Omron ZEN Basics

Hello,

I am trying to write a program that, when an input is triggered, it will trigger one output for 5 minutes, then the next output for 5 minutes, and then the third output for 5 minutes. I think I could figure out how to make this happen if I had some idea of how Zen software worked, but I am having a hard time locating any sort of beginners guide for it.

Here's my first attempt at writing this (I'm sure there are various flaws)
View attachment 3PT PROBE ZEN.pdf

I think part of my problem is also that I just don't understand exactly what is going on in the program when certain things happen - for instance:
1) When the timer "closes" does the timer start, and then things that are triggered by the timer close as well? Or does the 5 minute timer period happen before the timer "closes" and then the things that are triggered by it happen?
2) I've been trying to "Start a simulation" but when I do so, nothing seems to happen. It doesn't seem like it's simulating anything. (I had set my timers at 10 seconds instead of 5 minutes to run a simulation and still nothing seems to happen) Any tips for this?

Thanks in advance for any help!

What you have there appears to do what you described. The sequence will begin when I0 is turned on and continue at whatever the timer presets are. Something external will have to turn off I0 to restart the whole sequence. The timer will start when the input closes and energize after the timer preset expires.

I think I could figure out how to make this happen if I had some idea of how Zen software worked, but I am having a hard time locating any sort of beginners guide for it.

Click to expand...

A good guide is the ZEN Help file. Here is a copy, but it is also avaiable with the press of the "Help" button on the ZEN software top menu.

1) When the timer "closes" does the timer start, and then things that are triggered by the timer close as well?

Click to expand...

First, the timer box must be "triggered". On-Delay type timers (most widely used) are tirggered by an Off-to-On input contact. The timer starts a simulated "running", but nothing happens until it times up to its Preset value (set by the programmer). Second, when it hits that time, its contacts operate (Normally Closed contacts switch to open, and Normally Open contacts switch to closed). Nothing else happens until the timer is reset by opening its trigger switch. Then it can be restarted at 0 time.

2) I've been trying to "Start a simulation" but when I do so, nothing seems to happen. It doesn't seem like it's simulating anything. (I had set my timers at 10 seconds instead of 5 minutes to run a simulation and still nothing seems to happen). Any tips for this?

Click to expand...

There are several steps that must be done to run a simulation.

(EDIT: Corrections because my worn-out Alheimer-ridden mind got confused with an earlier EZ-Soft program.)

1. From the top menu, click "ZEN, "Start Simulation", "Okay" (or Ctrl-L).

2. Click on "Zen", "Change Operating Mode", "RUN".

3. If your program has a Start and Stop pushbutton input, you must turn on the simuator Input for those inputs, or your simulated program will not operate. In your case, on the pop-up simulated ZEN faceplate, right-click on the I0 input, and select "3 Alternate Open Contact". That changes the I0 input switch from a momentary pushbutton to a maintained-contact ON/OFF selector switch with a NO contact.

Now it should be running! If you want to watch your timers, counters, or other devices operate, you are out of luck with the ZEN. You can only see the timer result, not the time accumulating.

Here is Karon's ZEN program running on the ZEN Simulator. All timers are set for 5 seconds, and they have all timed out in this picture.

Hi Karon,
I have a program that essentially implements what you are looking for since it controls an irrigation pump and 3 electro valves that are opened following a time-driven sequence.
It is a little bit more complex than normal because it has a very usefull feature: the X minutes setpoint (5 minutes in your case) is easily adjustable in runtime by using a combination of keys (<ALT><4>) and the display . While pressing <ALT><4> the setpoint keeps incrementing in steps of 1 (the speed on the steps is adjusted by a timer). It overflows at 15 and starts again by 1. So, in this example, you have a valid range of 1 to 15 minutes, very usefull for irrigation applications. The adjustment is showed in ZEN display in run-time.
I store the minutes setpoint in a counter and I use a combination of a 1 minute timer, 1 counter for the actual elapsed minutes and comparators to detect the cycle time-out.
In the attached file you can find the diagram with the core part of the program(it is well proven and currently running in the field)
I hope it helps you

Thread was continued with this post by Karon:

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=81762