For more information, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video.


The Automation Show, Episode 17 Show Notes:

Related Articles:

Support Shawn’s work on TheAutomationBlog.com/join!

You can now support Shawn’s work on The Automation Blog and Show with a small monthly pledge! To become a Patron, visit us at https:// TheAutomationBlog.com/join.

You can also purchase the entire season for a one time donation of $15 at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theautomationshow.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Vendors: Would you like your product featured on the Show and Blog? If you would, please contact me at: https://theautomationblog.com/contact

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

ControlFlash – Why Doesn’t It Find My Firmware Files?

By
Shawn Tierney
-

As I was filming new lessons for my CompactLogix course yesterday, I ran into an issue with version 15.01 of ControlFlash that I’m sure many other programmers have or will run into as well.

Note: If you’ve never used ControlFlash but need to, I’ve previously published step-by-step guides to flashing A-B Programmable Controllers over Ethernet (here) and USB (here.) I also have a guide on how to download Allen-Bradley Firmware here.

That said, you may find that when you download firmware files from Rockwell’s website that ControlFlash just seems to ignore them.

Why? Well, in today’s article I’ll cover three reasons this might happen.

First, you need to be sure you copy any downloaded Firmware files into the directories ControlFlash is set to use.

To see which directories your particular ControlFlash installation is monitoring, launch the software, then click on next, and then click on browse:

Second, you need to make sure the files you’ve downloaded have the “.dmk” extension. If your Firmware files have a “.zip” extension,  you’ll need to rename them to “.dmk”.

Update for 2022: With ControlFlash 15.04, I’ve found you now need to open any zip files you download from Rockwell, and then run the .MSI install file inside.

In my case I downloaded every firmware available for my L73S, from v34 all the way back to v20. What I got was several .DMK files and several .Zip files in a subdirectory:

Just renaming the Zip files no longer worked for me, so I opened each one and ran the .MSI install file inside (after closing ControlFlash first:)

To do so, first check that you have File Explorer set to display “File Name Extensions” (that setting is found under the “View” tab, as shown below.) Then rename your downloaded Firmware file’s extension from “.zip” to “.dmk”:

Previously you could just rename Zip files to DMK files, but this did not work for me recently with ControlFlash 15.04.

Third, when you select the catalog number of your Controller, you may find that no matter what you do ControlFlash just won’t show any version higher than 30.011 (the workaround / solution is covered in the next paragraph):

The reason for this issue seems to be that versions after 30.011 are now “bundled” together under a family or controller line.

So in order to access those newer versions, you’ll want to scroll down below all the catalog numbers and then select the entire line or family like I do below:

I hope the above article helps those of you who ran into this issue like I did while filming my Compact Basics course.

If you have any questions or comments about this issue, you can post them in our free forum by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

S7-1200 – How To Set The IP Address Of A New PLC (S16)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this week’s episode of The Automation Show, we take a look at how you set the IP Address of a new Siemens S7-1200:

For more information, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video.


The Automation Show, Episode 16 Show Notes:

Related Articles:

Support Shawn’s work on TheAutomationBlog.com/join!

You can now support Shawn’s work on The Automation Blog and Show with a small monthly pledge! To become a Patron, visit us at https:// TheAutomationBlog.com/join.

You can also purchase the entire season for a one time donation of $15 at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theautomationshow.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Vendors: Would you like your product featured on the Show and Blog? If you would, please contact me at: https://theautomationblog.com/contact

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

TIA Portal – How To Activate Using A USB License

By
Shawn Tierney
-

If your copy of TIA Portal Step 7 came with USB Memory Stick Floating License, you’ll need to move that license to your hard drive before you’ll be able to use Step 7.

If you don’t, even with the USB stick installed you’ll get the following error when trying to open an existing project, or add a device to a new one:

To move your license from the USB memory stick to your hard drive, just follow these steps:

Step 01) Start by plugging your USB Memory Stick License into your computer. Then open the “Automation License Manager” application that is installed with TIA Portal:

Step 02) Next, select the USB Memory Stick License drive from the list (in this case my USB License is drive “E”.) Next choose the license on the the right, and then choose “Transfer” under the “License Key” menu :

Step 03) In the pop-up hat appears, choose the hard drive you’d like to transfer the license to (in this example my hard drive is “C”.) Then click on OK:

Step 05) Now select the hard drive you just moved the license too, and you should find that your license now resides there:

With the above steps done, you should be able to open or create a Step 7 project without getting a license error:

While the above procedure worked for me, I’m still new to Siemens. So if you have any insight or comments to share, I invite you to do so by clicking on the “post a comment” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

FTLinx, RSLinx Enterprise – Connecting to the CCW Micro800 Simulator (S15)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this week’s episode of The Automation Show, we take a look at how you can use the Micro800 Simulator with CCW and FactoryTalk View & Linx:

For more information, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video.


The Automation Show, Episode 15 Show Notes:

Related Articles:

Support Shawn’s work on TheAutomationBlog.com/join!

You can now support Shawn’s work on The Automation Blog and Show with a small monthly pledge! To become a Patron, visit us at https:// TheAutomationBlog.com/join.

You can also purchase the entire season for a one time donation of $15 at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theautomationshow.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Vendors: Would you like your product featured on the Show and Blog? If you would, please contact me at: https://theautomationblog.com/contact

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

TIA Portal – How to install required .Net 3.5

By
Shawn Tierney
-

If you’re trying to install TIA Portal Step 7 and you’re seeing a “.Net 3.5 SP1” required error, today I’ll walk you through how to install .Net 3.5, as well as what to do if the .Net installation hangs.

Step 01) The easiest way to install .Net is through the “Programs and Features” applet in Windows Control Panel:

Step 02) In “Programs and Features,” click on “Turn Windows features on or off”:

Step 03) Then when the popup appears, find and select “.Net Framework 3.5” and click on OK:

Step 04) If you’re prompted to download the files from Windows update, go ahead and do so (you can also get the files off of your Windows 10 Install Disc):

Step 05) Once done, restart the TIA Portal Step 7 installation, and you should no longer get a .Net prerequisite error.

Note: If your installation or download hangs, check out the Offline Installer option below.

Offline Installer:

If for some reason the files never download, or if your PC is not connected to the internet and/or you don’t have access to your Windows 10 Installation DVD, there is another way to install .Net 3.5.

While Microsoft doesn’t provide a “true” offline installation file for .NET 3.5 SP1, a kind soul in the community has made one available, and below I’ll show you how to download and use it:

Step A) Start by downloading the .Net Framework 3.5 offline Installer from https://sourceforge.net/projects/framework-3-offline/

Step B) Then unzip the download, open the folder, and run the utility. When the installer appears, just click on “Start Installation”:

Note: To monitor the progress of the install, open the .txt file in the program’s folder (to refresh the progress, close and reopen the text file.)

If you’ve found another way around this issue, or you’d like to share your thoughts or questions, please do so by clicking on the “post a comment” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

FTLinx, RSLinx Enterprise – Connecting to Micro800

By
Shawn Tierney
-

One of my connections recently shared how he was able to connect FactoryTalk View Studio to the new Micro800 Simulator (thanks Floyd!)

After reviewing his email, I thought it would be a great opportunity share with everyone how you setup communications between FactoryTalk View, Linx, and any Micro800 that supports communications, including the new Simulator that comes with CCW v12.

Note: While today’s procedure will focus on the Micro820, 850, and Simulator using Ethernet, it should also work with the Micro830 and Serial Connections if you first configure a serial communications driver in FactoryTalk Linx.

Requirements:

On the software side you’ll need FactoryTalk Linx / RSLinx Enterprise version 5.60 or later, as well as FactoryTalk View Studio.

On the hardware side you’ll need a Micro820, 830, or 850 with firmware version 7 or greater, as well as CCW v7 or later. You can also use the new Micro800 Simulator that comes with CCW v12.

How to setup communications between FactoryTalk View, Linx and any Micro800:

Step 1) Inside of a FactoryTalk View Studio application, expand FactoryTalk Linx / RSLinx Enterprise and double click on “Communications Setup:”

Step 2) If prompted, select “Create a new configuration” and click on “Finish”:

Step 3) Now under the “Design (Local)” tab, expand “Linx.”

If you are connecting to a Micro 820 or 850 via Ethernet, or to the new Micro800 Simulator, expand the Ethernet driver and the select it to trigger a network browse.

If you are connecting to a Micro830, or other Micro800 via serial, you will first need to right click on “Linx” and add a new serial driver matching your Micro800’s serial configuration (not shown.)

After “Linx” finds your Micro800, select it before moving on to the next step.

Note: For information on how to setup the Micro800 Sim shown above, check out this article.

Step 4) Now under “Device Shortcuts” click on “Add,” and then name your new shortcut:

Step 5) After naming your shortcut, change the “Shortcut Type” to “Symbolic,” and then click on “Apply”:

Step 6) Then if prompted click on “Yes” to apply your changes:

Step 7) And if you receive the below notice, click on “OK” after reading it:

Step 8) Now that your shortcut is setup, click on “OK” to save your configuration:

Step 9) With your shortcut configuration saved, you can now select tags (see note below on supported types) from your Micro800 for use in your View Studio project:

Note: If your new Shortcut does not appear as a folder, click on the “Refresh All Folders” button.

A Note About Supported Tag Types: As of today, Rockwell states it is only possible to browse and select Micro800 Global Variables of the INT, DINT, REAL, and BOOL types.

So, do you think you’ll ever use FactoryTalk View Studio with the Micro800 line of PLCs? Or perhaps you’ve already been doing so?

You can share your comments or questions with us by using the “post a comment” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

CCW – How to use the free Micro800 Simulator

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article we’ll cover how to use the new Micro800 Simulator that comes with CCW 12, including how to work around a few common issues you may run into:

First, what is the Micro800 Sim?

Below is the official description of the Micro800 Simulator from the CCW release notes :

Step 1) To get started, first open up CCW v12:

Step 2) Next, open a CCW project you’d like to download to the Micro800 Simulated PLC:

Step 3) Once your existing application is open, I suggest you save it with a new name prior to making the changes needed to use it with the Micro800 Sim:

Step 4) In your newly re-named and re-saved project, right click on the Micro in the project tree and select “Change Controller”:

Step 5) Then select the new “2080-LC50-48QWB-SIM” as the controller to change it to:

Step 6) Once the conversion is done, you’ll hopefully see a success message at the bottom of CCW:

Step 7) At this point, it’s important to “build” your project and fix any issues that crop up.

In my case, since I’m using the program from my Nano Basics course which uses both the 2080-IF4U and 2080-SERIALISOL modules (for use with Modbus and VFDs), I had to resolve errors related to both of those modules:

NOTE: The below excerpt from the CCW release notes shows the many differences between a physical Micro850 and the Simulated one, including the Sim’s lack of support for Modbus, third party I/O modules, and communication modules:

Step 8) Once you’re program builds without errors you’re ready to launch the Micro800 Simulator located under the “Tools” menu:

Step 9) When it launches, it should look like this:

Step 10) If you’re program uses any of the supported Digital or Analog modules, now is the time to add them to your simulated Micro by right clicking on the appropriate slot and selecting the module from the list:

* Below you can see I’ve added the 2080-IF2 to my system as it’s also used in my Nano Basics course:

Step 11) With the simulated hardware configured, it’s time to turn on the Micro800 Sim. When you do, you may get the following “Windows Defender” popup in which you want to “Allow” access:

Note: If you do not allow access, you may not see your Micro850 Sim in RSLinx or FTLinx.

Step 12) With the Micro850 Sim running, your next step is to set the path to your Micro850 Sim in your CCW project.

To do so, click on “Connection Path,” then “Browse,” and then select your simulated Micro850 from the Connection Browser (it should show up with the same IP Address as your PC):

Note: You need to have RSLinx or FTLinx selected and configured for Ethernet/IP. Here I’m using the default RSLinx Classic with the Ethernet/IP driver that I show how to setup in this article.

Also note that if you try to use an old version of RSLinx or FTLinx it may not work, so be sure to read the CCW release notes and documentation if you run into any issues:

If you’re still having issues, I’d suggest contacting Rockwell’s free Micro800 Tech Support

Step 13) With your unique connection path set, you can now proceed to download your program to the Micro800 Sim:

Note: The Micro850 Sim running on my PC (shown above) has an IP Address of 192.168.1.212 since that is the IP Address of my PC. Your should show up with the IP Address of your PC.

Step 14) At which point you’ll be prompted to select “Download” or “Download with Project Values”:

Step 15) Once the download is complete, you’ll see this prompt:

Step 16) And if you’re using the free version of CCW, you’ll also find that after 10 minutes in Run, the simulator will switch back to program:

NOTE:  If you forget to add your I/O modules to your Micro800 Sim prior to downloading, you’ll see an error message like shown below:

Step 17) Once downloaded, you can put your Sim into run mode and click on the Input Terminals to turn the Inputs on and off (below, CCW is shown online behind the Micro800 Sim):

Step 18) One final note: As the Micro800 Sim is a simulator, you will find some subtle differences in how it operates, which is detailed in the CCW release notes:

I hope you found today’s article on how to use the Micro800 Sim helpful!

And if you’re enrolled in my Nano Basics course, note than I am planning on adding additional lessons (including how to use the Micro800 Sim) completely free of charge 😉

If you have any comments or questions on this article, please don’t hesitate to post it using the “comment” link found below my signature.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Point I/O and Flex I/O Compared (S14)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In this week’s episode of The Automation Show we compare and contrast Point I/O with Flex I/O:

For more information, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video.


The Automation Show, Episode 14 Show Notes:

Previous article mentioned in video: Point I/O vs Flex I/O

Rockwell Tech Note mentioned in video (currently requires paid contract to read): 878568

Support Shawn’s work on TheAutomationBlog.com/join!

You can now support Shawn’s work on The Automation Blog and Show with a small monthly pledge! To become a Patron, visit us at https:// TheAutomationBlog.com/join.

You can also purchase the entire season for a one time donation of $15 at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theautomationshow.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Vendors: Would you like your product featured on the Show and Blog? If you would, please contact me at: https://theautomationblog.com/contact

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

S7-1200 – Most Helpful Siemens Links and Videos

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Over the last few weeks I’ve received many helpful messages recommending webpages and videos to help me get started using the S7-1200, and in today’s article I’ll share those I found to be the most helpful.

Note: If you’d like to suggest additional links be added to the list, please use the links at end of the article to share them!

To start we have links to the S7-1200 product webpage, PDF brochure, and TIA programming software webpage:

Next we have a video that provides a quick look at the physical hardware:

With introductions out of the way, next we have detailed S7-1200 information both online and in a downloadable PDF:

For even more technical details, the next two links provide a complete list of S7-1200 user manuals, as well as a list of all the available application samples:

Finally, when it comes time to actually begin programming the S7-1200, these videos covering creating your first PLC program, HMI project, and adding distributed I/O, were the ones that I found to be the most helpful:

If you know of other great links or videos to help users get started with the S7-1200,please let me know by either contacting me HERE, or by using the “post a comment” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

What’s New at The Automation Blog for May, 2019 (video)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s video I update our visitors on what’s new here at Insights in Automation and The Automation Blog for May, 2019:

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

If you enjoy this episode please give it a Like, and consider Sharing as this is the best way for us to find new guests to come on the show.

Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

Shawn Tierney
Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

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