ML 1100 Communication Issue

hello all

we are currently trying to get an ML 1100 to communicate with a maple silver series HMI520T touch screen. for two days now we have tried everything we could think of, especially meticulously trying making sure all the communication parameters are exactly the same. any suggestions or ideas would be a great help

Do you have the proper drivers for the devices?

I'm not sure i know what you mean. I believe so. I can put a program into the ML1100 and put one in the HMI using the PC but can't get them to communicate to each other. a Little While ago my co worker hooked a ML1000 to the HMI and without having to change any settings it worked without any problem. unfortunately we need more inputs than the 1000 has to offer.

I am not familiar with the HMI that you are using, but it needs the right communication drivers to communicate to the specific PLC.

For instance, if I am programming a Panel View +, in the communications setup I have to point to the specific Plc in which it will be communicating with. Sometimes you will need to update the Firmware Version as well.

How about giving us some actual information to work with?

Describe the physical connection between the ML1100 and the Maple. I can't tell from your post if it's ethernet or serial. Is it a single cable? Is it using the same ports you're downloading with?

Describe the communications settings for the ML1100. Post the program.

Describe the communications settings for the Maple. Post the program.

This is easy stuff, but we can't see your setup. You have the information in front of you to solve this, we don't. Provide some information and one of us will be able to help you.

sorry I'm still pretty new to programing a plc

the connection between the devices is serial: the maple is connected to the plc from an rs232 port and plugs directly into the plc port where you download. the maple has a 2nd port that you can download to.

the programs are on my co workers pc and i'll work on getting them

yesterday we changed the ML1100 protocol to rs 485 and completely lost the ability to comunicate with it no matter what drives or communication settings we use (this is the 3rd plc we have done this to in the last couple weeks - no idea how to resolve the issue) so we installed the ML1000 we had lying around and it works fine now

-the problem we now have is that because of the ports being used you have to unplug the maple from the plc in order to comunicate with it. It makes troubleshooting difficult because of the way the ML1000 comunicates with the maple. we have installed 2 AIC+ s' next to each device but getting them to network so that we only need 1 connection to the PC has not gone well: here's what we would like to do: maple using the RS232 port to the first AIC+ at port 2 (RS232) from the first AIC+ to the 2nd AIC+ Using the 3rd port (RS485). Then from the second AIC+ using port 1 (RS232) into the PLC downloading port.

does getting this to work have something to do with setting up the drivers in RS linx and having it map out the nodes? any help with any of these issues would be great and if i still don't have enough information please let me know so i can post it

Instead of giving up on the ML1100's, have you tried to get online with it via RSLinx and Ethernet Devices Configured Drivers?

With the ML1000 and the AIC's your making it alot more difficult than it needs to be seeings how the 1100 has ethernet capabilities that allow you to be online with it and monitor the program. At the same time the maple should be able to communicate with the plc via RS232. The 1100's also have online editing features that the 1000 does not.

And just to make sure, you don't have a trial software version for your maple do you? "The demo version of EZware-5000 includes all the features and functions of the complete configuration software except the drivers to allow communication between the OIT and the PLC / controller."

We haven't given up on it - we just need to get this bottle line running by monday - the 1000 is a temporary fix for the moment - i'll give it a try when we have a spare moment

Vetruss makes some very good points. You definitely should use ethernet to program the ML1100. Once you get it working, you won't want to go back. That lets you have the ML1100 and the Maple connected serial and an open serial on the Maple for programming.

Something to watch:

If you are going to use AIC+ isolators, make sure they get 24vdc power if port 2 is not connected to a Micrologix. There is a switch on the AIC+ to set for power source. Read the instruction manual, there are lots of examples of networks.