Rice Lake 920i w/ TCP/IP to ControlLogix

Lovell

Member
Join Date
Feb 2013
Location
Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts
120
Hello fellow members,

I have a project that has supplied the Rice Lake 920i with Ethernet TCP/IP® Interface 71986 (a Lantronix device). Internally it is an Ethernet to serial device and the serial connection must be hardwired to the main board. Commands strings to get the weight must be sent and it will reply with the gross weight.

I have a 1756-L81E to talk to it over ethernet. Has anyone successfully setup communication between the likes of these two devices? Any tips?

I am requesting they change the communication module to a EtherNet/IP® Interface 87803 which would make things more compatible but I am not sure they will give this to me.

Thanks in advance for sharing your exp.
 
I had a somewhat similar question. I have experience using the 920i and the TCP/IP card as well. Main thing I came to find out was that I needed an Ethernet/IP communication because AB uses Ethernet/IP, not TCP/IP. I had no clue that there was any difference but they sure are not the same. What you most likely need is an Ethernet/IP network adapter card which may be listed on rice lake's website.
 
OK,

I plan to go the Ethernet/IP adapter option (part#87803), I have one now.

So I have the adapter installed in Slot 1 of the RiceLake 920i. I have configured it as follows:

Generic Ethernet Module Settings –
Name: BW1_RL920i
Comm Format: Data - INT
Connection Parameters:

Assembly Instance: Size:
Input: 150 4 16-bit
Output: 100 4 16-bit
Configuration:1 0 8-bit

Module Info after adding online:

Identification
Vendor: HMS Industrial Networks
Product Type: Communications Adapter
Product Code: (14) Unknown
Revision: 1.35
Serial Number: A0120EA2
Product Name: Anybus-S EtherNet/lP

Status
Major Fault: None
Minor Fault: None
Internal State: (16#0065) unknown
Configured : Yes
Owned : Yes
Module Identity: Mismatch

Online I see BW1_RL920i:I.Data[0]..[4] have values.
When I change the value of BW1_RL920i:O.Data[0] the results show in BW1_RL920i:I.Data[0]..[4]

Have not figured out what I need to send in order to see what I need yet. Work in progress.

Thanks for the links - I looked at your setup - different scale so different registers and settings.
 
After using the SWPB instruction on all the inputs:

EX.
SWPB BW1_RL920i:I.Data[3] HIGH/LOW BW1_Input[3]

I am seeing the weight reading in the swapped byte properly.

I had to do the same for the commands to the scale:

EX.
SWPB BW1_Output[0] HIGH/LOW BW1_RL920i:O.Data[0]

Now I am in complete control and can changes tares or read net or gross. Seems to respond very fast also - much faster than the Lantronix Serial to Ethernet TCP adapter would work.

The 87803 ethernet/IP option card for RiceLake is not cheap - list price is $800 CDN.
 
The 87803 ethernet/IP option card for RiceLake is not cheap - list price is $800 CDN.
And worth every cent of it.

I do a lot of weight/batching systems, and I almost exclusively use Mettler Toledo indicators with Ethernet/IP modules. Saves you an analog input module, for a start (so there's a few hundred $ at least), plus the wiring time for the analog signals. You also have zero analog error to contend with - if the weigh scale says 123.4567kg, the PLC says 123.4567kg. It's super fast, and I have full control of the scale for tare/zero/print, some models I can even calibrate over ethernet/IP! Whatever application the customer can throw at me, I can just plug in my ethernet cable, drop in my add-on instruction for the indicator, and five minutes later I've got a fully functioning application. $800 is peanuts when you look at the functionality you gain and the time you save in return.

Obviously, you're taking a lot more time now to make it all work - but once you've done it once, the next one (and any subsequent ones) are a piece of cake.
 

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