Using Prosoft card to interface btw DVT and SLC5/04

Hi,

I am having great problems trying to read data from my DVT legend 540 camera. The PLC is an Allen Bradley SLC 5/04 that will control pneumatic rods based on distance info received from the camera.

It was recommended that we install a Prosoft ethernet terminal (MV146-DFNT) to accept datalink info. After doing so, there has been no luck. I'm not a programmer but am able to pick up knowledge on the fly, currently i'm paying a guy $125/hr to give not much success. Any ideas?

Some starter questions that I had to overcome when I started using vision systems. Don't get overwelmed by the hole system look at it as little pieces. Start with what protocol does the ProSoft card speak? What protocol does the DVT speak? Are they the same? Ethernet is not ethernet is not ethernet.

Can't speak on the DVT only used Banners. I have several Banners talking to all the AB PLCs. It is pretty straight forward to set them up.

I've worked with the Prosoft card before but only for reading data from the SLC to a SCADA node. Long story short, the setup was cumbersome and painful.

My advice: Return the Prosoft card and buy(a much cheaper) 1761-NET-ENI module(Allen-Bradley) to attach to the SLC's serial port. This module is a serial-to-ethernet converter and will allow you to message back and forth with the DVT camera. I'ved used this setup and it worked quite well. Hopefully the guy you hired knows about this module and how to setup the routing table and also configure MSG instructions in the SLC. If he does, you should be up and running pretty quickly.

Good Luck,
Jeff

Hi again,

Thanks for the prompt replies. In regards to protocols, DVT and prosoft did not match up so we have flashed the prosoft module into a Modbus variant. From here it is receiving data, just a matter of outputting the correct mode- be it float, integer or what ever.

Thanks!

Happy to help. I hope the project goes well.

DVT Cameras can communicate over Ethernet I/P which works well with a SLC 505 or any other AB PLC with Ethernet. The NET-ENI module will also work for this application.

Giz