Posts by PhilC

Currently, I am trying to run an IRC5 Robot Controller from an Allen-Bradley PLC (AB HMIs). I was informed that the PLC codes that the partdata programs use must be above 111, as the ones below are menudata or error codes. For an 8-bit SINT, the last bit is a positive or negative bit, meaning that the maximum value I can send through a SINT is 127. I had heard that you must use SINTs to send data to the ABB robot controller. I would like to be able to send PLC codes that are larger than 127, as our robot program has more than 17 different programs it needs to run. How do I go about doing so? I have seen in videos where people set the "Group Input"/"Group Output" to larger than 8-bits, but do not understand how I will combine multiple SINTs on the AB PLC side to send the correct values for the programs I wish to run. Thank you for your time.

Awesome! Thank you! I thought that may be how I should go about it but it wasn't entirely clear and I didn't want to change things without some certainty.

Yes that is what I am having issues with, how do I set a number to indicate which program I mean by that number, I am the programmer but am new to ABB.

How does the robot program know what number corresponds with each given PLC program number? I'm struggling to see how to find assigned numbers for each part program or how to assign numbers to each part program. The group input "giEN0_ProgramSelection" is present and mapped to 8 different bits in EN_Internal_Device but I don't get how to associate those with the current programs.

Thank you so much!

I'm using Ethernet IP, currently we want to run programs that are present in the robot's system already (currently being ran from the FlexPendant), from an Allen-Bradley PLC/HMI. The exact steps to run a particular program and switch between programs we are struggling to get to work correctly. The company has had a video meeting with ABB in the past, took the info, and applied it, but seem to have made an error and cannot manage to run and select programs from an HMI rather than the FlexPendant. We already have a connection established between them as the PLC relays safety IO device information to the robot to not allow it to run unless certain conditions are met. Thank you for your help and I hope it is clear enough.

Yes, automatic mode to control from the FlexPendant.

And yes, the HMI no longer works after using the FlexPedant.

At this point, we would like to not use the FlexPendant entirely and just use the Rockwell HMIs/PLC to control the robot, but are struggling to relinquish control to the PLC. How does one go about making the PLC the master?

I have the same question currently.

Hello,

I have been struggling to utilize an ABB IRC5 FlexPendant and Allen-Bradley HMIs simultaneously for the same commands. The FlexPendant has to be far away from the robot, so utilizing HMIs for the control would be tremendous help. Code is written in a PLC to transfer data to/from the IRC5 for HMI and FlexPendant control, but when trying to then use the FlexPendant as well, the HMI program gets wiped out. Ethernet/IP connection is being used. Does anyone have an idea what may be wrong? Thank you for your time!