Simulating PLC and/or IO in Roboguide

    Hello Everybody,

    is it possible to simulate a Soft PLC which writes register data to the robot in Roboguide?

    Also this PLC ist starting the whole process with PNS, is there a way to simulate the whole process with programm selection in Roboguide?

    Furthermore how can i simulate I/O's from a plc?

    I tried but i didnt manage to do it.

    Thanks a lot in advance.

    Greetings

    Daniel

    There are a few options...

    1.) Use Logic Simulation Assistant under the Test-Run drop down menu. There is a help document along with this to explain how to use it. But in a nutshell, you point at a valid line of code and tell it what you want to simulate when it gets to that point...i.e. If you get to a Wait for Pounce signal in the robot code, you can simulate that the robot gets that DI: Wait for Pounce signal.

    2.) You could throw an additional blank/throwaway controller in the cell and setup I/O Interconnections between your main robot controller and this throwaway one. Then run a Background job on the throwaway controller that will look for DO's from the main robot in the form of DI's and then the throwaway can send DI's to the Main robot in the form of DO's...

    3.) Last option is to just put your simulate stuff in the robot code itself where you need it. When I do this I usually just mark around it **FOR DEBUG ONLY** and such.

    4.) Load the PMC option into the robot, bring up FANUC Robot ladder editor and write the PLC logic yourself in the ladder editor.

    I've used all methods depending on the situation. Logic Simulation Assistant I've only just started using...it's OK, a little confusing and sometimes maddening with the restrictions of where you can place simulated logic...The throwaway controller method I've used only once before and that got a little iffy because of the I/O Interconnections getting passed around - Roboguide is finicky at times and that can cause a corrupted workcell. Definitely take backups of the workcell to load back to when you are messing around with these things!

    There are a few things we needed to do to also get remote start via PNS from an external PLC working with RoboGuide:

    1. Set variable $RMT_MASTER to "0" (we have to do that after every reboot)

    2. You can't set UIOs directly - use DI/DOs and configure them to the same rack/slot/start as the UIOs

    3. UIs and corresponding DIs need to be configured to rack 34 slot 1 (Rack 34 are the Flags)

    4. Do not simulate DIs used for UIs

    5. We needed to simulate all other DIs and GIs we wanted to set from an external PLC

    6. Make sure to set the simulation mode in RoboGuide (Run Configuration) to "No UOP Control" - Available from RoboGuide 9.1 Rev.G

    Good Luck!

    You also can get a test version of CODESYS for PC, and connect the roboguide cell with it via Ethernet/IP. Then you have a perfect simulation of your PLC, because you have a PLC.

    The demo version runs for an hour or so, then you have to restart it. Or you use an Raspberry PI with Codesys, also as test version, or as licensed version for less than 100 bucks or so.

    Quote from TomFoolious

    3.) Last option is to just put your simulate stuff in the robot code itself where you need it. When I do this I usually just mark around it **FOR DEBUG ONLY** and such.

    Adding to this:

    This is usually the option I choose for all simple connections (mostly waiting for Acknowledgement bits or completion bits in the i/o).

    This has the added benefit of coming in handy on the real robot, not just in Roboguide.
    Being able to set a flag and then use IF( F[X:Simulation Flag] )THEN    to skip the acknowledgement or set a register to a dummy value is super useful.

    There are often times where the system I am interfacing with is not available or someone else is working on it or it would just take too long for something external to happen. Being able to skip these sections saves me a ton of time.

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