Math operand question

We added a branch to an existing PLC5 program at work today and ran into something no one had seen before. The programmer had sent us his addition via email and we were simply editing the rung.

The branch contained a Compute CPT statement. The CPT statement contained what seemed to be a math operand of "|" (I've always called this a pipe). I don't have the program at home but the expression was something like

(N413:117*36.4)|100

I've never run into this symbol used as a math operand before. It would seem to be a division but I've always used "/" for that. The programmer uses it mnay times in this ladder. It has to do with feed rate of a product mixture perhaps he is converting it to a percentage, unsure.

Anyone have any idea what this operand is/does?

TIA.

Jim Erb

The | (Pipe) is used by Allen Bradley as the / you are used to using for division.

remember that a "/" is a bit delimiter. It separates a bit from the element in the A-B addressing scheme.

So, the "pipe" symbol was used instead. When you move to the ControlLogix/Loix5000 they got away from the slash so the CPT does use a slash instead of the pipe. That got me the first time.

Brett

I got bit by that also... on my first ever programming project I found myself having to multiply by .1 instead of dividing by 10 because the PLC didn't like the / in the compute block. Boy did I feel dumb when I learned why!

The Water Boy said:

Boy did I feel dumb when I learned why!

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You shouldn't feel dumb when you have to do something non-intuitive. If a manufacturer (AB is not the only one guilty of this) decides to muck with a standard as basic as "/" = division, it should be written in FLAMING letters on the cover of every datasheet and manual. That'll save the rest of us from having to understand that 2+2=5, but only because 4 couldn't be reached for comment.

AK

akreel said:

That'll save the rest of us from having to understand that 2+2=5,

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Only for very large values of 2.


John

rootboy said:

Only for very large values of 2.

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I suppose it depends on whether you use a "hard" 2 or a "soft" 2.

Then again, 'to' plus 'to' equals a small dog from Kansas or a music group.

akreel said:

I suppose it depends on whether you use a "hard" 2 or a "soft" 2.

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Supersized


John

rootboy said:

Supersized

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Not any more (See THIS LINK)...

beerchug

-Eric