Adding a Discrete Alarm in WinCC Flexible

[uptown47]

Hi All,

I've got a dataword in the software that contains all the errors. If its equal to 1 then Error 1, 2 = Error 2, etc etc

I want to show these in a WinCC Flex project but its only allowing me to reference the alarms via 'bits' rather than value.

So, if my alarm word is 3 I'll actually be setting the two least significant bits which will mess it up. I've attached a piccy to illustrate my problem.

I want the errors to appear if my ALARMS tag is 'equal' to those numbers. Not just if the various bits are set. Otherwise when I have Error 3 on in the program, WinCC Flex will be trying to show Alarm Error 1 and 2.

Hope that makes sense.

I've not actually got a PLC with me to try this but I'm assuming that's what's going to happen. Can someone clarify whether doing it my way is possible.

Many thanks

;-)

 

[Manglemender]

I don't think that you can do it the way you want to. Set a seperate bit for each alarm and then you can have multiple alarms simultaneously.

Make an array tag called alarms and point it at a data block making it large enough for double all your alarms; an acknowledge bit for each alarm is required to be in the same tag.

I think that there is a getting started guide or an FAQ somewhere for WinnCCFlex alarms.

Nick

 

[JesperMP]

The way you suggest does not make much sense to me.
What if you would want to display two or more alarms at the same time ?
With your method only one alarm at a time can display.

If you have some kind of alarm system that works with error numbers (by value), then you could create an FC that translates the value to the bit address for WinCC Flexible.

 

[Jeebs]

Create a textlist that contains your alarms
Create a tag which is connected to your alarm numbers in the PLC
Create a tag which will set 1 bit when there is an error and reset is when there is no error.

Link a Discrete Alarm to the last tag created, to the bit that toggles when alarms come and go.
In the error text, click on the dropdown icon at the end of the text field. You should now get a pop-up window where you need to select:
Type: Text list
Text list: Your textlist containing the alarm texts
Field length: max length of your alarm text
Tag: Tag linked to alarms in PLC


This should achieve what you're looking for.

 

[Paul B]

I had a thought. The OP could have a situation where he is converting an obsolete HMI into a new Flexible app. The PLC code might be moving a number into a register to indicate the alarms. There are a lot of legacy applications that are done this way. And YEP the bad thing is there can only be one alarm on display. It's important to structure the PLC code so the most significant alarm is on display. For example the Estop alarm is more important than a doorswitch alarm so the PLC code should move the number for the Estop alarm after it moves the number for the door alarm.

If changing the PLC program is not an option here is how I would do it in Flexible. I'd have a message display on the alarm screen that triggered a message based on the value in the alarm word. Not use alarms, use text messages.

 

[uptown47]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm only needing to display one alarm at a time and then cycle through them, with each one showing for a couple of seconds. I'll look at Jeebs suggestion though and do it with a Text List. Great idea!

Thanks ;-)