GE DC300 drives, IOS, Series Six LAN

[Steve Bailey]

A client of mine is planning to upgrade some DC300 drives, but not for at least another year. These drives are interconnected via the GE drives LAN using a BIU module in a Series Six. In addition, on the operator's panel there is an IOS (Intelligent Operator's Station) which also resides on the LAN and displays speed and current data from the drives on the LAN and can also control setpoint values and draw percentages and issue run/stop/jog commands and so on.

The client is starting to have reliability problems with the IOS, and is worried that it won't survive until the drives are replaced. He's asked me to come up with a recommendation to replace the IOS unit.

Is anyone aware of any other type of HMI device that can coexist on the GE drive LAN? Has anyone replaced an IOS with something else? I'm thinking about an HMI panel writing serially to the Series Six and having the S6 retransmit the commands from the IOS onto the LAN, but I'm worried about the time lag that will introduce. I'm also a little worried that the S6 may already be transmitting almost as much data as it can on the LAN.

Also, the one piece of documentation I've not been able to find is the manual for the Series Six BIU module. Does anyone have a copy of that in electronic format capable of being emailed? Failing that, do you know the publication number, presumably something like GEK-xxxxx?

 

[rmor]

I am not aware of any device that can be installed to replace the IOS on the BIU LAN. There a lot of IOS's in service so I believe he could get a replacement until he changes the system. He could also retrofit his system with DC2000 control cards and keep the DC300 power section. I performed this conversion at many papermills and it works great. With the DC2000 you could replace the IOS with the OCS2000. (read about these at the ge's website.) Another option is to place a discrete and an analog genius block at each drive for control. Then use a Quickpanel for your interface. (I have also done this but you do not get the diagnostic information that you have with the OCS 2000.) How many drives are you talking about?

 

[PLucas]

Steve

reference my reply on Ron's forum.

In case anybody is wondering about that reply, there is no particular information contained in the reply that would be of much use to others which is why I have not replied in detail here.

Here's a link to it


Paul

 

[KP_Matt]

IOS upgrade

We're currently in the engineering phase to retrofit an GE IOS. The installation will be done in parrallel to minimize the service interruption and will use DLAN. DLAN can link into Genius. There are several EOIs that can speak DLAN. Good luck

 

[rootboy]

Boy-oh-boy, there ain't that much out there on BIU's. Looking through my legacy link (Series Six stuff) I didn't find anything (hardly a surprise). I'll ask my buddies at work.


A few links in any case:

http://www.gefanuc.com/infolink/manuals/90486f1.pdf
http://manuales.elo.utfsm.cl/lci/infolink/ds/gfk0865g.pdf

I do know that your HHM needs to have the 4.8 roms installed (see your GE rep for the roms).

And it looks like just one more block on the Genius network (but it can have up to eight modules connected to a BIU, but you knew that).

Sometimes tricky to setup, especially with S6's. I'll PM you if I can dig something up at work.

We run Panelmates from CCM cards. Works just fine for what we are doing.


John

 

[Steve Bailey]

John, KP_Matt,

Thanks for the replies, but this thread is almost a year old. The client decided to limp along with the IOS units until they replace the drives, which will probably happen later this year.

John, the second manual you linked to is a Field Control BIU. The Series Six BIU was a network interface card for the old drives LAN. It looks a lot like a Genius Bus Controller.

From what I could learn, it appears that GE Drives division had a parallel development project with the Automation division. Drives came up with their LAN technology, Automation came up with Genius. Both LANs use the same cable. Both interfaces to the Series Six used the same DPREQ instructions. I think they both use the same chip, but with different protocols. Apparently, Drives and Automation could never reconcile their LAN designs into a common product even though they were both using the same technology. I suspect competing egos at the VP level. At one time, there was an interface that could make a Siltron drive look like a Series Six I/O rack, but as Drives division developed their digital drives, they moved further and further away from Automation.

 

[rootboy]

John, KP_Matt,

Thanks for the replies, but this thread is almost a year old. The client decided to limp along with the IOS units until they replace the drives, which will probably happen later this year.

Ha! didn't even look

John, the second manual you linked to is a Field Control BIU. The Series Six BIU was a network interface card for the old drives LAN. It looks a lot like a Genius Bus Controller.

Never seen one, but I wasn't aware of the other S6 "goodies" that GEfanuc had no part in either. (or GE Frantic as we like to call them). We I first saw your message, I thought "cake". Hardly.

We do use BIU's all over the plant, very handy. Silly of GE to give the same name to different devices.

From what I could learn, it appears that GE Drives division had a

"Dreary Erie, the mistake by the lake" Although I think that they've moved since my dealings with them.

parallel development project with the Automation division. Drives came up with their LAN technology, Automation came up with Genius. Both LANs use the same cable. Both interfaces to the Series Six used the same DPREQ instructions. I think they both use the same chip, but with different protocols. Apparently, Drives and Automation could never reconcile their LAN designs into a common product even though they were both using the same technology. I suspect competing egos at the VP level. At one time, there was an interface that could make a

I could tell you stories (just from my limited experience with them).

Or to put it another way, there's a reason why we haven't kept in touch

Siltron drive look like a Series Six I/O rack, but as Drives division developed their digital drives, they moved further and further away from Automation.

Hardly surprising, I remember dealing with these guys, and it was memorable.

Not that they don't make some good stuff, our DC300's are still chugging along after 15 years. Sometimes they chug fast, other times slow, they tend to wander out of calibration

But rarely a breakdown.


John