Softlogix and Devicenet

Join Date
May 2007
Location
Salt Lake City, Utah
Posts
415
I have a new client that is running FlexIO over DeviceNet and keeps having all sorts of comm issues.
It runs a SoftLogix processor and some 3rd party bath software on top.

I guess my question is:
will the softlogix box be happy using the regular ethernet port if I swap out the FlexIO comms to EthernetIP?

I feel alot more comfortable with running batch control to the IO over ethernet than Devicenet due to experience of past reliability issues with DeviceNet.

The Softlogix box has a DeviceNet scanner card in it right now so the plan would be to dump that, change out the FlexIO comm cards to 1794-AENT's and reconfigure the system accordingly.

The client is so fed up with the unreliable devicenet system they were thinking of dumping it completely.

Thanks!
 
The question I would be asking is why is the DeviceNet system unreliable. We have quite a number of DeviceNet networks with FlexIO on our site and they are all very reliable. The smaller number of EthernetIP networks we have are all prone to very occasional "drop outs". If you are having regular problems with DeviceNet something is wrong and I would suspect that there is a cable installation problem somewhere. The most common things I come across are screens which are not connected to 0V/Ground and faulty plug/socket connectors (particularly the "Mini" type.

Andybr
 
Virtually all of the DeviceNet problems I have encountered are due to poor installation, and I think that the same problems will be encountered if the same people and principles are used to install Ethernet.

Take a serious approach to your troubleshooting of the DeviceNet. Too many folks use visual inspection to detect loose connections, without using simple tools like a multimeter or oscilloscope to diagnose connection problems.

To directly answer your question, yes, SoftLogix 5800 can use an ordinary Ethernet card on your PC to run I/O messaging.
 
I've done many jobs over the years where DeviceNet worked perfectly fine. The only times we had troubles was when the installation was done shady. Like at this plant that made microwave popcorn, the integrators decided to use Blue Hose twisted pair for the Can_HIGH & Can_LOW (White & Blue conductors) and another set of Blue Hose twisted pair for the +/- 24Vdc (Red & Black conductors). The integrator felt that DeviceNet cable was too expensive and that twisted pair is twisted pair. He could never get his network to stay connected. We used some real DeviceNet cable and everything worked fine. The integrator had to pull the Blue Hose wires out and run real DeviceNet media. I bet that costs a lot more than what he saved.

Another job I worked on the integrator used all "field-wireables" for their network terminations versus molded media. No matter what they did at the plant, they always had random troubles with that network. The maint. guys would check all of the terminations, double tighten the screws, solder the wire ends, etc, and still random problems. Over time we replaced sections of the network with molded media and all of their problems went away. Another issue on that job was that their main supplier sold them on the concept of using "smart" DeviceNet photoeyes, to the tune of 300 of them. That equalled 5 DeviceNet Scanner cards (300/64 nodes) for their SLC which was a lot of added costs that didn't have to be done that way. Plus the added costs of a "smart" photoeye didn't outweigh what could have been done with simple eyes connected to "Smart" DeviceNet stations with diagnostics.

Joe_WaZoo
 
I guess the overwhelming opinion is 'Check The DeviceNet Stuff!'.

I am headed out to site next week for a good look around so I'll see how badly the DeviceNet hardware is implemented.
If it isnt proper cable and molded connectors I guess it'll need replacing.

Luckily it isnt that much.

Thanks for the help guys.
 

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