Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System

Wesley Moore <[email protected]> · Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:07:35 -0500

Paul Hamadyk wrote:

On Thu, 2009-12-17 at 08:08 -0500, Wesley Moore wrote:

At the FEL here at JLAB, we have several newer systems running Omron

C-Series PLCs. The systems currently running are the Laser Personal

Safety System, Turning Mirror Cassettes (motor control for optics), and

our UV vacuum system. The PLCs are all programmed over Ethernet using

Omron's CX-Programmer and an EPICS Ethernet driver is used for

communication to the PLCs memory. I've not had much hassle in

maintaining an IOC app and PLC logic for a given system. Usually the

logic is only on one side depending on the requirements. I've scripted

the creation of address files for generating the db. The address file

created contains all the memory mapping and comments, providing great

documentation of each system. Haven't heard this mentioned, but one

other benefit we have deployed was the use of touchscreens for

interactions with these PLC systems. For the minimal programming

required, they have been a valuable resource in the flexibility they

provide for local and remote control (using serial and Ethernet).

Wesley

We also use Omron PLCs, mostly CJ1s, and communicate using Hostlink or
FINS (Factory Interface Network Service) in a Hostlink wrapper via the
serial port (using streams and asyn). I am just performing some speed
comparisons between the serial port and the ETN21 Ethernet module using
FINS/UDP and FINS/TCP.

You say that "an EPICS Ethernet driver is used for communication to the
PLCs memory". Is that via FINS?

Paul.

I'm using the CJ1's as well paired with the ETN21 Ethernet module. I

believe one I'm using has the built in Ethernet but it's basically the

same. The Ethernet driver uses the FINS protocol. I can read/write

bits or words to the PLC. The memory areas I read/write to are DM, CIO,

WR, and HR. I've found pretty quick that reading by word and splitting

out the bits to individual bi and bo's was the way to go. Much faster

that way. I've got the driver working in EPICS 3.13 and 3.14.

Wesley

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fn:Wesley Moore
n:Moore;Wesley
org:Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility;Free Electron Laser
adr:Suite 19, MS 18;;12000 Jefferson Avenue;Newport News;VA;23606;USA
email;internet:[email protected]
title:FEL Computer Scientist
tel;work:(757) 269-6033
tel;fax:(757) 269-6384
tel;pager:(757) 584-6033
url:http://www.jlab.org/FEL/
version:2.1
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Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System

Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System