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Studio / RSLogix 5000 – Duplicating Programs

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article I cover how to quickly and easily export and import programs in RSLogix and Studio 5000.

Step 1) Start by opening your project in RSLogix or Studio 5000. Then right click on the program you would like to export and select “Export Program”:

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Step 2) Next, save your exported program to your computer:

theautomationblog-e05-3

Step 3) Now open the project you would like import your program to. Next, in RSLogix 5000 right click on the desired Task and select “Import Program”:

theautomationblog-e05-4a

Step 4) If you are using Studio 5000, select the “Add” menu and then select “Import Program”:

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Step 5) Now select the program you exported above and click on “Import”:

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Step 6) In the “Import Configuration” window enter in the desired name for your new program:

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Step 7) Now click on “Tags” and make any edits required, then click on “OK”:

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Step 8) After a few moments you should see the program you imported appear in the Controller Organizer:

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Step 9) As a final step, edit any Controller or Program Tag Aliases as needed:

theautomationblog-e05-9

Watch me demonstrate the above procedure live in Episode 5 of The Automation Minute Season 3:

Have a question or comment? Please feel free to leave them with us by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link at the very bottom of this page.

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.

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Studio / RSLogix 5000 – Duplicating Routines

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article I cover how to quickly and easily export and import routines while at the same time replacing tag addresses using RSLogix or Studio 5000.

Step 1) Open your project in RSLogix or Studio 5000, then right click on the routine you wish to duplicate and select “Export Routine”:

theautomationblog-e04-1

Step 2) Now save the export of your routine to your computer:

theautomationblog-e04-2


NOTE: You can support our site and receive an “ad free” copy of this article for just 99¢ here. Or become a “Premium Supporter” for as little as $3 a month and receive $5 worth of articles and $5 worth of sample code free each month! Find out more here.

Step 3) Next, right click on the program you wish to import your routine to and select “Import Routine”:

theautomationblog-e04-3a

Step 4) If you’re using Studio 5000 you’ll find “Import Routine” under the “Add” menu:

theautomationblog-e04-3b

Step 5) Now select the routine you exported above and click on “Import”:

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Step 6) Then in the “Import Configuration” window enter a name for the routine you are importing:

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Step 7) Then click on “Tags” and make any tag name or alias edits you require. When finished click on “OK”:

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Step 8) After a few moments you’ll find your newly imported routine listed in the Controller Organizer:

theautomationblog-e04-7

Watch me demonstrate the above procedure live in Episode 4 of The Automation Minute Season 3:

Have a question or comment? Please feel free to leave them with us by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link at the very bottom of this page.

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.

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Studio / RSLogix 5000 – Duplicating Rungs

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article I cover how to quickly and easily export and import multiple rungs while at the same time replacing tag addresses using RSLogix or Studio 5000.

Step 1) Start by selecting the range of rungs you would like to duplicate. Do this by selecting the first rung, holding down the shift key on your keyboard, and then selecting the last rung:

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Step 2) Then right click on the Rungs and select “Export Rungs” from the menu:

theautomationblog-e03-3


NOTE: You can support our site and receive an “ad free” copy of this article for just 99¢ here. Or become a “Premium Supporter” for as little as $3 a month and receive $5 worth of articles and $5 worth of sample code free each month! Find out more here.

Step 3) Next save the exported Rungs to your computer:

theautomationblog-e03-4

Step 4) Now right click on where you would like to import the new rungs and select “Import Rungs”:

theautomationblog-e03-5

Step 5) Browse for and select the file you exported above, and then click on “Import”:

theautomationblog-e03-6

Step 6) Here in the “Import Configuration” window select “Tags,” and then make any changes you need to the tag names and aliases. When done click on “OK”:

theautomationblog-e03-7

Step 7) After a brief moment, your new rungs should be imported with any new tags and aliases you entered:

theautomationblog-e03-8

Watch me demonstrate the above procedure live in Episode 3 of The Automation Minute Season 3:

Have a question or comment? Please feel free to leave them with us by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link at the very bottom of this page.

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.

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This Week On The Automation Minute

By
Shawn Tierney
-

This week on The Automation Minute

On Tuesday I walked through exporting and importing Rungs in RSLogix / Studio 5000:

On Wednesday I walked through exporting and importing Routines in RSLogix / Studio 5000:

And on Thursday I walked through exporting and importing Programs in RSLogix / Studio 5000:

I hope you found this week’s videos helpful.

If you have any requests for future videos I’d love to hear them! Let me know by using the “post a comment or question” link at the bottom of this page.

And to watch our videos the day they’re released, visit theautomationblog.com or subscribe to us on YouTube.

You can also purchase and download any of our previous episodes for just 99¢ each HERE.

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.

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Studio / RSLogix 5000 – Duplicating Programs (M3E05)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Learn the best way to duplicate Programs in Episode 5 of The Automation Minute, Season 3:


If you’ve found this video helpful, checkout my training courses here.

Check out our Video Collection #1 here, which includes the first five seasons of our shows for just $30!

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.

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Studio / RSLogix 5000 – Duplicating Routines (M3E04)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Learn the best way to duplicate Routines in Episode 4 of The Automation Minute, Season 3:


If you’ve found this video helpful, checkout my training courses here.

Check out our Video Collection #1 here, which includes the first five seasons of our shows for just $30!

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.

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Studio / RSLogix 5000 – Duplicating Rungs (M3E03)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Learn the best way to duplicate Rungs in Episode 3 of The Automation Minute, Season 3:


If you’ve found this video helpful, checkout my training courses here.

Check out our Video Collection #1 here, which includes the first five seasons of our shows for just $30!

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.

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Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

How to Download Automation Fair 2016 Presentations

By
Shawn Tierney
-

If you didn’t get to attend Rockwell’s Automation Fair this year you can still download most of the session presentations free of charge.

To do so, just follow the steps below:

Step 1) Start out at http://www.AutomationFair.com

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Step 2) Now on the right side of the page click on “2016 Session Materials” as shown below:

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Step 3) Next select “Desktop Portal”:

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Step 4) When the “Desktop Portal” loads you’ll want to select “Schedule” on the left.

Step 5) Then when the schedule loads select the session you’re interested in and click on the “down arrow” image under “Downloads”:

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Note: If no downloads are listed for the session you’re interested in I suggest contacting your local representative to see if they can send you a copy of the session presentation.

Step 6) The final step is to click on download icon in the top right of the popup window:

theautomationblog-af16-dl-5

And if you’d like to see my highlights from my trip to Automation Fair 2016 check out the below articles:


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.

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View Studio – Using Images on Buttons

By
Shawn Tierney
-

In today’s article I cover how to use images, including those found in the Symbol Factory library, on Buttons in FactoryTalk View Studio Machine Edition.

Step 1) Open a View Studio Machine Edition Project, then a Graphic Display, and then add a Button.

NOTE: In our example below we add a “Maintained” button to the “Low Level Tag Read Write” display found in the sample project “Objects 5 Screen Demo:”

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Step 2) Now double click on your new button to bring up its properties, then change the “Border Style” to “None” and “Back Style” to “Transparent”

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Step 3) Next click on the “States” tab, then select a state and click on the Image ellipses (…) to browse for an image:

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Step 4) Here you can browse for an existing BMP, JPG, or PNG image using the “Add from File” button:

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NOTE: You can support our site and receive an “ad free” copy of this article for just 99¢ HERE, or become a “Premium Supporter” for as little as $3 a month and receive $5 worth of articles and $5 worth of code downloads free each month!

Step 5) However in this example we aren’t going to use a file but instead chose an image from the “Symbol Factory” library by first clicking on the “Launch Library” button, and then selecting an image in the library, and then clicking on the “Copy” button:

the-automation-minute-s03-e02e

 Step 6) Next, click on “Paste from Library,” then “OK” to accept the image’s name,then click on “OK” to close the Image Browser, and finally click on “Apply” to preview the image on the button:

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Step 7) Above you can see the button will need to be resize in order for the entire image to be visible. Alternatively, you can check the “Image Scaled” checkbox shown below to scale the image to fit the button’s current size:

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 Step 8) Once done with your first state, select the next state that will have an image and then add an image to it by repeating Steps 3 – 7. When you’re done adding images to your button’s states, click on “OK” to close the button object’s properties, and then save your graphic display.

Watch me demonstrate the above procedure live in Episode 2 of The Automation Minute Season 3:

tam-s3-e2-fi

Have a question or comment? Please feel free to leave them with us by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link at the very bottom of this page.

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.

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View Studio – Using Images on Buttons (M3E02)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Learn how to use images, including Symbol Factory, on FactoryTalk View Studio Machine Edition Buttons in Episode 2 of The Automation Minute, Season 3:


If you’ve found this video helpful, checkout my training courses here.

Check out our Video Collection #1 here, which includes the first five seasons of our shows for just $30!

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.

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Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Enrollment now open at The Automation School

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Today I’m happy to announce that enrollment in online courses at TheAutomationSchool.com is now open!

While The Automation School website had previously hosted a couple of short courses, most of the links on the site lead to non-interactive On-Demand or DVD courses.

However, after weeks of behind the scenes work several courses are now available to take right on TheAutomationSchool.com.

And with the opening of online enrollment at TheAutomationSchool.com, I’m also reaching out to anyone who might be interested in becoming an instructor at The Automation School.

So if you (or someone you know) would be more interested in publishing a course at The Automation School, contact me using the form at TheAutomationSchool.com/question.

Advantages of Online Courses

lesson-discussion-areaNow you may be asking yourself, “what are the advantages to taking online courses versus Streaming Video or DVD?”

Well, the first and probably biggest advantage is “instructor support.”

At TheAutomationSchool.com each and every lesson has its very own Q & A discussion area where students can directly post questions to instructor.

This not only allows for direct interaction between each student and the instructor on a per lesson basis, but also allows all students to benefit from the instructor’s answers to previously asked questions.

The next benefit would be the “interactive quizzes” which test and score the student’s knowledge as they progress through the course.

By taking quizzes with immediate scoring, students get direct feedback on whether or not they understood the information presented in the preceding lessons.

A third benefit is that students who complete all the lessons and pass all the quizzes get immediate access to a personalized “course completion certificate” PDF they can save and print.

And the final benefit is that every student is also enrolled in a private “course discussion forum” where they can discuss the course and related topics with other students enrolled in the same course.

Bundles and Offline Access

Even though there are many benefits to enrolling in the course online, it’s also true that many still want to take the course with them when they are “offline.”

For those students I offer two options:

The first is a Vimeo bundle, which on many iOS and Android devices allow the student to download the course lessons for viewing offline via the free Vimeo Mobile App.

However, before choosing this option we recommend students download and test the free Vimeo app to be sure it has the “watch later” offline download feature available on their device.

The second option is for courses that were already available on DVD.

These courses are still available to be purchased on DVD, but now can also be purchase as part of a “complete bundle” at a substantial discount.

These “complete” bundles include online enrolment, a Vimeo copy of the course lessons, and the DVD set with free USPS shipping in the continental USA (shipping to other countries available upon request.)

Support for DVD Only Customers?

I know some customers will still choose to purchase just the DVD edition of a course, however I didn’t want those customers not to have a means of getting support when they watched the course.

With that in mind, TheAutomationSchool.com now enrolls every customer who purchases a DVD Course into a private “DVD Course Support Forum” so they have not only the ability to ask the insutructor questions, but also have access to the instructor’s answers to other student’s questions.

Grand Opening Sale!

Now that TheAutomationSchool.com has these new capabilities, I though it would be a good time to hold a sale!

So for the next few weeks you’ll find every edition of every course on sale from 20% to 50% off, including standalone online courses, DVD sets, and the complete bundles mentioned above.

So if you know anyone looking for an affordable PLC or HMI training course, please pass on a link to TheAutomationSchool.com so they can take advantage of the grand opening sale!

And if you or someone you know would like to publish your own course on TheAutomationSchool.com, feel free to contact me directly using the form at TheAutomationSchool.com/question.

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.

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Careers in Industrial Automation

By
Jeff Conner
-

When you think “industrial automation” you may visualize robotic arms putting cars together on an assembly line.

The field is about so much more than that. Industrial automation covers everything from robotics to the tiny devices that run them.

A more formal definition of industrial automation is “the field of computer controlled systems and robotic devices used within industrial and commercial facilities to reduce human intervention and maximize efficiency.”

Skills Sets and Job Titles

 Working in this industry requires a range of skills in electronics, mechanics, and computers:

  • Software development and programming
  • Troubleshooting
  • Complex system test performance
  • Creative thinking and mastery of details
  • Excellent manual dexterity
  • Strong communication skills

Some of the job titles you might see include the word technician or engineer. You could become an automation technician, a manufacturing technician, or a machine technician. However, you are not limited to repair and maintenance roles. You also could become a technical sales representative or an engineer in R&D.

Why Pursue a Career in Industrial Automation?

One of the main reasons to go into industrial automation is because automation surrounds us and will continue to grow as a field. The trend in manufacturing and other industries is to automate rather than add physical labor to the process. The need for someone to maintain and repair automated devices continues to grow.

Another is that these devices will become obsolete and need replacing with a better product, requiring not just someone who can replace the old with the new but someone who can develop a more advanced product. The cycle is self-perpetuating.
Have you heard of the Internet of Things? The playground for an industrial automation engineer or technician is expanding every day. According to a report called, “Global Industrial and Factory Automation Market Analysis and Forecast,” the market for industrial automation equipment and services could grow at a compounded annual rate of 7% by 2018. That is higher than the estimated growth rate of any other U.S. industry except infrastructure.

Vendors in hardware and services plan to increase factory capabilities and expand teams, so the need is real. The pay is nice, too. The mean annual wage for an industrial engineering technician in 2014 was $56,000 while in the same year, electrical and electronic engineering technicians averaged $60,330. Automation engineers earned $103,000.

Options and Educational Requirements

The field of automation is extremely diverse, so you are better off being an expert in a particular part of the field. Education programs are available for specializing in electrical engineering, instrumentation, and industrial controls.

Bachelor’s Degree

Earning a Bachelor’s degree to become an engineer will provide you with practical skills are included such learning how to program instructions into an automated device, mend electrical circuits, or design a control mechanism. You would be eligible for higher positions in engineering technology, applying your new skills to circuit analysis, robotics, or microprocessor programming.

Some schools offer a Bachelor of Technology in control and instrumentation engineering, but pre-professionals also benefit from learning about automation, instrumentation of machinery, and computer controls.

Associate’s Degree

To get a position as a technician, you can earn an Associate’s degree in two years and prepare for an entry level position. Many programs give you the option to study a particular aspect of engineering technology. You learn common industry symbols, measurement techniques, and the basics of maintaining or servicing industrial equipment.

Further studies in these programs include Computer Aided Design (CAD), microprocessor programming, blueprint interpretation, and logic controllers. You could even take a deeper dive into hydraulics, pneumatics, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and human-machine interfaces.

How to Stand Out

Getting on the career track takes more than study and a degree. Employers like to see practical experience out in the “real world.” An internship or other industry experience will make you a more attractive candidate. Internships are also handy for helping you decide which industry to work in; you have options in the food industry, computer companies, electronics manufacturers, and hospitals, just to name a few.

You can also earn certifications from outfits like the International Society of Automation (ISA):

  • CCST – Certified Control Systems Technician
  • CAP – Certified Automation Professional
  • CSE – Control Systems Engineer (a licensing program)

Other professional organizations are available besides the ISA. There are the Automation Federation, the Measurement, Control, and Automation Association, the Robotic Industries Automation (RIA), and others.

Industrial automation has been with us since the Industrial Revolution. The field continues to grow and provide jobs in a wide variety of industries. If you have been thinking about working in industrial automation, now is a good time to start your education.

Written by Jeff Conner, Control Concepts

With over 25 years of experience in the industrial automation repair industry, Jeff Conner is the Dallas Service Manager for Control Concepts and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Electronics Technologies Department at Texas State Technical College. Control Concepts offers around the clock service and support anywhere you need it. To learn more, visit http://www.controlconceptstexas.com

 

Pictures from Automation Fair 2016

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Today I’m sharing pictures from in and around the show floor at Automation Fair 2016 (click on any picture for a full size image)

The Georgia World Congress Center is huge!

As I mentioned in my podcast earlier in the week, getting from the entrance to the show floor was a very long walk…

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Fortunately, Rockwell lined the halls of the convention center with some pretty interesting displays:

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When you finally did reach the last escalator leading to the show floor, you were greeted by this huge sign:

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And were invited to take a picture in the Allen-Bradley clock tower:

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At the bottom of the escalator there was a display featuring recent Tweets about the show, and I was happy to see one of my Tweets was shown:

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This year’s Automation Fair show floor entrance:

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Near the entrance was the “Shop” where I snagged the cool Automation Fair T-Shirt that I wore in this week’s podcast for just $6!

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I also took a stroll through the “History” exhibit as I enjoy reading about the history of technology:

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Then it was out to the show floor to see the sights.

Most of the exhibitors were quite engaged in conversations with prospective customers:

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Two encompass partner booths that caught my eye were those from SyTech and Panasonic:

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I also got a chance to talk to a high school level First team coach, and have to say Team 1261’s robot was very impressive in action:

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Then I got a shot of this year’s Lego League mission board, which was bittersweet as I miss coaching FLL:

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Next it was on to the Rockwell exhibits to get some product pictures for readers of the blog.

First up, some shots of the prototype 5480:

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Then I grabbed some shots of the latest PLC’s, HMI’s, etc:

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As far as the free lunch went this year, the lines were long but moved, and I thought the food was very good:

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And just like that, Automation Fair 2016 was over:

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Next year the show is in Houston, Texas:

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In retrospect I have to say I really enjoyed the show this year. However, as it is quite a substantial expense for the self-employed, as of now I’m not sure if I’ll be attending next year’s show.

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.

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The Automation Podcast Episode 34: Automation Fair 2016

By
Shawn Tierney
-

I share my thoughts about Automation Fair 2016 including what’s new in Logix, Studio, and View in episode 34 of The Automation Podcast.

Related: Links to the companion articles below:

Click here to listen or watch the Podcast:

tap-video-thumbnail-34

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.

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Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

Automation Fair 2016 Post Show Podcast (P34)

By
Shawn Tierney
-

I share my thoughts about Automation Fair 2016 including what’s new in Logix, Studio, and View in episode 34 of The Automation Podcast.

Related: Links to the companion articles below

Watch the Podcast:

Listen to the Podcast:

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.

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Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

View – AF 2016: What’s New with View at Automation Fair 2016

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Last week I attended the Automation Fair session, “What’s New in Visualization,” and below I’ll recap the features and products I found most interesting:

First up was an overview slide which announced that the PVPlus 7 Standard is now available with DLR support.

It also shows increased capabilities for the Standard model with View Studio v9, including an increased screen limit from 25 to 50, and an increased alarm count from 200 to 500.

whats-new-in-view-01

NOTE: The presenter mentioned the increased screen count was to allow use of up to 25 PlantPAx Process Object Faceplates. However, I didn’t hear if those 25 screens can only be used for their official faceplates, or for on top displays, or if they can be used for any type of graphic display?

Next we were shown an overview slide about the new features coming in the PanelView 5500, including multi-version support, multi-language support, and Add-on graphics:

whats-new-in-view-02

Then the presenter launched into an overview of the soon-to-be-released VersaView 5000 platform:

whats-new-in-view-03

In the last overview slide, we received a summary of new features found in upcoming software releases which thankfully included Windows 10 support (click on image to enlarge:)

whats-new-in-view-06

For me, one of the most interesting new features coming in ViewSE 9.0 is the powerful VantagePoint based “Trend Pro” control (TrendX will still be available for those who prefer it:)

whats-new-in-view-07

We also learned that both ME and SE would be getting support for “Extended Properties” which could potentially be a huge time saver in future projects:

whats-new-in-view-7b

Next we learned we were getting basic support for RSView32 Recipe Pro imports in FactoryTalk View SE 9.0, with additional features planned for ViewSE’s RecipePro+ in v10:

whats-new-in-view-11

And the last noteworthy feature of FactoryTalk View 9.0  shown was the new Alarming support being added to ViewPoint. It will allow clients to easily monitor alarms using a mobile friendly interface:

whats-new-in-view-12

The session ended with a review of new features coming for the PanelView 5000 and View Designer, which as you can see below includes Add-on Graphics, Language Switching, and Multi-version support:

whats-new-in-view-15

whats-new-in-view-16

whats-new-in-view-17

And those are my highlights from Rockwell’s “What’s New in Visualization” presentation as shown at Automation Fair 2016.

If you have any questions about the above features please feel free to post them by clicking on “post a comment or question” below, and if I know the answer I’ll be more than happy to reply.

And if you’d like to get a copy of the complete presentation it may be available later this week on http://www.AutomationFair.com. If not, your local Rockwell Automation Rep or Distributor Specialist should be more than happy to send you a copy.

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.

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What’s New in Studio 5000, AF 2016

By
Shawn Tierney
-

Another Automation Fair Technical Session I attended yesterday was, “What’s New in Studio 5000,” and below I’ll recap what I found most interesting about that session

First up was Logix Designer and a slide reminding us of the features found in the last release, v29.

High points include support for the new 5580 and 5380 controllers, as well as String Assignment Support and Add-on Profile bundles:

whats-new-in-studio-5k-02

The “String Assignment” feature, which is a welcome addition that saves programmers from having to create tags just to store text strings, sadly seems to only to support the 5580 and 5380 as seen in the below slide:

whats-new-in-studio-5k-04

The Add-on Profile bundle install is also a very welcome new feature which allows users to quickly install all available device profiles without having to install the latest rev of Studio.

Rockwell also states the AOP bundle download does not require an active support contract:

whats-new-in-studio-5k-08

Next they moved on to version 30, which as you can see below adds support for additional hardware including the 5380 and 5480, as well as Windows 10 support and a new installer with a welcome “Install Now” option:

whats-new-in-studio-5k-03

But what may be the most important new feature of v30 is the Component Change Detection feature seen below:

whats-new-in-studio-5k-07

As far as the most welcome new feature, I believe it might be the ability to Import an Export modules from the I/O Config Tree.

In its first rev it’s only planned to support a single module at a time, which is somewhat helpful.

However once this feature supports the entirety of the I/O Tree it will definitely become a very welcome productivity enhancement:

whats-new-in-studio-5k-06

Once the presenter was done with Logix Designer, he moved on to discuss new features in View Designer.

I expect the most welcome addition will be the new Add-On Graphics feature, which in some ways is similar to Global Objects in View Studio:

whats-new-in-studio-5k-10

In addition to AOG, Rockwell also discussed Runtime Language Switching in View Designer, which works in conjunction with the language properties of Logix Designer’s Extended Tag Properties and Alarm Messages:

whats-new-in-studio-5k-11

And those are what I considered the high points of the “What’s New in Studio 5000” presentation.

If you have any questions please feel free to post them by clicking on “post a comment or question” below, and if I know the answer I’ll be more than happy to reply.

And if you’d like to get a copy of the complete presentation it may be available later this week on http://www.AutomationFair.com. If not, your local Rockwell Automation Rep or Distributor Specialist should be more than happy to send you a copy.

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.

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Logix – AF 2016: What’s New with Logix from Automation Fair 2016

By
Shawn Tierney
-

One of the Automation Fair Technical Sessions I attended this morning was “What’s New in Logix,” and below I’ll recap what I found most interesting about this session

First up was a slide reminding us that in the past year Rockwell had released the 5380, 5370S, and L19:

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic02

Next up was another reminder, this one about the 5380 now supporting two unique IP addresses as an alternative to the original DLR support.

As I’ve said in the past, I think this is going to be a very popular feature as many prefer to keep I/O and HMI/Data Collection networks separated:

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic03

From there they moved onto ControlLogix reminders about the 5580, v24 redundancy, slim power supplies (with lower output) as well as the right angle redundant power supply cables:

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic04

Next it was back to the 5380, with the below chart showing the new controllers and increased limits coming out with version 30 later this year:

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic05

Now up to this point I wasn’t really surprised about anything that was shown.

And I also was not surprised when the next slide came up as a few of our readers had kindly sent me the link (here) when the product was first announced:

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic06

That said, what DID surprise me was the response the presenter gave to a couple of questions.

First, she said the CompactLogix 5480 (which is a Controller and Industrial Windows 10 PC all in one) was running View SE on the show floor, and running it well.

The second thing she said was that in the 5480 “Logix” and “Windows “share an Intel i7 processor, and that using this processor they were seeing over forty times (40x) the performance of last year’s 5380 (which was already 4-20 times faster than its predecessor.)

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic07

Not for nothing, but forty times faster than last year’s already very fast processor is fast imho! I have to say I’m now really looking forward to more information about the 5480’s performance as the product gets closer to release.

From there we received an I/O update. Since the slides pretty much tell the story I’ll let them do the talking:

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic08

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic09

Next we heard about DLR enhancements including new support for redundant gateways (allowing two switches to be added to the same ring) as well as the addition of a DHCP configuration table allowing the automatic assignment of IP addresses to replacement devices based on where they are physically located on the ring.

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic12

And finally, for those looking to migrate to on-machine controls, Rockwell announced the expansion of their “Armor” product lines with new on-machine controllers, safety I/O, and I/O Link Master.

tab-whats-new-in-logix-pic14

And those are the high points of “What’s New in Logix” as I see them.

If you have any questions please feel free to post them by clicking on “post a comment or question” below, and if I know the answer I’ll be more than happy to reply.

If you’d like to get a copy of the complete presentation it may be available later this week on http://www.AutomationFair.com. If not, your local Rockwell Automation Rep or Distributor Specialist should be more than happy to send you a copy.

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.

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What I learned at Automation Fair’s Automation Perspectives

By
Shawn Tierney
-

This morning I was very fortunate to join members of the mainstream industrial automation media at Rockwell Automation’s Automation Perspectives session.

autoper1Never having attended one of these events before, I didn’t quite know what to expect, and I have to say I did feel a little under-dressed surrounded by so many executives in suits! (I never thought the media was so well dressed!)

That aside, as the event starts off with breakfast I did get a chance to sit down and talk to some interesting and friendly vendors, analysts, and media over coffee, eggs and bacon.

Once the tunes chimed to let us know it was time to move into the presentation room, I grabbed another coffee (no surprise, right?) and then grabbed a seat in the very, very back of the room so my bright blue polo wouldn’t standout in the middle of a sea of mostly black suits.

ap-opening

Introduction

ap-introThe Automation Perspectives session was kicked off by Ninveh Neuman,  Vice President of Global Commercial Marketing for Rockwell Automation.

She welcomed us to the event, covered some basics, and then quickly introduced the first speaker.

Rockwell Automation’s Vision

ap-blakeThis first presentation was made by Blake Moret, President and CEO of Rockwell Automation.

Now if you’ve heard executives talk in the past you might think Blake’s talk was going to be dull and boring, but instead it was quite interesting.

He covered lot of ground in his talk, including that Rockwell’s vision of the “Connected Enterprise” is one in which Rockwell helps customers
leverage technology to produce more products faster with higher
ap-blake-ford-2quality and less cost.

He also talked about several examples including Rockwell’s own manufacturing as well as customers like Ford Motor Company.
He even discussed the challenge of educating the workforce, and used that topic to announce a huge donation or hardware and
volunteering Rockwell is making to the FIRST organization, ap-blake-first2something I was happy to see as a First Lego League Coach (although I’m guessing this donation is aimed at the high school level?)

Capturing Value
Next up was Bob Sternfels of McKinsey & Company.

In his talk he discussed the Industrial Internet of things (IIoT) and the challenges of the next industrial revolution (among many other things.)

ap-cv1I found his presentation not only very interesting but also a wealth of information and insight, especially when he was discussing the challenges of manufacturing today with the unprecedented levels of data available in modern control systems.

Connecting Information

ftcloud1From there we next heard from John Genovesi about Rockwell’s cloud initiative which works in conjunction with FactoryTalk Production Centre.

His presentation began with a lot of interesting points about the number of devices connected to the internet, etc.

The presentation then went on to discuss ap-devicessuch topics as aggregating production information from multiple areas and facilities to improve overall utilization and manage risk.

Intelligence Driven
I was really looking forward to the next talk by Fran Wlodarczk as it had to do with Rockwell’s Integrated ap-ia0Architecture.

Unfortunately (or understandably given the audience) it felt more like an overview of their existing tech than a presentation with a vision of the future.

Security Panel and Connected Services

I believe if you’re a plant manager or owner, or writing an article targeting those folks, these two sessions would have been quite interesting. Not so much for hands-on folks like myself.

Mobile Demo

ft-teamone5That brings us to the last major section of this half day session which was presented by Frank Kulaszewicz, Mike Pantaleano, and Kyle Reissner.

In it, they gave a very well thought out demonstration of how they can take raw data from smart plant floor devices and turn it into insightful information.

To help us understand their goal, they used the example of the modern fitness tracker like the FitBit.

ft-teamoneThe point was that fitness companies don’t present us with spreadsheets full of raw data or trend charts, but instead provide us with dashboards full of clear and meaningful information.

With that said, they then went on to show demonstrate their new free app, FactoryTalk TeamONE, could help accomplish a similar feat on the plant floor.

ft-teamone3In the demo they shared information about a machine status and speed, as well as alarms and other information.

And they did it using familiar mobile notifications and messaging mechanics that most of us are very use to using in today’s world of smart phones and tablets.

They even had a little fun with the system like many us of did when we first used Siri, Alexa, or Cortana, as you can see in the below short clip I captured on my iPhone:

Once their excellent demo was done, Ninveh Neuman came back on stage to close out the session, announce where next year’s Automation Fair will be held (Houston,) and to invite all of the attendees to a complimentary lunch.

Final Thoughts

media-badgeOverall, I have to say I’m very glad I flew down a day early to attend Rockwell’s “Automation Perspectives” session.

It was definitely a very well rehearsed and executed session packed with interesting an informative speakers, and I want to again mention how much I enjoyed the mobile demo at the end of the session.

That said, if I ever attend this session again I’m definitely going to exchange my blue polo for a dark suit jacket 🙂

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.

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Hardware I want to learn more about at Automation Fair 2016

By
Shawn Tierney
-

It’s been a couple of years since my last trip to Automation Fair, but in that short time Rockwell has released and announced dozens of new PAC and HMI products.

And having just arrived in Atlanta, GA for this year’s show, I decided to compile the below “short list” of new hardware I’m hoping to learn more about this week:

Stratix 2500 Lightly Managed Switch

Is this a new “Rockwell made” switch that’s also an affordable model supporting IGMP Snooping and Querying?


VersaView 5000

Previous VersaView models had high prices and low performance, so I’m curious to see if this new line will stand up to the competition, or (worse case) is just a more expensive version of someone else’s product?

I’m also curious if the “performance” versions will have the horsepower to meet the recommended specs of Studio 5000, ViewSE, or FT Historian, something previous performance VersaViews didn’t quite do.

5069-slim-adapter5069 Slim Adapter

This new adapter for the 5069 I/O looks a lot more OEM friendly, but I’m wondering what if anything is lost by migrating from the original larger model to this new slim version?


CompactLogix™ 5480 Controller

5480A new CompactLogix controller which also runs windows 10 is interesting, but does it have any wide reaching applications?

If the 5480 doesn’t have the ability to run HMI software, or costs substantially more than a 5380 and PC bundle, then I don’t see a whole lot of mainstream applications for this new product.

Studio 5000

I know Studio 5000 is not hardware, however I’ve added it to the list because each new version comes with firmware that adds additional features to the hardware itself.

And with so many new versions released in the last two years, I find it difficult to try and keep up with what each version brings to the table.

Hopefully Rockwell will be able to shed some light on what’s new and coming, including what’s new in version 31 and under what circumstances users will want to migrate to it.

Well that’s my short list, how about yours? Are there any new products you’d like to know about?

Let us know by clicking on the “post a comment or question” link at the bottom of this article.

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.

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Latest posts by Shawn Tierney (see all)

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