ML1400 to Beckhoff Communications

I know Beckhoff has a communication module for just about everything under the sun, but I'm more worried about the AB ML1400.

Has anyone done data transfer between the two?

(application background; beckhoff cx5020 needing to receive trending data from ml1400 plc)

I've done a number of projects interfacing Beckhoff with AB and used several different methods. My favorite is the TwinCAT Ethernet/IP slave library, but to my knowledge the ML1400 can not be setup and an EIP scanner, so that rules that out right off.

Another method I have used is with an RS232 terminal and a custom written DF1 communication function block. I don't recommend this approach unless you have a strong understanding of the DF1 protocol.

The method that will probably be best with your hardware is one that I have not personally tried, but I do not see any reason it would not work. You can get a ModbusTCP library for TwinCAT and the ML1400 supports ModbusTCP. That should allow you to exchange data over Ethernet. You can find the TwinCAT library by looking for Beckhoff part number TS6250.

ML1400 ser A does not support ModbusTCP only ML1400 ser B, and sadly the existing hardware is ser A, of course.

I realllly don't want to do anything with the serial communications.

What operating system is on the CX5020, CE or Windows Embedded?

There is an option to write a .NET application to run on the CX that uses a Ethernet/IP communication driver to read data from the ML1400 and write it to TwinCAT. That is the only other way I can think of to do it over Ethernet.

Does the series A support ModbusRTU? If so, Beckhoff has a ModbusRTU library. It's serial communications, but may be down to the only option.

Hi,

You could use a gateway... Say Modbus RTU to EtherCat:
http://www.anybus.com/support/support.asp?PID=398&ProdType=Anybus X-gateway

My 2 cents

//Patrick L