SEW Movidrive Help!

[CLanford]

Hi all,

I just had a SEW Movidrive VFD go out in my plant. Upon reinstallation and reconfiguring, I'm finding that some of the drive parameters are not taking in the new unit when I download the parameter and configuration data from MotionStudio.

The drive is a MDX61B0110-5A3, using the DFE33B ethernet card and the DHE11-B card. The VFD is controlling a servo motor and using IPOS technology to control the position of a large gantry. The VFD is communicating with a ControlLogix L61 via ethernet control words. So the VFD is set up in Logix as a generic ethernet module configured the way SEW requires.

I kept having a fieldbus timeout on the VFD which I determined was either a failing control module or DFE card, so I replaced both. Upon replacement and reconfiguring of the unit, I'm not getting any of the control data from the VFD anymore in Logix. The ethernet module is communicating in Logix, and I can talk to the VFD via MotionStudio with no problem. Doing a parameter comparison led to the object 078 and 079 being different. This is the "technology object" which is associated with IPOS.

The current module is set to "Standard" technology and I need to change it to "Technology" setting, however I do not see a way to do this other than what appears to be a special product key you get from SEW to activate this.

I've done several SEW identical MDX61B replacements in the same facility, but this one is really giving me a run for my money.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or know of any Technology activation keys that SEW uses that I can try?

Thanks!

 

[CLanford]

Just wanted to post an update to this. I was finally able to get in contact with a SEW rep and they helped me out with the technology block.

So basically what happened was the replacement control modules that the plant had purchased did not have a special "0T" number extension on the part number. This 0T extension has the "Technology" functions pre-loaded into the control module's non volatile memory. So when I encountered this issue of not being able to change the technology function, that's where the special number (called the TAN or Technology Activation Number) comes from SEW. If you don't have a 0T replacement module, you have to call them, tell them the size motor you are controlling along with some serial number info you find from the drive specifically in MotionStudio under the Technology Activation function.

Once you provide them with this information, they will send you a quote and you must pay for the TAN. Once you get them a PO they'll send you the number, and then you enter it into MotionStudio and it'll activate the IPOS or any other "Technology" level functions you need on the drive.

Personally I've never liked the MDX series of SEW drives that use IPOS and EIP to communicate with Rockwell controllers. I also think this is a crappy way of controlling optional functions seeing as how this "0T" part number specification is mentioned only as a footnote in SEW's pile of documentation on both the MDX61B, and not mentioned at all in MotionStudio or the DFE33B. However my experience with this was colored by frustration over lack of communication from them and then the first thing I hear is that I have to pay to get my VFD (that I already paid for!) back online.

Note: If you do encounter this and the customer is using IPOS communication over Ethernet IP, you will likely get an IPOS fault (Fault 41) and the drive will not move no matter what you try. This is because the IPOS position gets "lost" and will not allow the VFD to run. The way around this is to change parameter 903 (Reference travel type) to setting [8]: Without enable. Then go into manual mode. Make sure the machine is somewhere on its axis where it isn't home but also isn't on a homing or overtravel switch or about to crash into anything, and then manually reference the drive in the manual mode screen. Take it out of manual, and reset parameter 903 to whatever you're using for your home reference (in my case, it was Ref. cam flush with CCW limit switch). You should then be able to use whatever normal homing sequence you have and it'll talk to the IPOS function properly.

Hopefully this helps someone in the future because figuring all this out was a pain in the *** for me yesterday.