Avery Weigh Tronix ZM303 Ethernet/IP

Plastic

Member
Join Date
Feb 2009
Location
Michigan
Posts
319
Typically we interface to dozens of third-party devices that have Ethernet/IP capability WITH appropriate documentation to set up a GENERIC ETHERNET module with these variables:
Byte Format – SINT, INT, DINT
Input Instance and Size
Output Instance and Size
Config Instance and Size

With the above information, the third party device is established with IMPLICIT cyclical polling and automatic transfer in/out data to our PAC data table.

What we CAN’T do: Get the most simplistic GROSS weight data from an Avery ZM303

We are NOT weighing trucks. We have about 10 load cells and 10 ZM303 monitoring a chemical operation, and are merely trying to read the GROSS weight continuously.

We have Z-Tools software and can connect to the instrument, and see the Ethernet/IP configuration area, but Avery has little or no instructions. It is clear that the instrument MUST be configured to output variables, but it is not documented how to do such.

Calling Avery, they refer us to our distributor. Although we spent thousands of dollars with the distributor, they have no Ethernet/IP experience, and can offer no help.

There are a few existing threads on PLCs.Net regarding this subject, but they are dated and have not led us to a solution.

We prefer to NOT do Explicit Messaging. We prefer NOT to do any socket based TCP/IP programming. The ZM303 is advertised as “Ethernet/IP” and should be capable of IMPLICIT cyclical data transfer.

If anyone has had recent success, we would appreciate tips, and tricks.

Thank you
 
Problem Solved - Thank You Avery

This morning, I dialed Weigh-Tronix direct.

Their phone system had a typical robo-voice to direct calls. There was an option for technical support.

I was connected, and spoke to an agent. I explained we merely needed some kick-off documentation for Ethernet/IP connectivity to read GROSS weight digitally from the ZM303.

He did ask if the distributor was contacted. I explained yes, but to no real avail.

He did forward me a few pdfs that had specific configurations and examples to connect to a Rockwell PLC/PAC.

Within a few minutes, we were successfully polling actual weight digitally to our Control Logix PAC.

FIRST, I want to THANK the technician at Avery, he made the whole situation successful.

Also, please make sure your distributor is aware that these application notes are available.

It was a good day for industrial chemical/metallurgical process design in our world.

Thank You again to Avery! 😊


Plastic
 
Call your Avery distributor and Avery

They will send you a ZIP folder with:
A Z-Tools sample file
A pdf with the below information
an EDS file
A sample ACD

....but the below information might get you there.

Step 1 - Set up the Avery first using Z-Tools
Here were the settings under Z-Tools PLC Configuration:
Configuration: Enet IP
Endian Format: Little Endian
Trade: Off
In from PLC Item 1 Sint32 Token#2
In from PLC Item 2 Sint32 Token#900
Out to PLC Item 1 Sint32 Token#1
Out to PLC Item 2 Sint32 Token#3

Step 2 - Set up the PLC IO
Add ETHERNET-MODULE Generic
Comm Format Data-DINT
Input Instance 100 Size 2 (32-bit)
Output Instance 112 Size 2 (32-bit)
Config Instance 28 Size 0 (8-bit)

We are not yet at run time, but this worked for a preliminary bench test.

I found an email from the guy at Avery

Hope this helps
 
Hope you have had success with your project, I too am trying to configure a ZM303 via Ethernet/IP to an AB PLC, a ControlLogix L55 in this case. Curious if you had the same snag I am experiencing. I configured both the scale and Generic Ethernet Module within RSLogix5000 as you outlined, even using the exact same Tokens. I end up with two strange errors then a fault, 16#0301 Connection Request Error, Buffer Out of Buffer Memory and 16#0100 Connection Request Error, Module in Use. Photo attached. I'm trying to reach out to my local vendor, but any advice given your success is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards

Scale.png
 
Those ZM303's are good indicators. I used to maintain lots of them, but I never had to use Ethernet/IP, as we were just sending in-motion weights out over serial with photo eyes. Thanks for the info, I will have to look into this. Also, you need to be aware of a caveat with these (that I'm not sure if they fixed). RSLogix-auto poll can wreak havoc on these indicators and reset the configuration files to default (or clear them out, I can't quite remember). You might want to confirm the how/why this happens, but it is something you should be aware of. It is because of this that we didn't hook any of these up to the plant's control network. Our distributor were experts on these things, and our tech gave us a warning about this as we were changing over from the WI-127's.
 
Last edited:
No problems with plant network. We isolate 100% of our industrial IO control network nodes from plant networks. To gain acces to PLC, there will be a second ENBt reserved for enterprise connectivity. Or, if compact logix, we keep the single IO network private, and install a NAT device to only allow dedicated traffic to get through.

Second attempt to upload two pics from Iphone
 
3rd try for pic upload

I gave up on iPhone and emailed to my Surface...
….wish me luck.

ohmslaw.jpg petergriffon212.jpg
 

Attachments

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Thank you both for your replies! For some reason the two screenshot didn't work, would you mind checking again? Sorry for the hassle, but again I do appreciate your response and hearing your positive experience with this scale!
 
Just another thought, could it possibly be due to the fact my ControlLogix ethernet card is the old (obsolete) 1756-ENET? I'm reading that the ENET has issues interfacing some messaging over Ethernet/IP. Thanks
 
Just another thought, could it possibly be due to the fact my ControlLogix ethernet card is the old (obsolete) 1756-ENET? I'm reading that the ENET has issues interfacing some messaging over Ethernet/IP. Thanks

If you do feel that could be an issue then I would highly recommend jumping to the 1756-EN2T. Around my area we usually get them for a little over $2K each.
 
Just another thought, could it possibly be due to the fact my ControlLogix ethernet card is the old (obsolete) 1756-ENET? I'm reading that the ENET has issues interfacing some messaging over Ethernet/IP. Thanks

I recall an issue with a scanner and a very old control logix ethernet/IP card. It was only half duplex, so the keyence camera I was hooking up to it couldn't hold a constant communication. Once I ordered a newer, full duplex ethernet card I was able to hold a CIP connection to the scanner without issue.
 
I want to confirm that my problem was in fact my ethernet module. I replaced the 1756-ENET with an 1756-ENBT and it works great! Thank you!
 
They will send you a ZIP folder with:
A Z-Tools sample file
A pdf with the below information
an EDS file
A sample ACD

....but the below information might get you there.

Step 1 - Set up the Avery first using Z-Tools
Here were the settings under Z-Tools PLC Configuration:
Configuration: Enet IP
Endian Format: Little Endian
Trade: Off
In from PLC Item 1 Sint32 Token#2
In from PLC Item 2 Sint32 Token#900
Out to PLC Item 1 Sint32 Token#1
Out to PLC Item 2 Sint32 Token#3

Step 2 - Set up the PLC IO
Add ETHERNET-MODULE Generic
Comm Format Data-DINT
Input Instance 100 Size 2 (32-bit)
Output Instance 112 Size 2 (32-bit)
Config Instance 28 Size 0 (8-bit)

...

Hello all,

First, thanks for your info! I tried to reach out to the avery guys to get the samples and basically said the same thing but no luck, they said their contract w/ distributors forbid them from sharing T.T

So based on info on this thread + others we were able to set up the communication okay and get some readings in the PLC. However, my confusion lies in issuing something like a tare/zero command from the PLC to the avery device.

For instance in your "in from PLC items" what values would we need to set those variables (as they are not single Boolean) to be in order to Tare/Zero from the PLC?

grateful for any advice and inputs, thanks in advance!!
 

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