CompactLogix Ethernet I/P to Fanuc comms problem SOLVED

[James Fillmore]

New to Fanucs but according to my employeer if it has wires and is programmable DO IT OR ELSE!

Trying to get a CompactLogix to communicate via EthernetIP to an Rj3iC coontroller.
- Yes the controller has EthernetIP ADAPTER software (do I need scanner in there also?)
- I have the most basic setup setup on both the PLC and Robot to communitcate 1 works
  Robot 192.168.001.122    255.255.255.0  Port2 (bottom port)
  First 16 inputs and outputs configured on rack 89, slot 1, port 1
  
  PLC    192.168.001.120    255.255.255.0  Intances 101, 151, Data-init  1 word

When I set the Connection 1 ADP to true on the I/O setup screen, it goes ONLINE but never goes to RUNNING. On my PLC I get a connection timeout.

I can ping both IP address from the TP and from my laptop. Is there something I'm missing?
PS I have an old PLC and Fanuc program as reference that is a nearly identical application. Problem is all the files are barely readable using Notepad.

Thanks in advance, Jim Fillmore

[Fabian Munoz]

Hi James:
Welcome to the robot-forum

This looks right to me, standard setup
First 16 inputs and outputs configured on rack 89, slot 1, port 1

This, you should use port 1 (top) to hook up RJ45
Robot 192.168.001.122    255.255.255.0  Port2 (bottom port)

it goes ONLINE but never goes to RUNNING.
Check the PLC about this

[James Fillmore]

Attached, if I'm doing this correctly are pictures taken of all the relevent setups/configurations on both the Robot and the PLC side. The ONLY thin I'm uncertain of is the HOST NAME / IP ADRESS in the ROBOT Host Comm picture. The example job I had, where I disected one off the BUNCHES of small files that make up the total backup that the Fanuc guy gave me, shows like 4 "host names" and "IP Adddress". I can see one was the old robot adress he used, 192.168.1.150. I can also see the PLC IP address I used, 192.168.1.100. But there were 2 other odd IP address which might have been part of the 2D vision cameras he had installed.  Odd thing was the PLC and Robot IP's were on "Host" numbers like 10 and 17?

[Fabian Munoz]

HI James

Good post, I hope all of them were like that

Everything on the pictures look right to me
The host names I use them when you have a camera, another robot,etc so you can ping those devices

On the scanner ip picture shows ***********, that's a read only screen and the *** will become a number once the PLC sees the robot

Question On the system Config, do you have (at the bottom of the 20 some items) do you have Local or Remote. ? I'm home right now and I'm going by memory

[James Fillmore]

Thats one of my question. SHOULD I have something in that area? I have a note from the Fanuc EIP class I took. On the corner it says "PLC , Can add" Not 100% sure what I was told in class as I made that note.

Heres a snipet of information that I was able to reformat/realign in Notepad from the "ethernet.dg" file that the Fanuc guy gave me from the old job he did. It looks like those are items that were filled in on his Host table. Why he doesn't use the IP address but instead uses jost the robot name and why he put mu PLC IP address down on host 21 and called it PCJOG (that wasn't my PLC's name on my end) confuses me. I'm THINKING he just changed a couple items from an old job that he might have gotten to work in the past and wanted to change as little as possible. in fact he left "style Select" I/O configuration in (from his previous job I'm assuming) because there was no Style Select required.

F Number: F90575   
VERSION : HandlingTool         
$VERSION: V7.4085      02/17/2009
DATE:     26-MAY-09 17:26
ETHERNET CONFIGURATION::

$HOSTNAME   :Drive_Screw_Rbt

TMI_ROUTER  :ROUTER

TMI_ETHERAD :00:e0:e4:0b:56:70

Subnet mask :255.255.255.0

Host Table [1]:Drive_Screw_Rbt

Host Table [17]:      QUICC0 addr:192.168.1.150

Host Table [18]:      QUICC1 addr:10.185.9.181

Host Table [19]:      QUICC2
\
Host Table [20]:      ROUTER

Host Table [21]:       PCJOG addr:192.168.0.100

Server [1]:         FTP state: 3

Server [2]:         FTP state: 3


ETHERNET STATISTICS:


Bad thing is the EIP class at Fanuc didn't focus on any of the PLC manufacturers. We just connected to an EthernetI/P I/O block. Wish they would have a specific class for AB comms.

[Fabian Munoz]

Don't worry about filing the ************, actually under name type MyPLC and write the IP of your PLC , then highlight that host and ping it. Dont forget to answer the question that i asked you (local/remote),

[James Fillmore]

I see (LOCAL) above the Host Name positions? Is that what you're refereing to?

Do I have to change that? Is there a way to change that?

Thanks for the help!

PS I'm shocked Fanuc doesn't document a basic "How to communicate to a Logix processor via EIP" manual?!?!  Even a very basic Logix program and a very basic robot controller config that works and will exchange a couple words.

[James Fillmore]

Our general manager had a guy who been a Fanuc robot programmer for 20 years with and now works for a local automation company stop by. We spent all morning reviewing everything that appeared to be setup correctly - even though he admitted not being a PLC guy and had to take my word for that part. As a last resort I reconfigured the physical IO on the CompactLogix system, downgraded the Compactlogix firmware so I could dump in the old program form a year old job that DID actually work and communicate via EthernetI/P to an Rj30 controller. It STILL didn't work but now for some reason I couldn't ping the robot controller anymore.

As a last restort, while we were both trying to figure out why we now couldn't ping, I moved the ethernet cable on the Hirschmann Spider 5TX switch to another port and BINGO it worked. It was a bad port on the switch!!!!!  Another controls guy at our company had a bad port on another Hirschman switch. I'll probably just stick with the AB Stratix series of small switches from now on.

[Fabian Munoz]

Have a beer on me  


Don't drink and drive

[James Fillmore]

:)  Had one of those 50ml bottles of Rum in my car. JUST went out and got it and poured it in a Coke!  I'm not a drinker but NEEDED that!

[drummerboyyy]

Hey James, glad I could help in some small way! I am a member of this forum, just never post. Again, it was nice meeting you. One correction though? I have been robot service tech for 20 plus years. Them damn programmers are allway's blaming us hardware guy's for screwin things up! 

[Fabian Munoz]

Hi drummerboyyy:

Seems to me that there was  some "background" communication between you and James, which is alright, I do it all the time.
Don't be afraid to post, if you have that much experience, please share it, we need hardware guys  which BTW I thought the programmers were always right 

Anyway, don't get lost and keep helping

Regards
somar

[James Fillmore]

drummerboyy was the Fanuc guy I spoke of that our general manager called in to help me get the etherneti/p communications going.

In fact yesterday, for the first time, I finally had to get my final CompactLogix robot cell control program to communicate with the robot. Only needed to exchange 2 (16bit) words. the first word in and out was basically the default I/O like CMDENBL, IMSTP, Hold, etc. the second 16bit word is Position Request and the robot sends back a Position Echo when in position.

The application is a robotic screwdriver assembling Honda CRV grilles on (2) large dial index machines. I'm basically using the Fanuc as a sophisticated pick and place unit. All I want it to do it goto the positions I tell it and echo back when it's there.

I know the Fanuc controller has a lot of capability BUT from customer feedback and from people in the Fanuc classes (that I get to take as an integrator) ALL said they'd prefere the BULK of the controls be in the PLC that they are more familiar with. SO I'm using an ethernet based Allen Bradley CompactLogix PLC hadling all in the ethernet comms between the (2) dials, the robot, the HMI and controlling the screwdriver, blowfeeder, griper, unload conveyor, etc.