How to connect RSLogix PLC to an mobile app

Hey there,

Currently in school, I gotten an assignment in Technique subject.
We are a 4 man group of 3 different skills.

A Automation Technician (Me)
A Industrial Engineer
Two Data Engineers

We are going to built a little machine, with a couple of cylinders and magazines, but the main difficulty is that we are trying to connect through an applikation the data engineers are making, to the PLC.

We are using an RSLogix 1769 L32E, connection with TCP/IP to an wireless switch, running on a private network.

So my question is how do I set up the RSLogix 1769 L32E to be able to receive signals from the application?
I can't seem to figure what module under the "Ethernet" in the program I need to add?

Anyone can help?

Best Regards
Benjamin Pulman

Easiest way is AdanvedHMI, you can build it into your application as a driver to read and write your tags.

But how do I configurate that in RSLogix Studio 5000 ?
What do I have to add as Ethernet module?

You don't.

It can use the same connection protocols you use for rslinx. How are you connected to the PLC currently?

Atm. I am connect with my computer with Ethernet cable to a switch and one from switch to pc.
And the PLC is just using digital in and output to control the system.
But instead of me forcing bits/making an HMI panel on the machine, we wanna try make an app to control it instead.

In the app we want to make at first a start and stop button, and 3 buttons to which you want to order. (The machine has 3 magazines, which contains something different. When you push Mag1, a cylinder pushes the object onto a conveyor, which brings it to a drop place.

So we wanna make so you can "order" the items on the app, and stop and start the machine, and evt. see how many objects there's in stock at the different mags.

But the question is how I connect the data in /outputs from the application to set the values in the PLC.

Normally when connecting to something ethernet related, I add a new module under the settings of ethernet, and example if its an AB PowerFlex, I find that in the ethernet module and set it up that way.

But I can't figure out how to do it, when you need the application to communicate so you can change the value on the PLC.

You say through RSLinx? So if I connect the PLC to a Wifi Switch with Ethernet Cable, and then create an app to logon to the wireless router and find the PLC? And then I will be able to see it in RSLinx or what?

Thanks for the help so far

AdvancedHMI is written in VB.Net. It has the drivers to communicate to the Allen Bradley PLC. See the following thread:
http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=110353

Wireless connecting is just the conduit for the connection. The protocols will remain the same to the PLC.

Regards,

you could use AdvancedHMI, or you could insert a generic ethernet module into your program. and configure it to talk to the IP address that your app is running on.

I believe that should work.

This will not give you access to all the bits of your PLC, however you will have to use the Input / Output bits from the device you create to control the PLC.

#7
I am aware that I can't control other bits than what I define to use for the application example: "AppInt1".

You write that I can insert a generic ethernet module into my program? Is that anything you have an example of? I have searched abit for it, but can't seem to figure how to set it up to talk to a IP Adress only?

#6
So to get it right, if my friends with the data skills, employ the AdvancedHMI driver in their application programming.
Then I can add AdvancedHMI in RSLogix as an ethernet module, and then through that the app can communicate to the PLC?

Brp said:

#6
...
Then I can add AdvancedHMI in RSLogix as an ethernet module, and then through that the app can communicate to the PLC?

Click to expand...

AdvancedHMI works completely independent of RSLogix and RSLinx. It has it's own ability to communicate to PLC's so you need no Rockwell software with it.

+1 for AdvancedHMI, otherwise you would have to develop the Ethernet IP driver as this is the application layer used by control logix/compact logix 44818(TCP port) and 2222(UDP Port). Not sure on this but I think you also have to be licensed to run as an Ethernet IP scanner this would take a lot of time and resources to do, when Advanced HMI already has the drivers and can be linked to an app.

If an android app is of interest to you, I've used Kivy and pylogix to create a very simple android app. You can make apps for IOS as well, I've never tried it though.

Here is the app if you want to try it:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/443az8r23ckgn2w/PylogixAndroid-1.2-debug.apk

#10+12
I don't quite get it then...
You say it works completely independent of RSLinx and RSLogix.
But doesn't you need to make some tags that the app change the value of?

Like if I connect a HMI panel, then I get some tags in ControllerTags, where the bits are set by the buttons on the HMI.

If you don't need to make anything in the RSLogix, how can it then control it?

#11
I will try look at the Advanced HMI, and see if I can get that working

Brp said:

#10+12
I don't quite get it then...
You say it works completely independent of RSLinx and RSLogix.
But doesn't you need to make some tags that the app change the value of?

Like if I connect a HMI panel, then I get some tags in ControllerTags, where the bits are set by the buttons on the HMI.

If you don't need to make anything in the RSLogix, how can it then control it?

Click to expand...

You would need RSLogix and RSLinx to program the PLC (add/modify/delete logic). AdvancedHMI is an HMI package, it cannot modify the running program, it can read/write tags. It is capable of reading/writing tags without RSLinx because it has it's own communication drivers to connect/read/write to the PLC.