Momentum M1 processors as masters???

Hi all!

Working first time with these nice-looking devices I was surpised that they have very bounded capabilities to function as MODBUS (incliding MODBUS TCP/IP) masters.

Prenote: I have the most powerfull 170CCC980 030

First of all port RS-485 is dedicated Modbud-slave. Why it can't be master? Btw I expected it.

But even ethernet port has bounded master capabilities. Exchange between M1E processors is possible only using 4x referencies.

As to external MODBUS-devices, then how can I collect data from them? (for example from Securiton controller).

I'm in the middle of exactly the same frustration with TSX Premium processors. In this particular job I have to get seven TSX's to talk to each other via Ethernet radio modems with a Wonderware Modbus driver that only knows how to handle 4x references..it's like being chucked back 20 years in time.

The sales guy sold the whole POS to the client as MUCH better than ControlLogix, and in the last month we have discovered a LONG list of stupid limitations in both the TSX PLC's and the Unity Pro software. Frankly it got so bad last night I nearly chucked the whole damm job...what should have been a nice little earner is turning into a nightmare. So far the sales dude has been avoiding me, but he IS going to get an earful next time he is unfortunate enough to run into me anytime soon.

Any Momentum Modbus port can be made into a Modbus master by using the XMIT or XXMIT command.

Jim Dungar said:

Any Momentum Modbus port can be made into a Modbus master by using the XMIT or XXMIT command.

Click to expand...

Thank you Jim! I will try it. I thought that I haven't another option than usage of I-7188EXD - low-cost ($220) IBM-PC compatible controller with Ethernet, RS-232 and RS-485. I can realise any protocol on it and solve any communication task.

PhilipW said:

I'm in the middle of exactly the same frustration with TSX Premium processors. In this particular job I have to get seven TSX's to talk to each other via Ethernet radio modems with a Wonderware Modbus driver that only knows how to handle 4x references..it's like being chucked back 20 years in time.

The sales guy sold the whole POS to the client as MUCH better than ControlLogix, and in the last month we have discovered a LONG list of stupid limitations in both the TSX PLC's and the Unity Pro software. Frankly it got so bad last night I nearly chucked the whole damm job...what should have been a nice little earner is turning into a nightmare. So far the sales dude has been avoiding me, but he IS going to get an earful next time he is unfortunate enough to run into me anytime soon.

Click to expand...

I assume you mean the quantum...Who ever sold that to the client should be shot..Control logix is FAR Superior..

And this from a guy who has be doing 90% with modicon for the last 10 years..

I am sure he does mean the TSX Premium. The Premium is from Europe so the hardware often "feels" strange. It does have a real neat feature that allows you to write your own driver for third party equipment like barcode readers. But, overall it's communications are not very plug-and-play.

The current Unity compatible processors are TSX Quantum (was Modicon)for large/analog intensive applications and the TSX Premium (was Telemecanique)

Jim Dungar said:

I am sure he does mean the TSX Premium. The Premium is from Europe so the hardware often "feels" strange. It does have a real neat feature that allows you to write your own driver for third party equipment like barcode readers. But, overall it's communications are not very plug-and-play.

The current Unity compatible processors are TSX Quantum (was Modicon)for large/analog intensive applications and the TSX Premium (was Telemecanique)

Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing that up...Is there much of a diff between the premium and quantum?..what about software? does it program with concept or proworx?

Thanks

D

Premium programs with either PL7 or Unity (a combination of Concept and PL7 Pro). Unity now has most of the 984LL commands available for use in FBD or IEC ladder, but it is still very European in feel.

Yes it is the Premium TSX57 with Unity Ver 2.02 that I am using. I will be fair and say that Unity does some things nicely, BUT I do have a long list of frustrations with it. For a product that is being targetted at the top end of the market it has some serious deficiencies.

The configuration is Wodnerware w/Modbus Ethernet driver, to a Master TSX57 1643 processor, that in turn is messaging Reads and Writes to 6 slave TSX 57 1643 processors via the same Ethernet/10M Radio Modems.

The most frustrating aspect is that despite the fact that the logic can all be written with unlocated symbolic tag names, the communication instructions READ_VAR and WRITE_VAR only support Modbus 1x and 4x located variables. This has meant a lot of tedious scripting to shuffle tags in and out of arrays, just so as I can message them about. The joke is that here we are using state of the art Ethernet Radio modems to get high speed comms, and we are limited to a 30 year old protocol!

Not to mention the relatively arcane message instructions themselves. The problem is that I quoted the job with CompactLogix because I knew that the messaging would be a complete doddle compared to the TSX, but the consultatant got in the act and changed the spec AFTER we won the bid, and tells us that all modern PLC's are much the same...ggrrrr.

This sounds like a case of new software (unlocated variables in Unity) being constrained by having to be backward compatible to existing hardware (READ_VAR and WRITE_VAR). Although I suspect it is more a failing point of MODBUS not being able to handle unlocated variables/tag names.