SLC5/03 <-> RS232/Serial <-> Ultra 3000i

We are trying to find some example setups of communicating with an Ultra 3000i using RS232 w/ a SLC5/03. Does anybody have examples of word/bit files/programs that are used to not only move the drive when needed, but configure it and see its current status (i.e. position, velocity, stopped/started, etc.)? We are already aware that RS232 is slow, but that is not an issue for this application. We do NOT want to use DH485/Devicenet, etc. to control the drive. Right now, though, none of the documentation we can find give either examples of how to control the drive with the SLC and/or what word files are used to provide input and or read current status. Any ideas?

Just curious

Can not help you a bit on your question, but there is probably someone that comes here who can. If not, try this site and post the same question.
But, I was intrigued by your homepage listed on your profile. While I was over there looking about, I followed the link to a site called wilwheaton.net. Is that the same guy who played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek the Next Generation? The pic on his site sure looks like the grown up Wil Wheaton of that show.

I will welcome you to the site while I am here and if there is something you need to know about PLCs, this is definitely the place.

p.s. see below for the next phase of my post

Seek and ye shall find!

I looked around a little more on the Wil Wheaton site and he sure enough is the same guy from the old Star Trek. I could have taken the time to look before asking you to answer the question, so excuse me for being kinda lazy here on a cold Saturday in NC.

Why are so many people afraid of DeviceNet ?

The Ultra series controllers use a proprietary "host language" that isn't the same as SLC/PLC DF1 protocol, so you can't run an Ultra 3000i motion controller by addressing it as though it was an SLC-500 data table.

The host language not meant to be a custom user interface, and is fairly hard to use (outside Ultraware). The A-B motion control guys do have some references, but it's difficult to then support the user's ASCII logic inside his SLC. That's why the DeviceNet option was provided in the first place.

Before the DNet interface was available, some users employed a MKS Instruments DNet/RS232 interface to emulate the host language on Ultra 100 motion controllers. Maybe that info about the host language is available still.

Okay, well maybe I can go at this another way - i.e. describe what I am trying to do, better. First, most of what we are trying to do with the drive (Ultra 3000i), SLC (5/03) and Pannel (which I left out in the beginning - a Quartech 2800), is an experiment. We want to see if we can get the drive to function via the RS232 port. On AB's site, it lists as one of the specs "Serial port for RS-232/RS-485 communications". If AB integrated a serial port/RS232 port, what can it be used for? It may be that we are using too "smart" of a drive for our experiment and that the coding may be horrendous, but it must be possible... somehow. Quartech has written coding to interface the 2800 pannel with the drive via RS232, so what did they know and have to learn to get it to work?
Further background: about 3 years ago, no one could tell us how to program and control a servo motor (I forget which model right now) with the SLC 5/03. After getting ahold of enough documentation, we were able to finally figure it out. It took a quite a bit of doing, but the end solution is pretty darn elegant.
Anyway, it isapparently possible to communicate with the drive via RS232, and the question we have is what can we do - even if it is hellishly complicated? Or, can someone at least point us in the right direction? Thanks in advance!

It turns out that the Host Command language for the Ultra 100 and 3000 series of motion controllers has become a lot better documented in the couple of years since I worked with it.

I found two technotes on the RA Knowledgebase that include a host language reference and application notes.

A14737927

Q20236894