S7-300 to S7-200 Ethernet Messaging

[curlyandshemp]

I have a project with an S7-300 and several S7-200s that need to initiate peer to peer communications via ethernet. My issue is the Siemens documentation and examples. Too complicated, and too much German examples.

Why can't the S7 messaging be as easy as the Contrologix Message instruction ?

Does anyone know of any resources where normal english and easy to follow examples are displayed?

Forget the siemens web site and manuals, they remind me of my horrible S5 days with the brown manuals trying to figure out L1 and the CP525 comm processor.

Thanks
Ian

 

[dchartier]

Hello C&S;

http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/llisapi.dll?query=Ethernet+S7-300+S7-200&func=cslib.cssearch&content=skm%2Fmain.asp&lang=en&siteid=cseus&objaction=cssearch&searchinprim=0&nodeid0=4000024&x=25&y=6

Even though you seem alergic to Siemens support (this could really be fatal if you are doomed to work with their equipment), the preceding link will allow you to open a page called
"FAQ: Configuring an S7 connection between a Simatic S7-200 and a S7-300 via Ethernet"

It seems to me rather user-friendly, with screen capture and even colour! And with step-by-step configuration details even!But that is just me...

Don't open their site too often, you might become a convert of sorts.

Hope this helps,
Daniel Chartier

 

[curlyandshemp]

Thnaks Daniel,

Based on the link you sent me, I have been looking at the wrong programming software package. Silly me to assume the S7-300 Step 7 would be the one to co-ordinate the data transfers. Based on that link, the lesser S7-200 with the C243 comm module and the Step7 Micro/Win is the co-ordinator of data transfers

Thanks

Ian

 

[curlyandshemp]

Also Daniel,

// Begin Rant

Our company used to be a big time Siemens S5 house back in the early to mid '90s. Even at one point we were on of Siemens Canada's integrators who performed service calls on the S5 product for them. Heck, even their top sales guy is now our sales manager, but that's where the love ends.

We become on of the children of divorce as Siemens Canada closed up shop and moved to Johnsonville Tn. The one time great support was gone. Siemens really messed us up bad on a big S7-300 job in the late '90s, where we had an automation project to put one the first large S7-315 Profibus and OP OITs in the Toronto area. The sales manager messed up on the configuration and pricing so bad, he did not know the product as it was too new, that we had no choice but to go PLC5 with DH+ and RIO. We have not looked back since, except for the occasioanal small S7-200 job.

Now I am being thrusted back into the S7 world after 5 years using Contrologix. I don't know if you are familiar with the Clgx, but other than the multiple version isssues, it cannot be beat.

Where else can you have a multi CPU rack, with a DH+ card, a Controlnet card, Devicenet card, and Ethernet I/P card all in one rack? And you cannot beat the fact that via RsLinx through the E-Net card, I can have RS5000 connected to the Clgx CPU, Rs500 connected to a SLC 5/04 via the E-Net card through to the DH+ card, and have DriveTools online monitoring a Controlnet drive through the C-Net card, and RSNetworx for D-Net monitoring and configuring a D-Net MCC.

From what I can see of the S7 300 , its just an S5 with a different colour. What I don't like is the fact that PBs are gone. In S5 I always had OB1 call PB1, and PB1 called other PBs that had the control logic. PBs would only call FBs , where I used STL to do the fancy behind the scene stuff. Now I have to be careful and make sure I do not use an FB that is already reserved in a library somewhere.

// End Rant

Thanks again

Ian

 

[JesperMP]

I think that what Daniel points to, is that you could have found that FAQ on Siemens support site by doing a search with a suitable phrase, like "S7-200 S7-300 Ethernet".
Siemens does have a problem with their documentation being difficult to navigate. But their support site is second to none if you ask me.

From what I can see of the S7 300 , its just an S5 with a different colour.

No. S7 has much in common with S5. This mainly for being backwards compatible. S7 is more like a much much improved S5.

What I don't like is the fact that PBs are gone.

They are called FC's now.

 

[dchartier]

Hello C&S;

I can understand the source of the rant, but I also find it a little bit irritating.
I've worked wuith Siemens for about 10 years, but my newest projects have me working with Controllogix and GE Fanux RX3i. All three do the job required, each in its own way, each with its own quirks. This is why there are sites like these, so you can ask experienced users of a platform how to adjust.
For example:

Now I have to be careful and make sure I do not use an FB that is already reserved in a library somewhere

Any competent user of the Step7 package will tell you to rename any imported FC/FB from a library (e.g. give it an unused number in your project). Step7 will oblige by requesting you to do so if there is any naming conflict. No problem there. Just call it in your project with its new name; the symbolic name of the FC/FB remains, so you can locate yourself in the program.

Where else can you have a multi CPU rack, with a DH+ card, a Controlnet card, Devicenet card, and Ethernet I/P card all in one rack?

Well, sorry to disapoint you, S7-400 have had multicomputing, multinetworking CPUs since 1997 (except that you would have to choose between Profibus-DP, Profibus-FMS, Industrial Ethernet, Siemens offerngs all... When did the Controllogix platform come to life?


I hope that your expertise on Controllogix will allow you to help me and others when I face problems on tags or subroutines on my current projects.

Hope this helps,
Daniel Chartier

 

[curlyandshemp]

Hey Daniel,

I would consider myself very competent when it comes to Contrologix, so if you have any questions, ask.

The more you get involved with Clgx, the more you will appreciate the power of it and its true multinetworking capabilities.

Ian