Hi there. I'm new to the Siemens world. I'm trying to set up the PLC using the STEP 7 Software. Ultimately, after I've created a configuration that represents what I have hardware-wise, I want to create a simple program that will let me energize an output that will supply 24V to a motor.
I'm buried in Siemens manuals... and I think I'm a little lost. I'll give you some background info on what I've done so far...I think I need confirmation that what I've done so far is correct, and I also need some help understanding how the addressing works.
Based on my limited reading, it sounds like I need to create a hardware configuration and then download it to the PLC.
I've been able to assign an IP Address to the PLC - I used the browse feature and it found the MAC address of my CPU.
Then I modified the ethernet properties on it. Although the IP addreess has been assigned, i know it doesn't persist the changes because if i shut the PLC down and restart, none of the changes have been saved. I guess that's where I need to be able to download a HW configuration...Is this correct?
Also, is it ok that my programming PC is NOT plugged into the PLC directly? I have both the PLC and the programming PLC plugged into a switch on a common network.
Somehow, I've managed to upload a configuration from the PLC to my step 7 project. It seems like i have two configurations, on ONLINE and one OFFLINE.
What i've noticed is that when I am online and I double click on my input or output modules, I get the following error message: "The information from the CPU about the status of the selected module cannot be evaluated". But then when i switch to offline mode, and I try to open either the CPU or any module by double clicking on it, I get the following error:
"Unable to make the changes. Save your changes in another application".
Is this supposed to happen?
Also, I need to understand how the addressing works.
Does Q stand for output? and I for input?
So if I wanted to energize output number 1 on my 8DO 24vDC output module would I somehow need to reference Q2.0? (in the hardware overview, it shows my DO module and under Q address it has "2.0..2.7")
Sorry for the many questions but I'm very green with Siemens PLCs and Plcs in general.
Thanks.
I'm buried in Siemens manuals... and I think I'm a little lost. I'll give you some background info on what I've done so far...I think I need confirmation that what I've done so far is correct, and I also need some help understanding how the addressing works.
Based on my limited reading, it sounds like I need to create a hardware configuration and then download it to the PLC.
I've been able to assign an IP Address to the PLC - I used the browse feature and it found the MAC address of my CPU.
Then I modified the ethernet properties on it. Although the IP addreess has been assigned, i know it doesn't persist the changes because if i shut the PLC down and restart, none of the changes have been saved. I guess that's where I need to be able to download a HW configuration...Is this correct?
Also, is it ok that my programming PC is NOT plugged into the PLC directly? I have both the PLC and the programming PLC plugged into a switch on a common network.
Somehow, I've managed to upload a configuration from the PLC to my step 7 project. It seems like i have two configurations, on ONLINE and one OFFLINE.
What i've noticed is that when I am online and I double click on my input or output modules, I get the following error message: "The information from the CPU about the status of the selected module cannot be evaluated". But then when i switch to offline mode, and I try to open either the CPU or any module by double clicking on it, I get the following error:
"Unable to make the changes. Save your changes in another application".
Is this supposed to happen?
Also, I need to understand how the addressing works.
Does Q stand for output? and I for input?
So if I wanted to energize output number 1 on my 8DO 24vDC output module would I somehow need to reference Q2.0? (in the hardware overview, it shows my DO module and under Q address it has "2.0..2.7")
Sorry for the many questions but I'm very green with Siemens PLCs and Plcs in general.
Thanks.