Is GE dropping the 9030 PLC?

[RussB]

The training was in Southfield, MI, not a school just a bunch of (~80) GE Fanuc Sales and Application people and distributors getting updated on the latest PLC (PAC) and Software (Proficy) tools just finished or being developed. They even ask for our input and use it sometimes.
They do some formal training in Addison, IL you can check this web site for details. www.gefanuc.com/training
I would give you a briefing but I don't want to sound like a commercial on a public forum, I sometimes lean that way already. By the way, if you like the VM Micro you may be happy to hear that they are about to introduce a 64 point unit and several new expansion units (see what I mean?).

 

[RussB]

I think I learned that already but havent really used VP in so long I didnt think about it. The % thing still aggrevates me, maybe its from those years using LM90 and typing it in. VP is slightly better than LM90 but still not all it could/should have been.
Its just me mainly.

Proficy ME has fixed just about all the complaints that I have heard about VP.
The tip from glaverty of using 1I or 1M instead of %I1 or %M1 was introduced in LM90 at about Ver, 2.x.
Did you ever see the cartoon where the salesman is trying to sell the General a Machine gun? But the General was too busy directing his Archers to be botherd right now? Sometimes taking 5 minutes to learn can save a lot of time.
Now Ron, please do not take this personal, we all know that you are one of the best troubleshooters around.

 

[CaseyK]

RON:

What version of GE software do you have.

I'm getting the impression it may be RM65

>>>Relay Master(19)65

I was taught on probably LM90 5 or 6 or 7. They told me the 1M trick, etc. But these were field people, one whose wife was a pretty good programmer. The other, well he is Paul's "Siemens" salesman.

There is a panel shop nearby with 2 people in the office,
the Manager/Engineer/Purchasing Agent, and the secretary. several guys in the shop, 4-10 varying with the season. They do nothing fancy, seldom have a PLC, mostly relays and motor starters. They get by nicely, somehow. LogicMaster 2.1 would be a jump for them.


Russ:

That 64 point micro sounds very interesting. My guess is 40 in and 24 out. will take a look at the website to see if there is anything, or ask the local GE distributor next week about it when I me with the "wheels". Sometimes it is hard NOT to sound like a commercial. I was so gung ho on Fanuc several years ago, I would work on anything else. The local economy isn't thaat good anymore.

Boy, I really loved the Micro 90's. I got the first three 28 point M-90's in Northern IL / Southern WI when they came out. For a while, I had a bigger inventory of M-90's (and 9030 stuph too) then the two local distributor's combined. Interesting thing, one went Siemens, and the other left town, after I left the area. Maybe I was keeping them in business. I did projects in one area, and gave the sales rep his annual sales quota in three months. I miss the days of a big corporation capital budget program to spend from.

So, when you get some 64 point "samples in, feel free to e-mail me one!!!


Paul Davis:

Remeber, Siemens is for wimps and geniuses. NOT for poor farm boys like you. I bet that those 64 point units would work pretty good on some of your dairy and brewing equipment. Did you ever get Modbus into the brewery in Monroe? I need a "cheesboogie", please send cash!

regards, and then some, kc

regards.....casey

 

[Ken M]

Percentage points

Don't blame GE or IEC or anyone else for the use of '%'
I seem to remember that the use of this notation was common in many computer languages, not just PLC applications. Originally all programming was done with absolute access to specific memory locations in the computer. Then emerged the first symbolic languages where memory allocation could be left to the language compiler or interpreter itself. Of course, you might want to mix symbolic names and absolute addresses in your code, so the convention of prefixing absolute addresses with '%' came about. Don't know why, but that way the compiler didn't error-out trying to locate a declared variable name which was actually an absolute memory address.

Having said all that, I've just tried creating a symbolic name which begins with a '%' in Siemens STEP7 software, and it accepted it. I tried '%I0.0' as the name and said it was the name of MW40, an INT. And it seemed happy. God damn it, you can't even trust percentages any more!

Ken

 

[RMA]

God damn it, you can't even trust percentages any more!

Some of the Siemens editors, I believe S7GRAPH is one, you can switch to be IEC compliant. Wonder what happens then?

 

[rsdoran]

Technically the first program I ever did (on my own) was with LM90 but never did another one. I have used it numerous times troubleshooting and became very familiar with GE at one time. I obtained VersaPro at the xmas paper plant because I had an abundance of "pulls" that I was going to reuse, I did use 3 when I rebuilt the L-Sealers.

I am not a programmer actually but have done some programming. I am always looking for the opportunity to rebuild machines/panels incorporating plcs where I can do the programming.

Technically I am a "fixer", the guy with tools that can find the problem and resolve it.

 

[wub]

Series 90-30 life cycle

The Series 90-30 is not going away. There is a new CPU374 PLUS that is WEB Enable is coming out this summer and there are about 5 new discrete high density modules coming out later this year. GE Fanuc continues to invest in this key product line.

 

[elevmike]

wub,

You seem to speek with some kind of authority? Do you have inside knoweledge?

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Steve Bailey]

I'd guess that the city in Virginia where wub hails from is Charlottesville. By a strange coincidence, that's GE Fanuc Automation's North American headquarters. I'd also guess that the 'b' in wub stands for a color. Welcome to the forum. Now RussB and I will have to be extra careful that we get our facts straight.

 

[RussB]

I'd guess that the city in Virginia where wub hails from is Charlottesville. By a strange coincidence, that's GE Fanuc Automation's North American headquarters. I'd also guess that the 'b' in wub stands for a color. Welcome to the forum. Now RussB and I will have to be extra careful that we get our facts straight.

I concur.
And you can take my word for it, 'wub' knows.

 

[rmor]

GE Fanuc User's Conference

Since, we are on the GE Subject. Are any of you going to the GE Fanuc User's Conference in New Orleans, May 23-26? I will be there.