Cmore HMi to ML1400

[Jmccoy]

Hello,

I am new here and have been working with PLCs for a few years now. I have been tasked with setting up a Micrologix 1400….. to a Cmore 10 inch HMI. I have made a test program to see if the HMI will toggle bits in the program but it will not. My PLC and HMI are communicating via Ethernet but I am at a loss of why I cannot toggle my HMI switches to make the bits in the PLC logic. I am using B9:0/0 “Red_Light_HMI” to try and make the input true. I have imported/exported between RSlogix 500 and cmore but have not had any success. I can see my PLC and HMI communicating so I know that is not the issue. Whenever I import tags from the AB program to Cmore, it will only import “B9:0/0” and nothing happens when I assign this to my HMI button. Even tried B9:0/0 to 10. I have done this multiple times with RS5000 and studio. I don’t understand what I am doing wrong.

 

[mikeexplorer]

What type of Cmore? EA3? EA9? CM5?

 

[mikeexplorer]

Here are some screenshots from my Model Train Project which uses a Micrologix 1400 and Cmore Micro (EA3) HMI.



Now the one thing that will be different is the Ethernet setting. My project is integrated into my home network, the IP addresses for the PLC and HMI are static, and was reserved in the router.
This is why I have a gateway address set in the Micrologix
I also have a reserved address for a second HMI which is a 4 inch version which is modified to run on battery and wireless. This way I can monitor or operate the trains from anywhere in my house.



For direct PLC <-> HMI communication. Set the IP address of the PLC to 192.168.1.1 , subnet 255.255.255.0 Then set the IP address of the HMI to 192.168.1.2, same subnet.



Hope that helps

 

[joseph_e2]

We have a few systems running with ML1400 talking to 6" EA9s. My setup looks very similar to mikeexplorer's screenshots.
Can you share your RSLogix 500 and C-More files?

 

[Jmccoy]

It is an EA9. I directly connected Ethernet cable from the PLC to the HMI and using serial connection to view the PLC. My PLC ip address and subnet are 192.168.2.2 , 255.255.255.0 and the HMI is 192.168.2.3, same subnet. I will post some screenshots when I get back to the office later today. I believe my issue is the tags are not importing correctly to the cmore project. I made two HMI toggle switches B9:0/1 and B9:0/2 and named them. It imports to Cmore as the name that I created but when I toggle one switch, the other switch toggles with it as if it is the same tag and it does not make in the Rs500 program. I was put on nightshift a couple days ago to help out so I may just be missing something simple from being exhausted.

 

[BachPhi]

Define SYMBOLS.

 

[Steve Bailey]

Did you try creating the tags in the Cmore instead of importing them from the ML1400 project? That could verify your hunch that something is awry in the import process.

 

[joseph_e2]

You also mention serial connection and Ethernet. They're not the same.
In general, especially when working with a new platform, I create a couple tags of each datatype manually and then export them. That gives me the format I need. I also open the csv file in Notepad++ before doing anything and then work with a copy in Excel. That way, if Excel adds/removes any characters I can spot them and fix it before re-importing.

 

[Jmccoy]

I briefly did that but kept getting errors when trying to import the cmore tags into Rs500. And also, I’m having to use serial to USB to get online for the micrologix because IT updates our vpn and somehow knocked out my Ethernet drivers. I normally work strictly with Ethernet. The PLC and HMI are connected with an Ethernet cable.

 

[joseph_e2]

I would try importing C-More tags into RS500 at all. They're completely different formats and generally the PLC is the "source" and the HMI is meant to reflect the PLC, not the other way around.
As a first pass, I would manually create the tags in C-More pointing to the addresses in the PLC and see if it works.


Edit to add:
I totally understand the frustration with IT policies getting in the way. I've had that happen too. It's definitely worth a conversation with them. Can you connect your PC directly to the same physical network as the PLC and HMI? Are they patched directly together or through a switch or hub?

 

[Jmccoy]

I would try importing C-More tags into RS500 at all. They're completely different formats and generally the PLC is the "source" and the HMI is meant to reflect the PLC, not the other way around.
As a first pass, I would manually create the tags in C-More pointing to the addresses in the PLC and see if it works.


Edit to add:
I totally understand the frustration with IT policies getting in the way. I've had that happen too. It's definitely worth a conversation with them. Can you connect your PC directly to the same physical network as the PLC and HMI? Are they patched directly together or through a switch or hub?

I finally got it to work, somehow. I started a new Cmore project and imported my tags and all of the addresses filled correctly. I grabbed a tag from each data file and everything toggles/displays on the panel correctly now. It is possible I messed with one too many settings- it was a late night. Thank you all for the help!
I have also not updated my VM in years.. Still running on Windows 7..