Red Lion DSPSX, Graphite HMI, E3 & ROC800

Shorfafu

Member
Join Date
Jan 2019
Location
Oklahoma
Posts
3
Hello all, thanks for reading! This is my first post so please be gentle.

I have a difficult scenario that I'm struggling to make work. I have a single ROC800 RTU, a single Red Lion DSPSX, (6) Red Lion E3 IO Modules, and (6) Red Lion 7" Graphite HMIs that I'm trying to get to work on a system.

The ROC800 has a limitation of (6) Ethernet connected devices which prevents me from having the DSPSX, SCADA, and a technician connected with (6) HMIs. So I'm searching for a solution to have the 6 HMIs go through the DSPSX to read/write to the ROC800. The Red Lion E3s are communicating to the DSPSX using the built in driver and I have no issues with them on this system.

The ROC800 has six instances of a program running where one each of the E3 and HMI will be assigned to work with. Again, the E3 are not an issue at all. I wanted to make the DSPSX be the middle man for the data from the RCO800 and to the HMIs using TCP Modbus master/slave, and/or use the built in OPC feature. It's been a daunting couple of weeks attempting to make either of those or a combination of those work. I've read Red Lion's OPC guide and it's provided some insight, but the DSPSX has a limitation of 4 devices where I will have 6 HMIs attempting to communicate. Also, the TCP Modbus Master/Slave doesn't handle strings. I read another post on here that mentioned using OPC for strings and Modbus for numeric, but I'm afraid of the 4 OPC connections limit. Also, until I have all 6 HMIs available for testing I won't be sure of anything working properly, and I should have them next week.

I'm not opposed to the idea of a separate DSPSX or similar device that can handle the middle man role, but would like to keep it as is because this system is currently installed and running in a manual operation mode.
They're waiting on me!
Eeek!

Please ask questions or offer any guidance as it will be greatly appreciated! I've been googling several things related to this and other project and PLCtalk always comes up!
I decided it was time to jump in and join conversations. I'll be parsing through other topics looking to offer help!
 
Hello and Welcome to the Forum,

So you have 6 different User Programs running on the ROC? Do the programs just separate the data in the ROC so the HMI can read it?

The Data Station does a great job of taking data from one device and converting it to send to a different device. I am not sure if it can be a Data Server. Originally I was thinking you could bring in the ROC data via the ROC driver and then have it saved in DSP tags. Then have your HMI read the data from the DSP Tags. I was not able to find a way for the HMI to get the tags from the DSP so maybe that is not a option. Maybe someone else knows of a way to do that.

If nothing else you could have the DSP map data to a PLC or some other device and have your HMI's get the data from it.

Let us know what you find out from Red Lion Support. They do have some good support.
 
Thanks y'all!

I had already contacted Red Lion Support, and they answered awesomely, but as expected. I already knew the was to use Modbus TCP but wanted to stay away from it. You'd think they would have a Red Lion Driver for the Graphites in the DSPSX and vice versa for this exact scenario!

Use the Modbus TCP/IP Master/Slave. Set up the DSPSX as a ROCPlus master to the ROC800 and store the data in DSPSX Tags. Then have the same tags configured in the HMIs and use modbus to send them over. Except that doesn't work with String Tags. I would have to use the OPC, setting the DSPSX as the master, and use that to send the Strings over separately and slower.

My current OPC test configs have a 4-7 second update rate which is forever on an HMI with an operator pounding the screen as fast as they can.

I currently have three variations of the configurations ready to test on my lab units once they arrive so I'm going to finish up this 4th variation and be ready to test all 4 next week.
 
Hi Bullzi, thanks for the input!

So you have 6 different User Programs running on the ROC? Do the programs just separate the data in the ROC so the HMI can read it?

One User Program with (6) Instances and one HMI per Instance, but the HMI config is universal and can be set to it's instance during initial boot.

The Data Station does a great job of taking data from one device and converting it to send to a different device. I am not sure if it can be a Data Server. Originally I was thinking you could bring in the ROC data via the ROC driver and then have it saved in DSP tags. Then have your HMI read the data from the DSP Tags. I was not able to find a way for the HMI to get the tags from the DSP so maybe that is not a option. Maybe someone else knows of a way to do that.

TCP Modbus, but that requires making register blocks on both sides. The OPC option allows the Slave side to import the Master's Tag list and link directly through an interface, or export tags -> notepad++ edits. It's fairly sweet, for small, slow applications. Large quantities of tags, or more than 4 devices (I have 6 HMIs) sort of limit this option.
 
This is an interesting one. Seems like you are pushing the limits... Lol.
I'd honestly say use a serial Ethernet adapter for half the hmis to connect. And then the other half aredirect Ethernet. It may look a little strange in the cabinet but it would get you around that limitation if you have a spare serial port?
 

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