How do I detect connection error in WinCC flexible?

Pete.S.

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Siemens question: If communication between HMI and PLC fails, how can I detect that in the HMI?

I thought it would show some kind of error by itself, but it doesn't.

I'm using WinCC flexible 2008 Advanced. Don't have the specs in front of me but I think the HMI is a MP377 touch.

Thanks,
Pete
 
It generates a System Error whenever it loses connection to the PLC, fails to write a tag, or a number of other faults. These can be displayed on the same alarm view used for normal alarms, but the box is not checked by default.

For some reason, they default to displaying for only a very short time by default (3s, I think). I usually use an alarm buffer/history screen to show past alarms. This makes it easy to see old system messages.

Even better, you can actually trigger functions and scripts based on certain events happening. If the event for connection Error occurs, you could set a COMM ERROR internal bit, and have that linked to an animation somewhere.
 
Thanks guys!

In this case using a life bit would make most sense because then it automatically detects that the PLC is actually running too.

BTW, is there a way to read the status of the PLC from the HMI, for instance STOP or RUN as well as the SF, BF etc.
 
Pete.S. said:
Thanks guys!

In this case using a life bit would make most sense because then it automatically detects that the PLC is actually running too.

BTW, is there a way to read the status of the PLC from the HMI, for instance STOP or RUN as well as the SF, BF etc.
Click to expand...

As far as I know, the life bit is mostly to tell the PLC if the HMI is connected, not the other way around. It might happen to work both ways, though.

Not sure about Run/Stop. Might be another bit in the area coordination for that?
 
I use the system events 140000 and 140001 for detecting connection established and connection interrupted. Easy and works flawlessly.

Tip: In order to actually access the system events you have to go to Options .. Settings .. Workbench .. Project View Settings, and then select Show all items. Then you can find the System Events in the project tree under Alarm Management.
I use these events to set or reset an internal bit "online_ok". And that bit is used to animate a status text that the connection is ok or not.

If you have multiple connections, then I have a simple method for that as well.
 
Diameter157 said:
You could maybe use the led status SFC51:
https://cache.industry.siemens.com/...att_114705/v1/23330722_getting_led_status.pdf

or you could use the substitute value for output. So in your logic have an output always 0 but have the substitute value for output when PLC is in stop set to 1.

Again I'm assuming a 300 series cpu with simatic manager step 7 v5.5
Click to expand...

Will SFC51 ever actually show STOP though? I would think that once the PLC is in STOP, it wouldn't be executing/updating the instruction any more.
 
JesperMP said:
I use the system events 140000 and 140001 for detecting connection established and connection interrupted. Easy and works flawlessly.

Tip: In order to actually access the system events you have to go to Options .. Settings .. Workbench .. Project View Settings, and then select Show all items. Then you can find the System Events in the project tree under Alarm Management.
I use these events to set or reset an internal bit "online_ok". And that bit is used to animate a status text that the connection is ok or not.

If you have multiple connections, then I have a simple method for that as well.
Click to expand...
Hello!

You said that you have a simple method in case multiple connection (1 panel - more than one PLC). Could you explane it, pltase?
In my case I have 1 panel TP1200 witch connections to two control units CU320 (sinamics S120). And I don't know how to implement visualization of the status of both connections. I will be grateful for your help!
 
Hi Ruki.

You have 2 S120 VFDs connected directly to the TP1200, without a PLC ?
Not sure if that can work. I have never tried it.
If you can have a lifebit or continously incrementing counter from each VFD then you can do this:

Have 2 internal tags for "connection_1_ok" and "connection_2_ok".
On system event 140001 set both "connection_1_ok" and "connection_2_ok" to 0.
On the lifebit or counter from the VFD 1, add the OnChange event and the function Setbit "connection_1_ok".
On the lifebit or counter from the VFD 2, add the OnChange event and the function Setbit "connection_2_ok".

If one of the VFDs goes offline, both "connection_1_ok" and "connection_2_ok" will go off, followed by the one that is still online going on again.
 
Yes, I have 2 S120 VFDs connected directly to the TP1200, without a PLC and it works very good. Unfortunately I can't have a lifebit or continuously incrementing counter from each VFD. In alarm view, in the panel, I have two messages 400000 and 400001 for both connections, which have unique IP address. My be it's possible to write a some script, but I'm not good at it.
 
Maybe the better way is to display the system diagnostics.
From the Controls folder, just drag and drop a System Diagnostics View into a suitable screen. You then have the same diagnostics in the HMI as if you have in TIA when online.

Disclaimer: Not 100% sure how this works when it is a directly connected VFD and not a PLC.
 

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