ControlLogix or Compactlogix communicating with a simple Label/Barcode Printer

Rob S.

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Join Date
Sep 2008
Location
Maryland
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I know I posted a question about communicating with a Zebra printer with ControlLogix or CompactLogix. I did see some conversations concerning this subject. But I would like to change the subject to , is there any simple dependable label / barcode printers or label makers that work well with ControlLogix that are easier than Zebra ?
 
Zebra is pretty dirt simple if you aren't dynamically creating the label layout and whatnot (while having the flexibility to create a label from scratch via code). Without upgrading to a print system with its own controls, I don't imagine you'll find anything easier. If all you are doing is passing a number to generate a bar-code or, even simpler, indexing through serial numbers to make bar-codes, you may be able to find a printer with discrete IO that can do bit codes so you can avoid comms all together (I think Zebra even has models that do this).

I do agree that the way they return certain status information in a big long string that you have to parse without including unique characters to parse from is pretty bad. I'm also not a huge fan of ZPL, but with a guide in front of you, it's pretty easy to figure out what commands to send.

Reaching back into the dark recesses of my memory to my first Zebra, I think I tested commands out from a PC (using RealTerm for serial and writing a little C# program to test Raw socket communication on ethernet). That will at least tell you if the command you are trying to send is the right one and show you what, if anything is coming back from the printer.
 
What about ProSoft ? It seems like they have a few modules that may communicate with printers fairly easily . I imagine these are quite expensive. Do you think I am making this too complicated ?
 
I have integrated a couple Zebra printers with compact logix.
The first one was a G series, that model a string was constructed with variable data such as a part serial number and some human readable. The string can get pretty large but once setup it works well.

The second was the 110xi, much nicer printer. It has digital I/O to alarm when materials are low and signals for print status. With this labeler I used BarTender Automation software to create the box label. That software made it very easy to command print directly from the compact logix using Ethernet. The software interface used was RSlinx node edition or gateway can't remember. Used OPC connection to populate an Excel sheet with the box serial number. When the software see's the .csv file it pulls the cell data into the label you created in BarTender and prints. A macro is needed in Excel to save and create the .csv which triggers the printer.
Hope this helps, zebra printers work great and not to bad to use with compacts. I have never used the ZPL software that come with the printers.
 
Thanks tbalt14 . I was thinking of using a CompactLogix 1769-32E to do a PLC upgrade to this area of the plant. I would like to incorporate a barcode reading system and also
communicate and trigger 3 Zebra printers . How is Zebra's
tech support and do they have any application engineers that
can help with integrating with Allen Bradley CompactLogix.

Thanks again,
 
I'm 100% certain that they have tech notes for integrating with Rockwell since that is what they sent me when I was integrating with B&R.
 
Not sure of their tech support, never tryed. To find out the string info needed for the G series printer I got help from the zebra distributor in our area. He gave me the string format and I modified it for what we were needing.
For the Zebra 110xi I just did some Google searching for using BarTender with Zebra printer to point me in the direction.
Not sure what type of printing your trying to do but sending a string out to the G series worked but was not ideal in my opinion. The G series printers for our application 1/4" tall by 1.5" wide label was hard for the printer to sense and keep a consistant feed position. As far as printing it works very well, when it receives the string it will print. But the string has to be exactly what the zebra is expecting or it will not print. A easy way to get the data from the L32E into the G series is with an Ethernet to Ascii gateway. A easy one to setup is RealTime Automation. Check out their website, much easier to setup than AB's Ascii cards.
If your printing a box label around 4" x6" I would recommend the 110xi industrial printer using the BarTender Automation software. You would need a PC with excel and RSlinx.
 
Hi, tbalt14. Could you tell me how did you integrated the 110Xi Zerba printer into the Compact logix? I am working on it now

Thank you
 

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