tlibby

[troylibby]

Hello all is there someone out there that is proficent at converting modicon to allen bradley plc5. I have a water demineralizer from L*A water written in taylor software for the 984 series modicon. Need to convert it to plc5 and am stuck. Thanks:beerchug:

 

[Steve Bailey]

The PLC5 is getting rather long in the tooth. Just out of curiosity, why aren't you converting to a more current platform like Control Logix?

 

[troylibby]

electricians and management have a comfort factor with it i reckon. Plus surplus plc5 parts are fairly inexspensive. money money money
Oh yeah they told me to use plc5.

 

[TConnolly]

Do you have the original program files that were developed using the Taylor software? I have worked with both Modicon 984 and PLC/5s. Are you just needing a bit of help where you are stuck, or are you looking for someone to contract the work too?

One first step that I would suggest is that you set up symbols in Logix5 that match the modicon IO addresses. For example, Modicon 10000 might be wired to AB I:001/0, but the symbol defined in Logix5 is _00000 to match the Modicon address. Use the description to help ID the device, eg Start PB. Using the symbols this way will make the translation easier. After the translation is completed then the symbols in Logix5 can be changed to something more meaningful.

 

[Steve Bailey]

Is your issue one of understanding the original program? I had to do a 984 conversion (not to PLC5) last year. I was able to use the trial version of Proworx to look at the file, and I found enough documentation online to understand the functions used. It helped that I had done some work with Modicon 484 and 584 several years ealier, so I understood enough to ask intelligent questions. I don't know if Proworx can import a Taylor project or if Taylor can export to Proworx though.

If I were you I would go back to the customer and explain that hardware cost will be a small portion of the total cost of the conversion. There will the hours spent in translating, the time to rewire, and the time to commission the new system. Explain that you will be replacing a 20 year old PLC design with a 20 year old PLC design. Besides, you can write a Control Logix or Compact Logix program in such a way that it looks a lot like a PLC5 program.

 

[troylibby]

I have a comented ladder with i-o addr As of now i do not have the electronic file but am working on it. I have scaned the paper ladder into a pdf. I was considering the use of conversion utilty progams to help get most of the way but am worried about them not working very well any experince with them guys. as it stands now i am getting all the info i can to return to management with options. Any one wishing to see the pdf or the data file "once i get it" is more than welcome to review. Thanks

 

[TConnolly]

Admittedly, we haven't seen your system and have no knowledge of other factors that may be playing into your decision to replace a 984 with a PLC/5, so we are not really in a position to second guess it, and that is not my intent here.

The plus I see for the PLC/5 is that it is still on the market and still supported. You can buy a new PLC/5 from the factory, whereas if I recall correctly, 984s were discontinued circa '98. However the installed base of 984s is so huge that spare parts, even never been used parts, are really easy to come by and will continue to be easy to obtain for many years. We've still got 12 racks of 984s with 800 series IO in operation and haven't had any issues obtaining parts. So the fact that the the PLC/5 is still being manufactured counts for something, but not much. There is something significant to be said for the tech support for the PLC/5.

A justification could be made based on modernization for a ControlLogix, but I don't see a justification for replacing a 984 with a PLC/5, even though the PLC/5 continues to be one of my favorite PLCs to work with. Depending on what you have, you could probably buy a new spare of everything in the 984 system for less than the price of just a new PLC/5 processor.

edit to add:
I'm pretty sure that Proworx NXT can import the Taylor software files. We converted up to NXT in '99 so I don't completely remember, but (insert memory disclaimer here) we were able to import without doing any export from the Taylor software. I can't say if Proworx32 will work or not, besides you want to stay away from Proworx32 if you can. PLC Workshop 32 for Modicon will not import from other packages - you have to upload the code from the PLC and you have to export the comments from the original before importing into PLC Workshop.


Just my 2¢.

If you do go ahead with the conversion we'll be more than happy to help you - I might be misreading you, but I get the sense from this thread and your other thread that you are more anxious about than you need to be. Its not difficult, there is nothing that the 984 can do that a PLC/5 can't also do, and the strong data typing of the PLC/5 makes many things easier.

 

[OZEE]

One things to be aware of is that it ~may~ not convert nicely. There are techniques used in Modicon that are simply not available in any format of AB.

Also, if your process is scan sensitive, Modicon scans the program much differently than ANYTHING else available on the market.

Neither of these are show-stoppers. I've converted several Modicons to AB and it's not difficult, but you have to be aware of the differences.

 

[rdrast]

electricians and management have a comfort factor with it i reckon. Plus surplus plc5 parts are fairly inexspensive. money money money
Oh yeah they told me to use plc5.

Typical bad decision by the higher ups.