RS5000 Searching and Comparing Difficulties

Hi, guys - I've got an odd problem here that I haven't been able to figure out and was hoping someone might have some insight:

Background:
We have a large conveyor system that brings trays of glass slides to 14 different stations for associates to pack them. We utilize a bar code system and reader to track the glass and send it to the correct pack station. This is done by correlating a Work Order number, a product number, and something we call a CAT Code to the bar code of the tray.

The Work Order number for the product is input via a control station to direct the tray to the correct Pack Station. When the tray arrives at the station, it is scanned and part of the CAT Code number tells the HMI to display packing instructions. There are 18 [01-18] different possible packing combinations, although there are some special products that require the Packing Associate to contact the Lead for specific instructions.

The Problem: Every now and again the HMI is displaying the wrong packing instructions. For example, today a product's code was S1, which should have sent the message to see the lead, but instead produced #11's instructions.

Everything in the code looks to be operating correctly, although I am just beginning to be able to grasp it all (and some of it is still over my head). But, I do know that the correct CAT Code was being found through the FSC, moved into the correct tags, and then compared. However, for some reason, it was producing the wrong value in the tag that the HMI reads.

I have attached a couple of screen shots to show how it was programmed. In the second shot, you can see that Rung 9 shows when the Station1CatDisplay = $00$00, it moves a "0" into Station1BOM. This is what generates the message in the HMI, so "0" is message "0," which is the "Please See Lead For Intrsuctions."

I was told by the OEM that did the programming that $00$00 is ASCII for 'Null Set' and equates to if it does not correlate to any other of the Code set up, display Message 0. Is that correct?

Sorry for the length but I've been chasing this for a couple of months and wanted to give as much information as possible ahead of time. I was finally able to see it occur this morning, but I still have no idea what's going on. Any help/thoughts/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.
- Jeff

Sorry, those screenshots are a bit too small to read. Would you be able to post the program(or just a rung export of those rungs)

You're right - I should have checked that. I *can* post the program, but it is massive. Let me try to get a better screen shot up there first, but if not, I'll post the program.

- Jeff

Fair enough, Off the top of my head, what product ran through JUST before this error? Would it have been one that produced #11?

Ok, so resizing didn't work.

And even with the file zipped, its too big to upload.

Let me see about exporting...

- Jeff

Dravik said:

Fair enough, Off the top of my head, what product ran through JUST before this error? Would it have been one that produced #11?

Click to expand...

That was my first thought, as well, but it wasn't. Completely different product with completely different packing instructions. This was the first time I was actually able to see it, or else I'd have sworn that was the problem, as well.

And even with the file zipped, its too big to upload.

Click to expand...

you can TRY doing a "File Save As" operation - and save it as a L5K type file ... those are usually a LOT smaller in size than the normal ACD file - and it may be small enough to zip and post ...

Ok, took me a bit, but I figured it out: Here's the rung export:

Was this saved right at the time of the error? Because it looks like it did exactly what it should have based on the output of Station1CatCode

No, I wasn't that smart: I saved it later on after we were trying out several other things, trying to get the problem to repeat.

Ah, what clears out PackRoomWOarray? Is there any duplicate WO checking?

And that's the thing - every other station (except the three that were running that particular WO) was working correctly. We even tried inputting another WO number that would have a similar CAT Code as that one, say S2 rather than S1, and everything else was working.

It's very frustrating, to be frank.

Dravik said:

Ah, what clears out PackRoomWOarray? Is there any duplicate WO checking?

Click to expand...

It is done manually. There is a control station in the Pack Room where all of that is controlled and completed. Plus you are able to go in and see all WO's in the array at any given time.

So, looking at your PackroomCCarray, In the catCode, what set of digits are you expecting to be used to direct the unit to a station?

(reason I ask, sure PL1011 is selecting 11, but what is RG11SP supposed to select as 'SP' doesn't match any of your EQU rungs.)

Dravik said:

So, looking at your PackroomCCarray, In the catCode, what set of digits are you expecting to be used to direct the unit to a station?

(reason I ask, sure PL1011 is selecting 11, but what is RG11SP supposed to select as 'SP' doesn't match any of your EQU rungs.)

Click to expand...

It should be the last two digits in the CatCode. This *should* be what the MID in Rung 8 is doing, from what I have been told: 2 characters starting at the 5th. Thus, out of PL1011, '11' is copied to Station1CatDisplay.

Right, that was one of my questions: From what the OEM's programmer explained to me, the Source B of the EQU in Rung 9 is $00$00, which equates to a 'Null Set,' that he explained as anything that does not equate to the other 18 (01-18) in the following rungs.