Two Siemens multipanel on one Profibus network

[AlecTek]

We would like to have two MP377 on one Profibus network, but I remember that MP377 are masters probably they cannot work together. But I googled and I found someone did this before. Is here someone can explain to me how to configure the system?

Additional info, the system will be as below,

MP377 (WinCC flexible) + MP377 (WinCC Flexible + WinAC MP) + ET200S + Drives


Thanks

 

[Manglemender]

I have no experience with the WinAC MP product (never knew it existed and now it's being discontinued) but so long as it makes its interfaces available externally to the MP377 then you should be able to able to connect to it.

If posible, I would use ethernet rather than profibus to connect the two. Profibus masters pass a token between themselves and are only permitted to query a slave when they are in posession of the token. Adding more masters will slow down your entire profibus network and may affect machine performance.

Nick

 

[JesperMP]

I agree that it will be the best to connect the MP377 that is a HMI only to the MP377/WinAC via Ethernet.

A multi-master DP system with a mixture of I/O and HMIs will be a factor 10 slower than a mono-master DP network with only I/O.

edit: Setup a STEP7 project that includes everything in one project. When setting up the MP377 that is HMI only, do NOT connect it to the DP network even if you think it is better to do so 'just in case'. If the DP bus has two DP masters connected, then you have created a multi-master DP bus. It does not matter that you dont really use the DP connection on the 2nd MP377.

 

[Wilso]

Guys, I'm not an engineer, just a sparky. Our HMI's are MPI connected. We recently set up some ethernet connections so that the engineer based in Russia (who wrote our crane program) could do some remote work on HMI alarms. To get them connected, we had to get the IS department to assign static IP addresses based on each panel's MAC address. Made me observe that were ethernet the only communication protocol used, if one was to break down at 2am Saturday morning, it wouldn't be going again until after 9 am Monday, when the IS department was available to assign the IP to the new MAC address. With the memory card backups I've set up, a panel can be replaced and the program restored in 30 minutes. Not all organisations have the same IT rules, but in our company, I could see ethernet being a major pain in the rear area.

 

[Manglemender]

Made me observe that were ethernet the only communication protocol used, if one was to break down at 2am Saturday morning, it wouldn't be going again until after 9 am Monday, when the IS department was available to assign the IP to the new MAC address.

The IT department are only involved because of the remote access requirments. Ordinarily, IT departments should be kept well away from engineering and machinery.

I've known several SCADA systems trashed by IT departments / anti-virus software. Most recently a WinCC system that was force rebooted following an anti-virus update without shutting down WinCC: result = non-working system.

Normally, a static address in the private range would be used and becomes part of your backup on to a memory card to be restored on to a new unit in the event of failure.

If corporate network access is required then I normally try to fit a device with two network interfaces, one for the machine and one for the corporate network. For larger machines requiring remote support I prefer the option of having the programming tools on a PC connected to the machine and access it by remote desktop via the other network interface.

It is advisable to keep corporate network traffic as far away from your machinery as posible!


Nick

 

[AlecTek]

Thanks for the responses. I configured a panel but I could not download the HW configuration - it asks for S7RTM enable, which I don't have the tab. Attached are some screenshots.

Using ethernet will be OK for my case, will a thin client work? I used thin client as web browser and as a remote desktop, but I don't know how can I configure it to read a multipanel besides the two ways I listed.

Best regards

 

[Manglemender]

It looks like you are trying to add the second HMI as a PC station which will require a runtime license. Change the second HMI to be MP377 and not a PC based system. You should also remove the Profibus connection in Netpro. Make sure you set the plc connection in the new HMI to use the Ethernet connection.

Good luck,

Nick

 

[AlecTek]

Thanks Nick,

I inserted a HMI station - MP377, not a PC station.

I can take the Profi out, but I still cannot download the HW configuration because - I don't have the tab of "S7RTM enable", while it prompts me to check.

The HMI station (1) has that tab - I guess it might because it has WinAC MP (PLC), but HMI station (2) does have.

 

[Wilso]

The IT department are only involved because of the remote access requirments. Ordinarily, IT departments should be kept well away from engineering and machinery.


Nick

No question, but for my organisation, if you're using ethernet, they're involved. Ain't no way around it.

The backup contains the IP address, but it won't work on a new panel with a different hardware address. At least not for our setup. We have al lot of trouble with our IS rules, which have on more than one occasion, hindered the work of maintenance and production.

 

[JesperMP]

Alectek, post a screenshot of the configuration of the ethernet port on the MP377 panel.

 

[AlecTek]

Sure, this is HMI Station 1, station 2 is 192.168.0.102.

 

[JesperMP]

It is the MP377 without WinAC MP that is the problem, right ?

I think that somehow you have created a HMI Station that requires a setup similar to a MP377 with WinAC MP. Not sure how, or what the problem really is.

In any case, if it is a normal panel without WinAC MP, then there is no need to download the hardware config from Simatic Manager. Simply setup the ethernet port on the MP377 manually, then do a transfer from WinCC Flexible.
Try that.

 

[AlecTek]

Hi Jesper,

Yes, HMI (2) without winac MP has the problem.

I did as what you mentioned in the last post, no HW configuration downloaded, I created a few I/O fields on Wincc Flexible RT which were linked to the program symbols of WinAC MP in HMI(1), and downloaded to HMI (2).

The comm connections are attached, I tried both DP and Ethernet, but from HMI (2) every I/O field are showing #### means not connected.

I am using a hub connects my PC/PG and HMI 1 and 2. And I can download to both HMIs, so there should not be a ethernet hardware problems.

I have no idea how I can trouble shoot the link from HMI(2) to WinAC MP. Please help. Thanks a lot!

Best regards

 

[JesperMP]

It is impossible to see anything in the screenshots.
Resize, save as GIFs,then post again.

 

[AlecTek]

Thanks. Sorry I got trouble in uploading the pictures, give me a little of time.