Omron PLC to C-More HMI communication

[LesleyB]

We are currently upgrading one of our assembly machines which has an Omron CPM2A PLC with a C-more micro HMI but it will not communicate with the PLC. All of the communication settings are set to 9600,1,7,2,E. The HMI initially blinked with a 'communication timed out' error and after some time of playing with it, it will no longer even do that.

Any ideas on what could be the issue or whether this PLC and HMI interface is even compatible?

 

[gtsuport]

The HMI should be set up for Omron Host Link.
Check the PLC Settings to verify the port is configured for Host Link.
There is a switch next to the DB9 port. This allows the port to be switched to either the default comm parameters or to the configuration set in PLC memory. If someone changed that switch it could be an issue. The switch position and related settings are set on PLC power up.

Hope this helps.

 

[LesleyB]

Both the HMI and PLC are set up for Host Links and the power switch is ON.

No help from our outside PLC/HMI resources either. We are in the process of making another interface cable in case there is an issue with that even though we OHMed out the one we have and everything checks out, but we are grasping for straws right now and must be missing a small detail somewhere.

Only other thing we can think of is that this HMI is just not compatible with the PLC since the only PLC protocols for the HMI is Omron cs/cj FINS Serial protocol or Omron C200/C500 Host Link Adapter protocol which switches all tags to be internal and not recognized by the PLC.

Any other ideas?

 

[gtsuport]

The C200H/C500 Host Link protocol should work.

FINS is a networking protocol and not supported by the CPM2 series.

If you are building a new cable, understand the Omron DB9 pinout is NOT a standard pinout. See attached graphic.

 

[LesleyB]

We made a connector using the 1 pin instead of the 9 pin. We still get the P0001 Comm Timed Out error, but only the transmit light blinks and not the receive light. Whereas before, both lights would blink using the cable with the 9 pin connected. Not sure what that is all about. We made the cable using the 9 pin as directed by C-more with an Omron FINS PLC.

We cannot use the C200/C500 Host Link protocol because the CPM2a PLC program does not use the PLC memory locations such as IR, SR and TC which are the only tag address options for discrete items. Only the CS/CJ FINS protocol will give the option to select working bits, IO, etc.

 

[osmanmom]

http://www.automatec.com.br/pdf/cmoremicrocables.pdf

Part No. EA-OMRON-CBL

 

[osmanmom]

https://www.automationdirect.com/static/manuals/ea1mguserm/ch6.pdf

 

[Eli75]

Lesley and I are working on this project together. We made the cable shown in diagram 7.

 

[osmanmom]

before the system can communicate and working as normal ?

 

[Eli75]

before the system can communicate and working as normal ?

I made that cable before starting the project. I just verified proper communication function of the HMI by connecting to a Mitsubishi PLC successfully. The cable has been verified several times.

Here are the PLC settings

 

[LesleyB]

As far as your question of communicating properly before? This machine has never had an HMI on it before, we are upgrading the machine and wanted to add an HMI. Most of our machines have Allen Bradley, but this older machine happens to have an Omron PLC.

 

[gtsuport]

We cannot use the C200/C500 Host Link protocol because the CPM2a PLC program does not use the PLC memory locations such as IR, SR and TC which are the only tag address options for discrete items.

Please see the W353 manual (link below)
http://downloads.industrial.omron.e...es/CPM1A/W353/W353-E1-06+CPM_+ProgrManual.pdf

IR, SR and TC are valid addresses for the CPM2A.
The prefixes do not show in the program printout, but are referenced in the Memory Map in the manual. CPM2A will only communicate via Host Link.

FINS is only for CS1/CJ1 which is completely different.

Your cable should be correct.

There may be an export function in the HMI software to change processors? Can not download the manual for the HMI.

Hope this will help.

 

[LesleyB]

We will check it out and get back to you!

 

[gtsuport]

Memory map starts on pdf page 584.

 

[LesleyB]

That's what we kind of figured and we understand that the IR, SR and TC are valid CPM2A addressed which are layed out in the Memory Map, but the existing PLC program uses Working bits (W), but the Working bits (W) is not listed under the C200/C500 Host Link protocol only the CS/CJ FINS protocol.

We still have the P001 Comm Timed Out error no matter what cable configuration we use.