UltraMaster Software

Looking for UltraMaster software to upload program to a Allen-Bradley Ultra Series drive. Tried Rockwell tech support and would not let me down load program.

Welcome to the Forum !

Do you have a Rockwell Automation TechConnect support contract, and there was something wrong with the RA download server ? Or do you mean that you weren't eligible to download the software ? Did you actually speak with RA Tech Support or only try the website ?

UltraMaster is very old software, for the old Ultra 100/200 servo controllers. It was from the 1990's era when RA bought Electro-Craft, and re-branded the IQ series drives and IQ-Master software. It hasn't even been tested or supported with Windows XP.

IQ-Master itself is in the RA Knowledgebase, Article ID # 3064 (TechConnect Required).

UltraWare is a little more modern; it supports the Ultra 1500, 3000, 5000, and Kinetix 3 servo controllers. It's available from the RA download server.

Start here: http://ab.rockwellautomation.com/Motion-Control/UltraWARE-Software


But your basic question is "how can I download UltraMaster software", and I've provided links to two software packages that are not UltraMaster.

That software might not be available from Rockwell Automation except directly from Technical Support, or maybe not at all. It used to be in the "Allen-Bradley Products" section, but I can't find it on the new modern download server at all.

So it may be that Rockwell Automation has finally stopped supporting that software product.

What exact servo product are you working with ?

I have a Ultra series drive model 1398-DDM-005X-DN Part No. 9101-1810. Rockwell support said if we purchased a drive direct from AB then they will give me the software but this drive is part of a machine purchased 14 years ago. I have the original disk that came with machine and need to upload to new drive.

1398-DDM-005X-DN is an Ultra 100 with DeviceNet.

Is the file you have archived on disk an Ultra Master file, or an RSNetworx (or even DeviceNet Manager) file ? What's the file extension ?

I would escalate the issue with your local RA distributor or sales office. It's a little silly to say "we'll give you the software if you buy the part" when the part has been out of production for many years.

RA does charge for support, and that's one of the reasons they are able to provide it for a very long time. So you do frequently get pushback if you buy a part, then ask for help a decade later having not bought anything in the interim. You would be amazed what doors can be opened for support when you invite a salesman to come present his newest wares.

There are several files on disk and yes it is a devicenet. On file on the disk says DeviceNet with file extension of .dnt this is the one I think is for the drive. Local AB drive person does not seem to want to come in and help with this issue and he is only a few miles down the road. Guess he does not want to make any money. Next step will be sending drive out for this issue.

If it's a *.DNT file, it probably has all the drive parameters (and how the drive is configured to talk to the PLC over the network) saved in that RSNetworx file.

Do you have RSNetworx for DeviceNet software ?

Do not have any RSNetworx software just the disk with on file having the .dnt file. Also see several files with .RSS extension, don't know what they are. May be files for the touch screen on the machine.

A rss file contains the PLC program written in Rockwell software.

.mer file is the runtime program written in Factory Talk software for HMI's ( touch screens)

Thanks for the info. I am in contact with company we purchased machine to see if they can help.

I have never had the opportunity to work with this style drive. I have a customer that has the Ultra 200. They tell me they have the right software and have made a cable, but can't communicate with the drive. All they want to do is troubleshoot it for random faults that have been becoming more and more frequent.

I have been tasked with figuring out what part of his system is the issue, preventing his PC from talking to the drive.

My question is more toward the software, the Ultra Master software. Looking at the manual, it was designed back in the 90s so it explains how to work with DOS and Windows 3.1 OS. Will this work on a Windows 7 machine or do I need to see if we have an XP machine or clone?

I believe the cable he built could also be part of the issue. I have often seen people get their orientation reversed and read the connector from the wrong side and not read the numbers next to the pins/sockets. My plan is to use a standard serial cable with a Null Modem. I have that and the Allen Bradley PLC serial cable that already accomplishes the Null Modem function. Would that work?

I am also probably going to be forced to use a USB-Serial adapter. Have any of you found a bullet proof model that doesn't add in that extra layer of complexity? One of my past converters I would constantly get time out errors unless we hooked the serial cable to the docking station.

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks