GE Fanuc 90-30 software windows version??

[Steve Bailey]

What programming software did you have on the old laptop? Based on it being a Windows 95 machine, you could have been using either Logicmaster or VersaPro. Logicmaster will not be able to upload a program created with VersaPro.
VersaPro will not run under anything newer than Windows XP. Logicmaster will have to run in a DOSbox on anything newer than XP. The current software, Proficy Machine Edition will be able to connect no matter which software package was in use originally.
Assuming serial communications between programming software and the PLC, I have never had good luck with a USB/serial converter and Logicmaster. I can establish a connection but it won't stay open long enough to upload or download a program.
Regardless of the programming software you end up using you won't get any rung comments or variable descriptions. Once you have established a connection you will need to navigate to the fault tables to find out what shut the program down.

 

[Sonoco]

What programming software did you have on the old laptop? Based on it being a Windows 95 machine, you could have been using either Logicmaster or VersaPro. Logicmaster will not be able to upload a program created with VersaPro.
VersaPro will not run under anything newer than Windows XP. Logicmaster will have to run in a DOSbox on anything newer than XP. The current software, Proficy Machine Edition will be able to connect no matter which software package was in use originally.
Assuming serial communications between programming software and the PLC, I have never had good luck with a USB/serial converter and Logicmaster. I can establish a connection but it won't stay open long enough to upload or download a program.
Regardless of the programming software you end up using you won't get any rung comments or variable descriptions. Once you have established a connection you will need to navigate to the fault tables to find out what shut the program down.

I'm almost positive going by memory it was logic master, So what do i use then to connect to the port and my laptop if the converters don't work well? i did see a connector by the plc in cab that would use a cable and possibly connect into the power supply ?,

 

[Steve Bailey]

The issues with USB/serial converters are only with Logicmaster software. If you don't have computer with a real serial port your best bet is to use VersaPro or Machine Edition. The fifteen pin port on the power supply is a RS485 programming port. Default port parameters are 19200 baud, 1 stop bit, odd parity.

 

[Sonoco]

I think my other laptop i have for another machine has a serial port? Here's a pic of it, will this cable work then?

 

[Steve Bailey]

The guy who owns plccable.com is a member here, and he stands behind the products he sells. But, the USB/serial converter problems are the result of limitations in Logicmaster software, not the cable used for the connection.
The picture of the PLC appears to be a ten-slot version of a 90-30 that has its CPU embedded in the baseplate. The serial communications module in the last slot on the right looks like a Horner module made specifically for that style of PLC. GE Fanuc's two-port serial communications module for the 90-30 only worked with the modular CPUs. It was incompatible with the CPU-in-the-baseplate style (CPU311, CPU313, CPU321, CPU323).

 

[Sonoco]

The guy who owns plccable.com is a member here, and he stands behind the products he sells. But, the USB/serial converter problems are the result of limitations in Logicmaster software, not the cable used for the connection.
The picture of the PLC appears to be a ten-slot version of a 90-30 that has its CPU embedded in the baseplate. The serial communications module in the last slot on the right looks like a Horner module made specifically for that style of PLC. GE Fanuc's two-port serial communications module for the 90-30 only worked with the modular CPUs. It was incompatible with the CPU-in-the-baseplate style (CPU311, CPU313, CPU321, CPU323).

So How screwed are we then lol? Is this something i can get working again, or is it a much bigger pain? I've been down for two days now and im not sure how much longer we can be down? I really appreciate your help!!

 

[Steve Bailey]

Have you been in touch with your local Emerson distributor? GE sold the product line to Emerson a few years ago. Most of the former GE Fanuc distributors retained the product line. GEXPro and Powermation used to handle the product in your area. They might be willing to come in and help you out. Of course, they will also probably try to get you to upgrade to something more current. If you already have a good relationship with them they might be willing to authorize a temporary license for Machine Edition.

 

[Sonoco]

Have you been in touch with your local Emerson distributor? GE sold the product line to Emerson a few years ago. Most of the former GE Fanuc distributors retained the product line. GEXPro and Powermation used to handle the product in your area. They might be willing to come in and help you out. Of course, they will also probably try to get you to upgrade to something more current. If you already have a good relationship with them they might be willing to authorize a temporary license for Machine Edition.

I did reach out to them friday and they gave me a number for powermation in ill, when i called it just rang and then hung up, i'll try again this morning. upgrading isn't always a bad thing when it comes to this stuff, for some reason they find it hard to find the money?? yet they find it for other things lol. Here' s another pic of the whole setup?

 

[Steve Bailey]

Thanks for the full picture. What is the other end of the cable on the right-hand module connected to? I was wrong in my initial assessment. That PLC is missing a CPU module in the slot between the power supply and the high speed counter module. It is not a CPU-in-the-baseplate model. I don't recognize the module in the right hand slot. Can you get a part number from it?

 

[Sonoco]

Thanks for the full picture. What is the other end of the cable on the right-hand module connected to? I was wrong in my initial assessment. That PLC is missing a CPU module in the slot between the power supply and the high speed counter module. It is not a CPU-in-the-baseplate model. I don't recognize the module in the right hand slot. Can you get a part number from it?

Its connected to that touch screen in pic above i added,here's the part number of module,it is a horner as u were correct in that! HE693SNP900

 

[Steve Bailey]

Now I'm not sure about the CPU. It looks more like a IC693CPU323, in which there is a CPU chip in the baseplate. Can you look into the space between the power supply and the high speed counter module and see if there is a chip labeled "System PROM" located there. I think that's what I see in the picture. If not, the socket for the module connection should be larger than the sockets in the other slots.
The layout of the PLC is a bit strange, almost as if the designer wasn't familiar with the 90-30. The slot to the right of the power supply is available for I/O modules assuming the baseplate is a CPU323. Consequently, they could have saved panel space and used a five-slot CPU313 model.

 

[Sonoco]

Now I'm not sure about the CPU. It looks more like a IC693CPU323, in which there is a CPU chip in the baseplate. Can you look into the space between the power supply and the high speed counter module and see if there is a chip labeled "System PROM" located there. I think that's what I see in the picture. If not, the socket for the module connection should be larger than the sockets in the other slots.
The layout of the PLC is a bit strange, almost as if the designer wasn't familiar with the 90-30. The slot to the right of the power supply is available for I/O modules assuming the baseplate is a CPU323. Consequently, they could have saved panel space and used a five-slot CPU313 model.

Yes there is a e-prom chip there, i should've mentioned that,sorry. This was a upgrade to the problematic german electronics this machine came with back in the late 90's? I started here in 97 and took over in maint in 99 and it was already installed.

 

[Steve Bailey]

Do you have access to a PC running Windows XP or older? I just did a test, running Logicmaster in an XP virtual machine and I can communicate with the PLC using a USB/serial converter long enough to clear faults. I didn't have to upload the program to do that.
Send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you Logicmaster. Logicmaster will run under DOSbox on Windows 7 or Windows 10, but it won't be able to communicate serially. That's why you'll need an XP machine to use it.

 

[Sonoco]

Do you have access to a PC running Windows XP or older? I just did a test, running Logicmaster in an XP virtual machine and I can communicate with the PLC using a USB/serial converter long enough to clear faults. I didn't have to upload the program to do that.
Send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you Logicmaster. Logicmaster will run under DOSbox on Windows 7 or Windows 10, but it won't be able to communicate serially. That's why you'll need an XP machine to use it.

I sent you a pm!

 

[Steve Bailey]

I sent you a zip file with Logicmaster. Presumably the adapter from plccable.com is a USB/RS485. Once you have installed the driver for it, check Windows Device Manager to find what COM port has been assigned to it. Logicmaster only supports communications over COM1 through COM4. Sometimes those adapters get assigned higher port numbers.

When you launch Logicmaster, make sure the "90-30" above the text "PCM" is highlighted. If it isn't, hit <SHIFT>+ F3 to highlight it. Then hit F1 to open the programming software. Once that launches you will be prompted to select a project file. If there is already one named "TEMP", select it. If not, create a project named "TEMP". When your current project file is "TEMP", Logicmaster allows you to upload from the attached PLC even though the name of the program in the PLC isn't "TEMP". With any other project name, Logicmaster won't permit upload unless the names match.
Once you have selected the project name, you will be OFFLINE with the PLC, as shown by the field in the bottom center of the screen. Hit F7(setup), then hit F4 to choose the COM port. If the correct COM port isn't selected, hit the <Tab> key to scroll between the options. When the correct COM port is highlighted, hit F7 to save it. Then hit <ESC> twice to get back to the min menu. Now hit <ALT>+ "M" to toggle between Offline, Monitor, and Online. Monitor is "look only". You need to be Online to change anything. Once you're online, hit F3(status) and then F3(plcflt) again to see the fault messages. When you're looking at the faults, hit F9(clear) to clear the faults. Then hit F4(io flt) to see the I/O fault table and clear that. Once you've cleared the faults you should be able to start the PLC running by hitting <ALT>+"R". If there is still something preventing running you will see a new entry into one of the fault tables which will offer a clue to the underlying problem.