Addressing in Rx3i PLC

[IAR86]

I have a system using Rx3I CRU320 redundant CPU with Proficy Machine Edition Software. In the hardware configuration of each CPU module, under transfer list tab, following is configured on both PLC.

%I Reference: %I00001
%I Length: 4
%AI Reference: %AI00001
%AI Length: 4

I think this is incorrect and I need to update.

When I look at the address of IO card channels, it is given as "Rack.slot.channel" format (eg %IW0.8.0.1 for 1st channel of AI card in slot 8). I was expecting address something like %AI0001 so that its easy to understand whether its shared between PLC using transfer list configuration.

Can someone explain how to identify the address and length to be configured in the transfer list?

 

[Steve Bailey]

What version of Machine Edition?
I just added (offline) an ALG608 module to an existing target and version 9.5 assigned it an %AI address. I've never seen the rack.slot.channel format in a GE PLC. Are you looking at the hardware configuration for the module or in the variable table?

 

[IAR86]

What version of Machine Edition?
I just added (offline) an ALG608 module to an existing target and version 9.5 assigned it an %AI address. I've never seen the rack.slot.channel format in a GE PLC. Are you looking at the hardware configuration for the module or in the variable table?

Hi Steve, Thanks for response. I am using Machine edition 9.0. I am looking at the hardware configuration. please see image attached.

 

[Steve Bailey]

Can you post a screen shot? I've been trying to assign rack.slot.channel addressing to an AI module without success and I'd like to figure how how it was done.

 

[IAR86]

Can you post a screen shot? I've been trying to assign rack.slot.channel addressing to an AI module without success and I'd like to figure how how it was done.

Please see attached doc.

 

[Steve Bailey]

Will it accept a %AIxxxx address instead of TEST1 in the variable field?

 

[IAR86]

Will it accept a %AIxxxx address instead of TEST1 in the variable field?

If I enter %AI0001 in the inspector window for TEST1, it is accepted. but when i checked in the hardware config, TEST1 variable is removed from channel IW1. when I double click IW1 and select TEST1 variable, address is changed again to %IW0.14.0.1.
If you mean whether I can assign address %AI0001 to channel IW1? No I cannot assign the address.

 

[Steve Bailey]

The screen shot looks like what I see when I add a module to to View Control target rather than a PLC target. Can you provide an overview of the complete system architecture?

 

[IAR86]

The screen shot looks like what I see when I add a module to to View Control target rather than a PLC target. Can you provide an overview of the complete system architecture?

Hi Steve,
sorry I am very much familiar with Proficy machine edition software. I have attached the screenshot of hardware config. We have two CPUs in hot standby redundancy mode.

 

[dYoast]

If you open the Inspector, click on Hardware Configuration and change the Default Variable Mode from False to True, I/O Variables are enabled.
When enabled, the addresses are coupled to the hardware. This is what gives the rack.slot.channel addresses.

 

[IAR86]

If you open the Inspector, click on Hardware Configuration and change the Default Variable Mode from False to True, I/O Variables are enabled.
When enabled, the addresses are coupled to the hardware. This is what gives the rack.slot.channel addresses.

Thanks dYost. With "default variable mode" set to false and adding a new module, I can see the address is shown normal as %AI00001.
With default variable mode set to true, can I use the transfer list tab in hardware config to share the variables between two CPUs?
how to determine the address start and length for the transfer list configuration if the address is displayed rack.slot.channel addresses.

 

[IAR86]

It seems that the transfer list tab in the hardware config is used only for CPU memory segments. I see that if variable mode property is set to true for a module (which is true in my software), then Input/output transfer list has be set to true for each variable individually in the inspector window.

 

[Steve Bailey]

My thanks also to dYoast for that tip.

 

[NetNathan]

Why would you want to use rack.slot.channel addresses (I/O variables)?

From Machine Edition companion...

********************************************
Hardware Configuration Node Properties
These properties apply only to PACSystems or VersaMax controller rack systems.

Default Variable Mode​

(PACSystems targets only.) The default setting of the Variable Mode property of every new module or Genius bus added to a PACSystems target. Existing modules and Genius busses are unaffected.

Choices:

• True: Enables I/O variables for every new module or Genius bus added from now on to the target, unless the module does not support I/O variables. In the latter case, the module's Variable Mode property is set to False and is read-only.
• False: (Default.) Disables I/O variables for every new module or Genius bus added from now on to the target.

You can still enable or disable I/O variables for a particular module or Genius bus.
********************************************

 

[IAR86]

Why would you want to use rack.slot.channel addresses (I/O variables)?

From Machine Edition companion...

********************************************
Hardware Configuration Node Properties
These properties apply only to PACSystems or VersaMax controller rack systems.

Default Variable Mode​

(PACSystems targets only.) The default setting of the Variable Mode property of every new module or Genius bus added to a PACSystems target. Existing modules and Genius busses are unaffected.

Choices:

• True: Enables I/O variables for every new module or Genius bus added from now on to the target, unless the module does not support I/O variables. In the latter case, the module's Variable Mode property is set to False and is read-only.
• False: (Default.) Disables I/O variables for every new module or Genius bus added from now on to the target.

You can still enable or disable I/O variables for a particular module or Genius bus.
********************************************

Hi NetNathan,
This is existing software in the client site which uses rack.slot.channel address. To resolve some of the existing issues, I needed to review and update the transfer list (from bumpless PLC Changeover) and to add module for new instruments. I wanted to understand on how to configure transfer list tab in hardware configuration. I understand now that with rack.slot.channel address, I need to set the transfer list property on individual variable rather than using tansfer list tab. The transfer list tab in hardware config is useful only to transfer CPU memory segments. In my case, I am using I/O variables.