DeviceNet conversion from 160SSC ---> PowerFlex

JoseM

Member
Join Date
Jul 2011
Location
Texas
Posts
381
I need some help with a task I've being entitle too. The plant I work has a lot of AB 160 VFD's that they want to replace with newer PowerFlex.

A lot of this devices are connected via "DeviceNet" to the processor handleing the particular equipment. We're still in the beggining phases of this project but I wanted to be as proactive as possible.

So, I will like to know what can I proactively do to be prepare when the time comes. I was thinking if I could upload the current devicenet configuration using "RSNetworx for DeviceNet" and do the necessary changes to accommodate the newer Power Flex drives.

Also, I've heard that some changes has to be done to the PLC code to accept the new drive, Is that correct?
 
How you do it depends on which version of PowerFlex that you are going to use, if you use the PF40 or PF70 you can use a 22-COMM-D(PF40) or a 20-COMM-D(PF70) these will fit inside the drives, if you are going to use PF4's then the 22-COMM-D modules have to be mounted outside the drive and you connect them using the RS485 port on the drive.
 
We have around 100 or so of the 160 drives. This is the reason why I want to upload the configuration of all the 160's via devicenet and use it to configure the PF40's ahead of the game.

Also, I will be taking the PLC code and making the necessary changes to accomodate the new PF drives offline, so all I have to do is to "Download" the new program to the processor and be more effective.
 
Thank you Ken. I have the manual you suggested but the knowledge base article you make reference to, I can't access it because I don't have an account with enough priviledges.
 
My current employer will be faced with a similar issue. I am less worried about editing the RSNetworx and SLC logic than the physical fit and rewiring.

Since the panels we have are pretty well filled with the obsolete drives and the handy dandy feed through design of the 160s (power in the top, out the bottom), replacing them means a whole lot of new wire and time to route it to the (yet to be determined) replacement drives.

I am not a fan of the PF4/40 (which is adequate performance-wise in my case) but all the other A/B candidates are simply too big to fit.

The PF4M offers feed through design, but (last time I checked) no Devicenet interface.

I picked out a drive made by ABB (ACS355 with advice from this thread) which is small enough and has onboard Devicenet, but haven't received authorization to try it out yet. Anything non-AB takes lots of convincing here.

You may want to look at those and the other brands mentioned in that thread before finalizing the decision if physical dimensions are an issue, and you haven't already committed to the PF40.
 
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22-COMM-D is the divice net adaptor for the 4m however it must be mounted externally of the drive
 
They already started replacing some of the drives with the PF family and they are also familiar with them. I don't know if they will like for me to introduce a new device. I will look into them anyways to see how they satisfy our application.

Several of the 160 drives are controlled by a 4 - 20 ma or 0 - 10 V. These units I'm thinking to replace them with PF4's.

The other drives that are on a devicenet configuration, I'm thinking that it will be more cost effective to go with PF40's instead of the PF4 which require the device net adapter, the mounting kit and the extra space in the cabinet to mount them.
 
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I need some help with a SLC 5/04 and a 1747-SDN DeviceNet scanner. Some time back in another machine, I configure RSLinx with a passthrough driver 1747-SDNPT-1 and I was able to browse the DeviceNet network on that system.

Now, I'm trying to do the same thing in another machine but I can't seem to make it work. When I look at the configure drivers screen on RSlinx it says 1747-SDNPT-1-STOPPED.If I try to configure a new driver, the only option I have is 1784-PCIDS as the available DeviceNet drivers.

I'm using the Allen Bradley RS-232 cable to communicate with the processor and trying to access the DeviceNet scanner.
 
I believe the passthrough driver requires that you have the 1747-SDN scanner set up a certain way in order to support it.

The scanner needs to be FRN 4.015 or later. It also needs the M0 and M1 files for the scanner set up with 395 words (in RSLogix500 I/O config.).

Also, the pass through feature can be painfully slow and isn't recommended for setting up a whole network or to upload a whole network. If you just want a backup, you may be able to get away with it if you manually upload each drive one at a time and then save the file. I would not try to upload the entire network all at once.
 
So, what other driver can I use that will make this job easier. This cabinet has about 30 160's VFD. How can I upload the configuration individually for every drive.
 
JoseM said:
So, what other driver can I use that will make this job easier.
We use the 1788-EN2DN at each devicenet network. That device shows up in RSLinx so we can browse from RSNetworx right onto the Devicenet through an ethernet connected PC. This is very very fast and has been highly reliable too. However, they are not cheap.

There are other alternatives, but I have only used the 1788-EN2DN and the 1784-PCD which requires a laptop with PCMCIA slot.

JoseM said:
This cabinet has about 30 160's VFD. How can I upload the configuration individually for every drive.

If you use the pass-through driver, and go online with RSNetworx, when you double click a drive in the tree or list view, its properties will opened. From there, you can choose the Parameters tab. You will be prompted to either upload or download. You will want to choose upload.

Then wait.

Repeat for each drive.
 
Okie,

That is where my problem starts, because when RSNetworx is browsing to determine the nodes and shown them in the main screen it comes with a "Time-Out" error.

I'm not able to gain access to the 1747-SDN scanner to see the configuration tree.
 
I'm trying to configure a DeviceNet driver but I can't. When I hit the "ADD" button and select 1784-PCIDS driver from the list, the screen changes so fast that I can't see what it says and the driver doesn't get added.

I was able to capture a "Print Screen" of the message, but I don't get all the other pop-up screens where I put the name of the drive, etc.

Driver Pic.JPG
 

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