Devicenet Puns

We have got flowmeters and scales that use Devicenet for communication with the PLC. These flowmeters and scale readings are critical for the quality of the products.

I am thinking of implementing new flowmeters and scales that use Ethernet/IP instead of Devicenet. In your experience, did you notice any difference with E/IP and Devicenet regarding signal stability? I am thinking of using flowmeters and scales of almost identical specifications except for the communication protocol.

Thanks.

Good morning everyone! I had a cn2dn fail for an e3+ mcc. I replaced it and Now some buckets are ok but some show commfail and lights indicate baud issues. But I can go online with them ok. So I’m stuck with what to try next. Would appreciate any advice as it’s been a while since troubleshooting this type of thing!

I want to change the communication protocol used at my facility from Devicenet to anything better.

We have been having a lot of problems with this like noise, weird Devicenet faults etc.

Right now we use a lot of Allen Bradley PLCs and Devicenet as our main protocol for communication between the processor and field devices. I was thinking of an ethernet based one like Ethernet/IP but that would mean a lot of new wiring is necessary right?. Is there a way to use the current Devicenet cables and change only the modules/scanners with a different protocol?

Do you have any recommendations?

Thanks.

Just as the Extraordinarily Long Title states, I am looking to put together something for Xenokilla to hopefully Post in the Pinned Thread about all the different common Communication Protocols and Standards, The Pros and Cons of Each, The Differences Between Them, What Brands they work with or who Owns them and Links to resources to Learn about each of them. Also, I would love to get explanations of, Experiences with and Advice about any Standard that you guys are Familiar with.

I know for myself when i started learning and even now it seems almost insurmountable. Like "How am I ever going to understand all of these" or "What if I choose to use the wrong one?" and other scenarios such as this. It is Intimidating to people thinking about or just joining our field.

I know a lot of us disagree on which is the best or the worst or what companies are guilty of misrepresentation of their protocols or Naming Schemes but if we could try to keep that kind of discussion to healthy and helpful for the sake of future Redittors who stumble upon this post looking for help so they don't get drowned in Team Red vs Team Blue that would be amazing!

I always turn to this Sub for help and Advice and I hold a lot of you in High Regard and try and reward those who give great advice and help. You are being called on once again. You may not be the Hero the Community has asked for, but You are the Hero we Need.

Edit: Crappy Grammar

I have a problem where the total drop length of a devicenet network is too long (39m). To prevent that, I am thinking of moving 3 flowmeters from the main devicenet network to a subnet. There is already a subnet on the network that uses 1734-ADNX with a lot of DIOs and AIOs.

If I were to move the 3 flowmeters from the main devicenet to subnet, that means I will have to change the wiring from devicenet to normal 4-20mA wiring for analog current input right? Or is there a way to keep the devicenet wiring and still use a subnet somehow?

Thanks.

I will create a devicenet with the 1756-DNB module as the master node and 1 field device as a slave. They will be connected directly which means that there is only a trunk line and no drop lines.

I know that one of the termination resistors needs to be connected to the terminal block of the master node but where does the other one go? I cannot connect it to the field device because the field device will be connected using the circular connector with no terminal block. Can I just connect the other resistor on the same terminal block as the other one?

Thanks.

I'm having strange problems during DeviceNET bus starting between ABB IRC5 (Master) and Beckhoff DN6752-0010 card (slave).

When I start both systems up from off state, the DN bus does not work. The only solution I have found is once both systems are on, I reboot the IRC5 robot controller without changing anything in the beckhoff side. Then, yes, the bus works properly.

The DN device choosen for the slave in the IRC5 is DN_GENERIC.

Any idea about why from a cold start of the systems the bus does not go up and running?

Last week I replaced a failed PowerFlex 40 on a conveyor line. All 53 drives on the line were PowerFlex 40's on a single DeviceNet network, with a 1756-DNB master in the ControlLogix chassis. I usually use RSNetworx to download parameters to AB VFD's on DNet, but this drive only had a few base parameters changed from default, so I input them on the keypad. After the line was back up and running, I decided to do a complete backup of the network on RSNetworx. I used RSLinx to find the comms path to use in RSNetworx (easier to find through Linx). After drilling down to the drives on the DNB card in RSLinx, a bunch of the VFD's on the network started faulting for net loss (F071). It took me a while to realize what was causing it, thinking the issue stemmed from the drive I had just replaced.

A drive would sporadically fault nearly every 10 seconds, but would reset and run after clearing the fault. Nearly every drive on the network faulted at least once while I was trying to figure out what was happening. As soon as I closed RSLinx, the faults stopped occurring. I tested my theory by opening RSLinx back up and drilling down to that network, and lo and behold, the drives started randomly faulting again.

Has anyone ever seen this happen or have any idea what would cause this? Never seen it before.

TL;DR Browsing a DeviceNet network with PF40's through RSLinx causes drives to randomly fault for net loss (F071)

Looking to learn more about setting up and using ModBus, DeviceNet, and other protocols. I’m looking to take lessons in person or online. My work is willing to pay for training and I am as well. Been looking on Udemy and other sites and found some but it’s vague. Would a CCNA or IMINS or Other very be beneficial? I have basic network fundamentals down but would be willing to learn them as part of a course if necessary. Please help me. This is the perfect time to enroll in online courses and probably best to enroll for in person classes in way advance as they will be booked as soon as “The Rona” has passed. Thanks for your help and time!

Any recommended Devicenet training resources? Looking for something more than YouTube videos and mind-numbing ODVA documentaion

Had an interesting thing happening this weekend. A CJ2 with a DNET-module lost it's devicenet config by its self. There where 3 slaves, two exchanging 100 bytes IN/OUT each and one with 56 bytes IN/OUT. All of a sudden the master (DRM21) reported IO-Mismatch error, or a error relating to a mismatch between config and actual setup. To solve it I had to re-download the setup from CX-integrator. Everything worked like a charm after that. But this resulted in a long troubleshooting session (who the hell thinks about check the config when nothing has been change in the last 3-4 years?).

Does anyone have an idea on what could have gone wrong? And is there something I can do to make it possible to "reset the config" from the PLC-program?

I picked up some sensors that communicate over Devicenet, and I'm trying to figure out if I can set up a master/scanner for them without breaking the bank. Ideally this would be something PC based. Most of what I can find is thousands of dollars and/or requires a very expensive Allen Bradley software. I can find some AB modules cheaply on Ebay but it looks like I would still need the software and a PLC.

Oddly, there seem to be many inexpensive devicenet slave modules on the market, but that is not what I need. My budget is around 100 USD.

Is there any hope? Can generic CANbus equipment be made to talk Devicenet?

Edit: They are specific, pretty expensive sensors that I have or have access to. Devicenet is more or less a given, if I was doing this a priori I would use Modbus or raw serial or something.

Edit 2: Thank you to everybody who answered this. I guess I got to rethink what I am doing in the first place -- and use one of the various Ethernet-based protocols next time.

Hi,

I would appreciate any help. I'm trying to improve existing setup of few Misumi (Yamaha) controllers+robots using DeviceNet. Currently all controllers are daisy chained through RS232 connection and operates through custom RSManager-like software. The speed of RS232 connection is not the best. It is one of few other reasons why I'm trying to use DeviceNet.

I have access to ovda DeviceNet Spec 2.0 (1999).

Currently I can initiate Master/Slave Connection Set through Group 2 message. I can request few attributes from DeviceNet Object and another Object Instance which should have something. But, that is it. I couldn't make any sense of DeviceNet specification, in my opinion it doesn't describe protocol clearly. What should I do next after acquiring Master/Slave Connection Set? My goal for now is just to get position of the robot.

The misumi controller documentation mentions channels. I couldn't make any sense of it because DeviceNet spec talks about Classes/Objects/Attributes/Members. Misumi EDS file includes path for Output. I used that information to request attribute which I though contains the output date. It returns only zeros. When I run some commands through RS232 terminal, controller should change state but Attribute Request returns only zeros (Group 2, Message ID 4, Class 4, Instance 0x64, Attribute 3 ).

I could understand if somebody just dump a text file of CAN Bus state with proper DeviceNet communication from real Master/Slave device.

Thanks!

EDIT:

I figured out how to make initialization for Poll through master slave explicit messaging. Successfully configured Connection Object for Poll, received poll responses with basic status like Servo state, point execution. Can anybody explain how to change input channel for in Master/Slave connection? Does writing bytes to consumer connection change input channel of the device?

Anybody know of any good ones? I’d prefer classroom style over online.

I need to upload the devicenet configuration to make some changes to the scanlist for a 1771-SDN that lives on a remote rack. The Rack talks to a contrologix through a 1771-ASB module going to a 1756-DHRIO card on the ControLogix Chassis.

What is the easiest way to grab the configuration? From what I can tell, I can't go through ethernet on the CLX rack and get back to the 1771-SDN via the DHRIO card. Other than purchasing a DNet to USB/Serial Cable, what are my options?

My thoughts are to throw a PLC5 with Ethernet Module on the Remote Rack in place of the 1771-ASB so that I can see the rack via RSNetworx, then removing the PLC5 and replacing the ASB module.

EDIT: I used a test bench PLC with a DNB Series E in it. Used the USB port to get on to the DNet Network.

I’ve got an SST io module that I can see on rsnetworx. In the scanlist it’s asking me to edit io parameters, the options are strobes, polled, and change of state. I think I’m suppose to use polled but how do I find out input and output size?

I have two SVX9000 drives being controlled with Devicenet.

They run great but I have a problem with one of them that I keep beating my head against.

One drive reports the torque into a controller tag, one drive does not.

The tag is there but no info being sent to the DINT.

I’ve checked every parameter, input/output assembly, connections etc.

I’ve swapped the comm cards without changing the node addresses. So drive 1 controls are operating drive 2 and vice versa. The comm card that reports torque will do it in either drive but still reports it to the same tag.

I haven’t had much luck getting the drives to run with reversed node addresses. Not much experience with Devicenet.

RsNetworx for Devicenet shows one drive as NXOPTC7 and one as SVX9000. Which is weird because both cards are identical.

Can anybody give me something new to try?

If I were to buy a couple Ethernet cards for these drives could I just monitor the torque via data links like I would on a power flex? Not much experience configuring third party drives with Rockwell plc.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might be willing to provide.

Cheers

EDIT: After being told by Anybus support, that the issues was with the settings on the DMG MORI system, I sourced a Hilscher NT 50-DN-EN gateway, and got everything up and running, without adjusting anything on the DMG machine. Thank you for the suggestions in the comments!

Hi r/Plc!

I'm currently on a job site, trying to get a connection up and running between a Yaskawa DX100 controller (DeviceNet), and a DMG MORI LX2500 (E/IP), using the Anybus X Gateway (ABX-EIPS-DEVS / AB7833-C).

I cannot seem to get the Ethernet connection to work between the machine and the gateway.

The gateway is slave, and the machine is master. I can ping the gateway, from the machine, and getting a green LINK led, as well as green "Gateway Status".

"MS" and "NS" is flashing green together, but the "ACT" is off, unless I access the gateway via telnet.

On the machine, I have pointed a "Data Connection" to the gateway address, and set it as adapter (slave).

I have tried anything I could think of, but can't get this shit to work. First time working with Anybus, so I thought one of you have any ideas?

Can provide pictures or more info, if needed :)

I am using Explicit Messaging to move parameters into a drive during change over. The issue is that in the logic it needs to see certain commands in the MO: to continue. When I move 260 decimal into the MO I always get a 256 instead. I am able to work around it safely, but it's killing me as to why it won't work.

The 256 is the TXID, but I am loosing the command bit somewhere. Any help would be great.

TLDR: Is 80k ohms too little resistance between drain and ground when disconnected?

Had an odd issue today. Devicenet randomly dropping nodes. Not always the same one. Through the course of troubleshooting and reading some AB white papers, I checked for a ground loop. When disconnected from the single grounding point, I was reading about 80k ohms between the drain and ground. Everything I read online said 1M was spec. I started working from node 1 back, and was able to read about 1M to ground on the PLC card side, and something between 80k and 125k on the other end. I made it through 3/29 nodes before someone else found a loose CAN-L wire that fixed the issue.

My question for the more experienced, is 1M to ground always necessary? Or is anything higher than 0 okay? I don't have much devicenet experience, we're converted mostly to ethernet minus a few legacy pieces of equipment.

Why can't I have one big IO module to support all the IO's in my system? Why do we need Devicenet modules at all and have to deal with the individual chassis and slots and all the different nodes?

I'm in the early stages of design for a project (new installation) with ControlLogix PLC and approximately 50 electric valve actuators (multi turn and quarter turn). The valves are in close proximity to the PLC. The actuators we are looking at are Limitorque MX/QX and Rotork IQ, but we are open to other options. We would like to use an "open" network to interface between the PLC and the actuators. Not interested in using a proprietary network or a system that requires a master station (e.g. Rotork Pakscan) if possible. Limitorque and Rotork both list Profibus, Foundation Fieldbus, Modbus, DeviceNet and HART as available options. I seems to me that DeviceNet seems like a good fit with ControlLogix controllers. But should it be considered for a new project because it is a fairly aged protocol. Is another protocol a better fit for this application?

I am at a loss here, so hopefully there's some DNet gurus out there that can help. I have a devicenet comm card for a pneumatic valve that is giving me a blinking green light.

Things I have done so far to remedy the problem:

• Hooked up the NetAlert devicenet meter to my node's cable. The only issues the meter is showing me is a shield issue. I have ruled out this being the problem due to the troubleshooting guide I went through says to disregard it if you don't have the typical dNet system setup. We don't use the flat trunk media. Also, all other nodes on the network show the same thing but work fine. The only things the NetAlert meter doesn't like is the autoscan and shield readings.

• Rslinx shows my specific node as being fine. No red X's or anything. Same with RsNetworx.

• I tried swapping out to a different dNet comm card. The original cards part# is DN-SVM-2EH-2ST-200ma. I swapped it out for one that is DN-MN-somethingWhatever. No dice.

The only discrepancy I can find is in RsNetworx. After I disable the scanner in the logic, and go online with the scanner through RsNetworx, I right click my specific trouble node and go to properties. I get the following info:

• Vendor: Sense Electronica LTD[263]
• Type: General Purpose Discrete I/O[7]
• Device: Product Name[370]

When I look at any of the other nodes' properties, under Device, it shows "Device: Valve[343]". I thought this might be my issue, which is why I swapped out to a different card, deleted the node in RsNetworx, copy and pasted one of the existing nodes and changed it to the correct node address. But when I go back online I get an Identity Mismatch for my specific node and it corrects it back to "Device: Product Name[370]".

Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

EDIT: Never mind. I added my nodes to the scanlist about a month ago. Sometime between then and now, one of my coworkers removed them from the scanlist. I didn't even think to check there, but quickly found out once I viewed the scanner after uploading. Pretty fucked. I need a beer now.

So I see where you add a node in RSNetworx, and select which word and how many bits long that specific node is. However, I can't seem to find anything that says which bits do what. For example, if I'm controlling a valve, with my output word which bit is used to open? And on my input word, which bits are for the open and closed feedback? I've looked through AB's documentation but haven't found much. A point in the right direction would be awesome!

Hey guys,

I’m trying to fire up a VFD (Schneider ATV61) through DeviceNet with a ControlLogix (L84) controller. I believe I have mapped out the words correctly... I am getting all my input data back from the drive (FLA, statuses, % trip). On the output side, I am able to send the run output command however the RPM reference and deceleration words are being passed through to the drive. I reviewed the words and see that all the data I want to sent is ready on the output module, but I can’t get my head around why the drive isn't accepting the speed output from my PLC. The drive will start however doesn't go past about 5HZ which is seen on the local panel.

Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Hey All, I have a project coming up and it is a rushed one (thanks SI position). Quick backstory: I have been handling this plant since a month, the previous guy just up and quit, with very little backups whatsoever, and now I am responsible for the control systems side. I have a an existing DeviceNet network to which there will be additions. I do not have any experience with DeviceNet and thus require some experts to help me out. There will be four new devices that will be added to the network.

1. How do I upload the memory map from the scanner so I can compare against the logic that is built in ControlLogix. I created a *.dnt file from the network but it doesn't seem to have how the memory is mapped inside the scanner. When I create a memory map, all offline, and create the tags using the tag generator; it looks different than what the PLC is programmed to.
2. How do I create logic for just the 4 new devices that I am adding to the network using the DeviceNet tag generator? I don't want to screw with the existing as it is running fine and like I mentioned in the first question: the existing memory map logic that is created seems to be inconsistent when I create it using the tool.

I am probably missing a few questions, as I am super new to this. Any of you guys have any favourite documents that will help me? Thanks a ton!

Neither my pc or Xbox are getting internet on devicenet (wired), and the dhcp page is down.

What are the advantages of using DeviceNet over standard I/O? I have a DeviceNet network (mostly softstarters for hot oil pumps) at my workplace that I am looking to replace with standard I/O so it is easier for our technicians to troubleshoot and maintain, but before I start tearing stuff down, I would like to know how the new system will work (if it will work at all). The softstarters have an I/O terminal for standard wires and the manual has a wiring diagram, so I know I can run the unit with just wires. What I am worried about is if there are any inherent capabilities in DeviceNet that cannot be replicated with standard I/O. The engineer who installed that system no longer works here or else I would be asking him this question. Please advise.

Currently I have several Powerflex 4 drives on devicenet controlled by a Controllogix processor.

I am going to be replacing the PF4's with the new Powerflex 525 drives and eliminating the devicenet running all drives on ethernet.

Current logic has the motor profile copied to the devicenet address of the drive. I'll simply change the address of the target drive from the devicenet node to the IP address of the 525.

My question is... this is a snippet of the CURRENT drive output profile in the processor:

http://i.imgur.com/kW2yfrO.png

And here is a snipped of the NEW drive output profile when I use Add-On-Profile for the 525:

http://i.imgur.com/9fZdFq9.png

Will I need to rename the existing array to match the new array? Or... If I just do a COP from M207_Output[0] to Drive_1:O will it work?

Specific example: First bit in the old array is M207_Output[0].Stop The related new bit would be Drive_1:O.PF525_A_Stop Since the last part of the bit name is not identical, will the COP command work?

Will I need to change M207_Output[0].Stop to M207_Output[0].PF525_A_Stop?

EDIT: The current logic uses a User Defined Data Type. M207_Output has 32 drives - M207_Output[0] through M207_Output[31]. I want to change out a small number of drives at a time. Not all at once. If I try to change the Data Type for M207_Output[21] from the User Defined Data Type to the Module-Defined Data Type AB:Powerflex525V... then it changes the entire array - every motor under M207_Output.

Is this configuration possible or do I need to employ explicit messaging to control devices on the network?

I have a customer that has several SLC installations with Devicenet IO. I need to replace my 1784-U2DN and the cables that go to it. Without telling me the obvious (upgrade to Compact/ ControlLogix), does anyone know of a source for that cable that goes from flat five conductor (U2DN) to flat five conductor with the tabs/ pins (the end with the spring loaded pins that stabs in to the Devicenet connector on a slick/ PLC5)?

Thanks in advance.

I don't want to step on anybody's toes here, but the amount of non-dad jokes here in this subreddit really annoys me. First of all, dad jokes CAN be NSFW, it clearly says so in the sub rules. Secondly, it doesn't automatically make it a dad joke if it's from a conversation between you and your child. Most importantly, the jokes that your CHILDREN tell YOU are not dad jokes. The point of a dad joke is that it's so cheesy only a dad who's trying to be funny would make such a joke. That's it. They are stupid plays on words, lame puns and so on. There has to be a clever pun or wordplay for it to be considered a dad joke.

Again, to all the fellow dads, I apologise if I'm sounding too harsh. But I just needed to get it off my chest.