JRoss
Lifetime Supporting Member
I'm bidding on a project to upgrade a machine that is using a PLC5/30 and a PC based user interface that is running on Windows 3.1. The connection is serial. There is a second PC connected to the first one (also over serial) that controls a bunch of simple proprietary drives used to setup the machine for each new product run. The user interface PC sets the recipe information in both the PLC and the setup PC.
So here's the dilemma. The customer would prefer to upgrade the machine in pieces, and is starting with the PLC. I'm planning to upgrade to a CompactLogix. Assuming I have no ability to modify the PC, is there a way to set up the CompactLogix to emulate the PLC5 communication so that I can simply swap it out? I am aware of the PLC5 mapping option in Logix 5000, which seems to be the way to go. I even spoke with Rockwell, and they said that it might work, but couldn't give me any assurances.
Has anyone out there done something like this?
So here's the dilemma. The customer would prefer to upgrade the machine in pieces, and is starting with the PLC. I'm planning to upgrade to a CompactLogix. Assuming I have no ability to modify the PC, is there a way to set up the CompactLogix to emulate the PLC5 communication so that I can simply swap it out? I am aware of the PLC5 mapping option in Logix 5000, which seems to be the way to go. I even spoke with Rockwell, and they said that it might work, but couldn't give me any assurances.
Has anyone out there done something like this?