Software Help

Hi,

I have come across some GE Fanuc 90-20's and 90-30's, I am wondering what is the best software to use and roughly how much does it cost?.

Thanks


Rick

The software I used is called LM90. It is a DOS based product, and is over 10 years old. I don't know what it cost or if it is even still supported. Any current Fanuc users out there?

Soggy Canuck said:

The software I used is called LM90. It is a DOS based product, and is over 10 years old. I don't know what it cost or if it is even still supported. Any current Fanuc users out there?

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My predecessor bought something called "Cimplicity Machine Edition" but never managed to get it working. I couldn't get it working either. It claimed to have backed up the plc contents but wouldn't monitor. I didn't have the testicular fortitude to try loading the backup back in, in case I ended up with a non-functional machine.

A visiting service engineer told me that you have to disassemble and recompile the plc code to use Cimplicity and he hadn't got the b@lls to do it either! He left me a copy of LM90 and that works just fine.

If you are just going to use them for learning or a home project maybe a vendor will help you at a low cost. You will also need an interface RS232 adapter (SNP or SMP) or something like that. You might even find some demo software on the web, try googling for it. An old computer with a real serial port and WINDOWS98 or older might be necessary. Steve Bailey knows this PLC best, maybe he will jump in to help.

There are currently three flavors of programming software out there for GE controllers.

1 - Logicmaster 90 (LM90) - Oldest
2 - Versapro - older
3 - Proficy Machine Edition (PME) - The new born.

I don't believe you can purchase 1 or 2 from GE anymore. Machine Edition can convert any LM90 and Versapro project to Machine Edition, however you MUST have the original project files. Machine Edition can't (to my knowledge) directly upload from the PLC and covert everything to Machine Edition if it was originally done in LM90 or Versapro.

If you have the original project files you'll need to look at the file extensions to determine what was used...LM90, Versapro, PME.

Paully's5.0 said:

I don't believe you can purchase 1 or 2 from GE anymore. Machine Edition can convert any LM90 and Versapro project to Machine Edition,

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Isn't there a firmware or chip revision that also determines if you can use machine edition?

ToolGuyFred said:

My predecessor bought something called "Cimplicity Machine Edition" but never managed to get it working. I couldn't get it working either. It claimed to have backed up the plc contents but wouldn't monitor. I didn't have the testicular fortitude to try loading the backup back in, in case I ended up with a non-functional machine.

A visiting service engineer told me that you have to disassemble and recompile the plc code to use Cimplicity and he hadn't got the b@lls to do it either! He left me a copy of LM90 and that works just fine.

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I seem to recall it was on the back of a call to Fanuc tech support that I was advised to buy Machine Edition.
Makes you think doesn't it, sounds like the "tech support" person I spoke to was more of a salesman!

Potter said:

I seem to recall it was on the back of a call to Fanuc tech support that I was advised to buy Machine Edition.
Makes you think doesn't it, sounds like the "tech support" person I spoke to was more of a salesman!

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I use Proficy ME. It was expensive, but well worth it. I have the old Logic Master software and it is not very user friendly. Proficy ME has a ton of great tools and is very intuitive to use and unlike other vendors, the communications is built into the software, so you don't have to worry about two or three software components.

Regards

KP_EENG said:

I use Proficy ME. It was expensive, but well worth it. I have the old Logic Master software and it is not very user friendly. Proficy ME has a ton of great tools and is very intuitive to use and unlike other vendors, the communications is built into the software, so you don't have to worry about two or three software components.

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Fair enough but we only have three machines in the whole factory with GE Fanuc plcs. Logic master will do just fine for support and tweaking services.

I have LM90 (along with a large box of documentation). I will see if I can lay my hands on the software disk, as I do not use it anymore, I would be willing to part with it if you are interested. I also use Proficy machine edition, and have opened and modified programs written in versapro, so I know it is possible.

Hi
I use Machine Edition & LM90, there is no problem in 'uploading' from the PLC but you will not get any comments, because these are not held in the PLC anyway. As someone else said, i beleive early firmwares are not supported under ME.

A trick we use is to configure in ME to support newer hardware and program in LM90 so the shift guys can monitor (they are scared of ME but like LM90)

KP_EENG said:

.... I have the old Logic Master software and it is not very user friendly. ...

Regards

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Gotta love LM90... its like that old hat you have...it kinda fits, and you've had it a long time....yeah, there are nicer hats out there, but not THIS hat.

For all the Super WhamODyne windows based software we all use and get frustrated with, us old-timers just loved the old DOS based stuff... LM90, 'icom', etc.

..stepping off the old soapbox now...get me a cane!

GE Software

Hi,

Thanks Guys. I got a copy of VersaPro when I purchased some of the 90-20's from someone. I was just hoping that GE had something more up to date that was not to expensive.

On another note, has anyone had any experience with the ELC line of PLC's from Cutler Hammer. And the EZ Touch PLC touch screens and I need to integrate the touch screen to work with the 90-30.

Thanks

Richard

If you have the VersaPro CD you'll find that Logicmaster 90 is included on it. LM90 is a DOS app, but I have run it successfully under XP. There are PLC firmware version recommendations with VersaPro compatibility, but they are more guidelines than hard and fast rules. VP can be configured to restrict itself to only download to the recommended version level, to warn you when you are about to download to a too-old version, or let you download to anything.

The 90-20 was discontinued in the mid-1990s. It may have version issues that force you to learn how to configure VersaPro as per above.

Another issue that may come up with the 90-20 is with your HMI panels. I don't have any personal experience with the EZ-Touch units, but I expect they use the GE Fanuc SNPX protocol. The 90-30 has to be at least version 4.4 to in order to support SNPX. I couldn't quickly find whether that same version number applies to to 90-20.