Transition from AB to Omron

[Caveman]

My job ends around end of March, plant closing. :angr:
I have been invited to a plant where everything
is Omron will that be bad? Because I'm used
to A.B., A.D., Modicon.

 

[KP_EENG]

No, it will not be so bad. Omron has some great processors and CX Programmer is very good software. You will have a learning curve because Omron does structure the processor memory differently and the instruction set is different, but if you download the manauls for the particular processors that you will be using, you should do well. Besides, learning a new line of PLCs will make you more valuable in the future.

Regards

 

[Mfleming]

Goodbye selecting drivers, hello selecting cables!

Omron is not bad to work with, the progamming is more basic without all the bells and whistles (at least when I worked with them).

 

[Matthias von Zorn]

A couple things to keep in mind with the omron, and youll probably fit in pretty quick. Its very similar to AB in a lot of ways. The biggest thing to remember is that the memory isnt dynamic, and it can be weakly typed. So, If you assigned a 32bit variable to H001, H002 is NOT where you start your next variable, it would be H002. The math is a bit weird coming from AB as well, you cant mix varible types in math easily. 32bit float x 16 bit int is not possible for example. As the float multiply does 32bit x 32 bit, and it will read the next 16bits past the 16 bit variable. You would need to convert the 16 to 32 then do the math. And, some math funcitons take two 32bits variables and it puts out 64 bits!!! So, the nice h001, h003 for those two 32 bits you just did math to and placed into h001? It just erased h003 too. So, you need to pay real attention to your memory spacing, typing, and which math statements your using. Beyond that, its a pretty good system that isnt too hard to learn.

matt

 

[gtsuport]

I have been working with Omron PLC's for about 20 years.
I really do not think you will have too much trouble adjusting.

One poster suggested reviewing the manual.
That is an excellent idea.
You will find out that there are some differences between the current products (CS1, CJ1 and CP1 families) and legacy equipment (C200H, C1000/2000, CV etc.)

All manuals are available from www.omron247.com.
The site was just recently changed and you will need to register to download manuals (I don't like it either!).

I wish you much success in your new endeavor!

Hope this will help.

 

[BobB]

I guess it depends on the PLC models installed in the plant. CX-Programmer is my favourite PLC programming software.
The memory layout is quite different and 'free' - there are no different types of file area for example. I prefer that as I get to put things where I want them and not being restricted to certain memory areas.
The older PLCs are fairly basic and restricted - as are nearly all the older PLCs.
The newer ones - CS1, CJ1, CP1 all have the same instruction set and that is a real bonus. 64 bit floating point for high resolution is also included in all these newer processors.
Once you get used to the different way of doing things you will be fine. There are plenty of people here who will be able to assist you.
By the way, all the older PLCs were fairly much BCD based rather than decimal/binary. All the new ones are much more decimal based but timers and counters are defaulted to BCD types. You can change them in the configuration to decimal types quite easily.

 

[panic mode]

Switching to Omron should be no issue for anyone. Software is quite intuitive and powerfull. It is not perfect but it still beats most competitors.
There are many things I like such as ability to force any signal (not just I/O), store comments, powerfull instruction set, you get the whole package without paying separately for PLC, HMI, drives etc., it is very reasonably priced, lightweight files, simple inmport export of symbols, compare blocks turn green when true just like contacts and coils (something AB doesn't do) etc.

There are things that could be done better too. Things that I am not too happy about include:
- memory is not named consistently (CIO or nothing, DE or DM, T or C or TC etc.)
- things that belong to system area are everywhere (flags, DM, etc.) instead of dedicated file.
- many things are BCD (or default to BCD)
- inability to do online edit in program section that doesn't have any code yet (you need "seed" rung).
- limited HR area (specialy on some models)
- timers count backwards
etc.

 

[_Woody_]

Come over from the dark side - but seriously, think of this as expanding your abilities with another platform. As mentioned by those above this is not a hard transition to make and there are somthings that are better and some not as good but each platform has these and at the end of the day it tends to be what the client wants or what you prefer.

 

[Matthias von Zorn]

Forgot about those BCDs. They can be changed in the setup to use decimal tho, so no problems there. The only other thing I noticed that was a big difference was the need for a contact on every rung. Ie, you cant have say a move statement on a run by itself, it MUST have a contact in front of it.

Keep these things in mind, along with the other posts, and you probably wont even know your not programming ab.

matt

 

[jdbrandt]

I guess everybody else thinks this is a technical question. Sounds like you're going to be out of a job, and someone has offered you another job.
Tell me again, the bad part?

 

[Caveman]

Thanks to all that replyed, this will likely be valuable info
should the job be offered.

The job hasn't been offered yet, the Engineering Manager just asked me to call when I'm Unemployed. That is when I asked
about the controllers in the plant, and he said Omron 100%.

I talked to some of the guys here about some old Omron equipment that was here and they said @!#$@#%^%^@. Just wanted to get more opinions.

 

[jvjr]

Every machine our company builds comforms to our customers needs. So one machine will use Siemens PLCs but Lenze drives, next one will use AB but CTC HMI, the next one SSD/Parker Drives and Mitsubishi PLC, etc...... Please do not fret. If I can keep up with the madness I am sure you can as well....

 

[JerryH]

Many pro's and con's for Omron already listed by others but here are a couple to watch for.
1. Timer and Counters share memory. Can't just search for a timer to know if the address if free since it could be used by a counter.
2. No test edits. Big one here they lack in. Hard to make several online edits at once since each rung gets compiled before allowing other edits.

We have quite a mixture here of Omron, Mitsubishi, and AB and most prefer AB.

 

[BITS N BYTES]

Many pro's and con's for Omron already listed by others but here are a couple to watch for.
1. Timer and Counters share memory. Can't just search for a timer to know if the address if free since it could be used by a counter.
2. No test edits. Big one here they lack in. Hard to make several online edits at once since each rung gets compiled before allowing other edits.

We have quite a mixture here of Omron, Mitsubishi, and AB and most prefer AB.

Not true. If you highlight multiple consecutive rungs prior to online edit they can all be modified.

When it comes to edit/test/undo edits the AB software is easier to use. BUT, in OMRON you can just as easily do this by using a N.C. contact that spans the OLD rungs and a N.O. contact for the NEW code. Once compiled, the OLD and NEW code can be tested by setting the contact ON or OFF. Once satisfied that the change is OK then delete the rungs of the OLD code and remove the ON condition ahead of the NEW code.
Not quite as easy as the AB software but works just fine for me.

The ONLY disadvantage of this method is that the OMRON code does NOT readily allow ACCEPT/UNDO of new edits. Also if NON-CONSECUTIVE rungs must be edited then the test contact conditions N.O./N.C. must be applied to rungs where edits are made.

A little more convoluted than AB but works just fine.

 

[JerryH]

Not true. If you highlight multiple consecutive rungs prior to online edit they can all be modified.

When it comes to edit/test/undo edits the AB software is easier to use. BUT, in OMRON you can just as easily do this by using a N.C. contact that spans the OLD rungs and a N.O. contact for the NEW code. Once compiled, the OLD and NEW code can be tested by setting the contact ON or OFF. Once satisfied that the change is OK then delete the rungs of the OLD code and remove the ON condition ahead of the NEW code.
Not quite as easy as the AB software but works just fine for me.

The ONLY disadvantage of this method is that the OMRON code does NOT readily allow ACCEPT/UNDO of new edits. Also if NON-CONSECUTIVE rungs must be edited then the test contact conditions N.O./N.C. must be applied to rungs where edits are made.

A little more convoluted than AB but works just fine.

The NO/NC bits is something I never thought of. Kind of clunky but it gets around not having Test Edits. To carry this further, you can use multiple NO/NC bits and turn on/off different edits. Something AB can't even do.

Thanks for the idea.
Jerry