B&R X20 service mode

SirCumference

Member
Join Date
Aug 2014
Location
Milwaukee
Posts
24
Hi, I've got a B&R X20CP3584 that I'm using for a project. When it reboots (for instance, when I download a new program) sometimes it will boot into RUN mode, which is good, but sometimes it will boot into SERVICE mode. The help manuals don't seem to say anything about what being in SERVICE mode actually means, it just tells you how to identify when you're in it. So first, can anyone tell me what SERVICE mode means, and second, can anyone hazard a guess as to why my PLC keeps booting into it? Thanks!


As an aside, am I the only one who absolutely despises help manuals that come in compiled HTML (CHM) format?
 
Service mode is most likely the same as "Program" mode for an Allen Bradley PLC. In that mode, the PLC is not running its program. That is the mode where the program can be edited, or exchanged for another program. Usually when a PLC goes into Program mode automatically, it means that it is set to (upon a major fault condition) to go into Program mode and load a new copy of the program from a EPROM.

The B&R Programming manual for that model should tell all about the Service mode.
 
Last edited:
B&R PLCs go into service mode when something goes wrong (divide by zero, cycle time violation, page fault, etc) or as an option when doing a major transfer (updating firmware, re-transferring the entire project, etc). You get out of service mode by doing a warm restart (assuming whatever error condition isn't still going on).

To see what has put you in service mode, you can open the logger in either Automation Studio (in the 'Open' menu) or in SDM, which is the web based System Diagnostics Manager that the PLC is hosting at http://<PLC_IPaddress>/sdm (yes, it still works in service mode). The most common way to get into service mode is a cycle time violation, which comes from your code taking too long (normally because you're stuck in a loop or calling File IO functions in a fast task class). Page faults are essentially memory leaks in your code where you are copying data beyond the bounds of the variable you think you are writing to (writing 100 characters to a 10 character string or going beyond the bounds of an array). Divide by zero is pretty self explanatory.

You can search the help for any error number you see in the logger and you can also use the backtrace feature in the logger to see what part of your code cause the problem. You can also get free phone support from B&R or your distributor. Since you're in Milwaukee, they have an office in Chicago and, Mequon north of Milwaukee and the US headquarters in Atlanta that could all help (support line is open till 6PM EST in ATL and other offices till 5PM).
 
If you'd rather try and debug yourself, you can start with the help under [Automation software -> Getting Started -> Diagnostics in Automation Studio] or you can just hit Ctrl + G and paste in 64bb7686-9570-475e-924e-f760e509d6f0 .

I'm a little surprised you ended up with Automation Studio and a PLC without them falling over themselves to get you some training. They really don't like people jumping into Automation Studio with no help or training so they can make sure people have positive experiences instead of getting frustrated (it's a high level goal of B&R to make sure Automation Studio is perceived as powerful, flexible, and capable instead of complex or confusing).
 

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