ControlLogix in VersaMax Network

Hello everyone,

I'm working with a GE-Fanuc Network, all the PLC's are VersaMax and I programmed it using Proficy ME.
But now the client want to add some I/O's from a ControlLogix PLC, do you know can I communicate this I/O to the VersaMax PLC.

I've been looking around on the Proficy software (which I'm kind of new to), and I haven't been able to see how to add another kind (brand) of PLC.


Thanks and best regards

You can't directly add I/O modules from some other brand to the hardware configuration of a GE PLC. Nor could you directly add a GE I/O module to your Control Logix PLC's hardware configuration.

You could, however add a network module to each PLC and use those modules to exchange data between the two. The network modules would both have to use a network protocol common to both platforms. The most likely choice would be Profibus.

Once you have selected a network protocol, you will need to configure the interface module in the Control Logix PLC to send (produce) the data you want the VersaMax PLC to see and configure the module in the VersaMax PLC to receive (consume) that block of data. You will also have to configure the module in the VersaMax PLC to send (produce) the data you want the Control Logix PLC to see and configure the module in the VersaMax PLC to receive (consume) that block of data.

OK, that's what I was talking about, two PLC's one VersaMax and a ControlLogix what will interchange information.

Can I do it using Ethernet? (currently I've 3 VersaMax PLC's and they are connected using Ethernet, that's why I would like to use the same network).

So, now, how do I tell them to send / read the information on the PLC's, is there something like a "send" block on the RSLogix and a "recieve" block on the Proficy ME?


Thanks

It's not as simple as plugging a cat5 cable into an ethernet port on each PLC and adding "send" command to one PLC and a "receive" command in the other. The problem is that AB's native ethernet protocol for sharing data among PLCs is called (I think, and somone will correct me if I'm mistaken) ethernet IP. GE's ethernet protocol for the same purpose is called ethernet global data (EGD).

It's as if the Control Logix is speaking Engish and the VersaMax is speaking Spanish. The Control Logix PLC doesn't speak Spanish and the VersaMax doesn't speak English. But if they could both speak German, they could talk to each other that way. That's where the Profibus interface module in each PLC comes in. Think of the Profibus interface module in the Control Logix PLC as a translator from that PLC's English to German. Thik of the Profibus interface module in the VersaMax PLC as a translator from that PLC's Spanish to German.

Steve could he use a bridge like G3?

Or possible a prosofr card for the CLX? I know in the Robot world the Fanuc can be an EIP master. Could the Versamax talk Ethernet IP? Or What about modbus TCP?

I don't think there is a way for the VersaMax to do ethernet IP. It can speak Modbus RTU as a master or slave through its serial ports, but Modbus TCP is not availble on its ethernet port.

Using an HMI like the Red Lion G3 as a protocol bridge is certainly an option. The thing you have to be aware of when doing that is the amount of time between updtaes of the data you're sharing between the two PLCs. With a network like Profibus you can potentially get the data refreshed every PLC scan. With the G3 acting acting as a protocol bridge there will be a longer time between data updates. Whether or not this is a issue depends on the application.

Good call on timing issues. Most of my applications aren't that time dependent.

I've never use profibus / net so I don't think about them very often.

A'im going to use the ProfiBUS solution.

Thanks everyone for your time.