Ethernet IP Testing on AB Compactlogix L23E

[fifty60]

I am trying to test a scanner application where I am converting RS232 to Ethernet IP, and then reading the results at an A-B compactlogix L23E PLC.

I do not have the scanner, and I do not have the RS232 to Ethernet gateway that will take the scanners RS232 signal and convert it to Ethernet IP before sending to the PLC.

I have the ladder logic done to accept and parse the string from the scanner...but I do not have anyway to test it without the scanner and gateway.

What is the best way to test the code without the scanner and gateway? Is there an emulator that I can use to simulate the EIP packets?

If there is a simulator for the EIP, how would I simulate the Gateway?

 

[Ken Roach]

Welcome to the Forum !

By "scanner", do you mean like a barcode reader that outputs a serial string ?

It sounds to me like you don't have two of the three things you need to perform a hardware and software integration test.

If you can provide some more information about the actual devices (especially the serial/EtherNet/IP gateway), folks might be able to give you advice on how to emulate it. Red Lion, HMS, RTA, and Digi devices are popular and familiar to members.

In my experience, emulation is of very limited utility in the automation world because the integration details are so device-specific.

To test the parsing data, you might just poke data into the tags that correlate to the serial gateway device.

Again, welcome to the PLCTalk community.

 

[fifty60]

Here is a link to the gateway I will be using: https://www.anybus.com/products/gat...ator/detail/anybus-communicator---ethernet-ip

Yes, it is a barcode scanner. I really am struggling with how I will be able to test my code without the gateway and the scanner. I would like to be able to set the module up in the PLC code so it is expecting the gateway, and then send a simulated EIP packet to the switch from the gateway/scanners IP address...

 

[Toine]

I have had to do some modbus testing in the past, adding code to an existing project for monitoring a VFD, already installed at a client factory several thousand miles away. The VFD used was a model that we do not have in stock. I contacted the supplier and kindly requested for a loaner VFD to program and test my code. They sent one to me next day, a few days later I had all my testing done and returned the drive.

In my experience there is no substitute for the real thing to test your code against. See if you can get hold of one of these scanners, e.g. as a loaner model from a supplier. Many are willing to send a sample over if you have a good relationship with them. Be kind, respectful and send them a big thumps up and sincere thanks upon returning the hardware after testing. You will be able to ask for a favor again if needs be.

 

[fifty60]

I've succeded in getting the Barcode Scanner Demo, so that is a huge huge help. However, I still do not have the actual gateway.

I believe the Gateway module has an AOP, and will appear as an ethernet module in the RSLogix program. How should I approach testing the barcode scanner without having the Gateway that will be used? Should I still add the gateway as a module and try to test it that way?

 

[Ken Roach]

I would like to [...] send a simulated EIP packet to the switch from the gateway/scanners IP address.

The problem is that the largest amount of variability in this application is the configuration of the HMS Communicator in how it configures the data header, strips or includes the terminating characters, or the byte order of the string data.

That's what you need to adjust and test, so testing an emulated EtherNet/IP adapter assembly will only tell you that you work with the emulator.

The good news is that the Communicator is very straightforward to use.

Create it in your Studio 5000 project and simply poke some data into the Input assembly to test your parsing, and that's as far as you can realistically go until you have the hardware in hand.