Red Lion HMI Sending but not Receiving

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around issues with a Red Lion G310 HMI not sending signals to RS Logix while successfully receiving them. Participants explore potential configuration problems, programming issues, and communication setups related to the HMI and PLC interaction.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes successfully forcing inputs from RS Logix to the HMI but struggles with sending signals back from the HMI to RS Logix.
  • Another participant suggests that the lack of details makes it difficult to provide specific advice, questioning the version of Rockwell Software being used and recommending checking the OPC-DA interface configuration.
  • A new participant confirms they are using the 5000 series software and considers the issue might be related to programming rather than communication.
  • One participant emphasizes the importance of ensuring the RSLinx driver is properly configured and that the device is visible in the communication tree, mentioning potential conflicts with serial interfaces.
  • Another participant points out that HMIs typically write to bits rather than force them, warning of potential conflicts when trying to control bits that are also influenced by physical inputs.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on the potential causes of the issue, with no consensus reached on whether the problem lies in programming, configuration, or communication. Multiple competing views remain regarding the best approach to resolve the issue.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the complexity of configuring device drivers in HMIs and the potential for misconfiguration, as well as the implications of using physical inputs alongside HMI controls.

DODGEVIPER13
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I currently have RS Logix set up with a ladder logic program, when I force inputs from RS Logix I can get it to update the Red Lion G310 HMI. However, I cannot press a button, that I have made via crimson 3.0 on the G310 HMI and have it send to RS Logix. For example if I press a button that I created I can't get it to force an input on my ladder diagram. So in essence the HMI is receiving but not sending.

Sorry I am not sure if this is the right place or the right forum just figured I would see if anyone could help or recommend someone.
 
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You are missing loads of details, so I can only make broad suggestions. I don't even know if you're referring to the 500 or the 5000 series of Rockwell Software products. Or are you using the new Pico 800 series?

I also presume you're using the OPC-DA interface from RSLinx-Lite Classic, right? If not, download that from Rockwell Automation. It is free.

Configuring device drivers in an HMI is more complicated, obtuse, and ridiculous than it really ought to be. You need to recheck how that device driver was configured, and to ensure that you have write access to it. You also need to make sure that your device has a link to the OPC-DA point name.

More people get this detail wrong than anything else. It is a mess. The need for security is making this mess even worse. I have nothing nice to say about this situation except that native drivers are starting to look better and better all the time.
 
I am new to this stuff sorry about the lack of info. I can say I am using a 5000 series software from RS Logix, and I will try your suggestion tomorrow. Thanks for the help I wonder if its a programming issue instead of communciation I was disucussing this with a colleague who seems to think its fine and we just need to figure out the right commands
 
The 5000 series of PLC can be a monster of computational power for a control system. The more recent L70 series of controllers are designed for high speed motion control.

If you're using the RSLinx driver, first make sure you can see the device in your communication tree. If you can't, you don't have the driver properly configured. You should also ensure that the service is running properly. If you're using a serial interface, make sure that nothing else is using that serial interface. I can't tell you how many times that has been the case. Finally ensure that your services are all running as they're supposed to. The manuals on RSLinx have a lot more to say about this.
 
It sounds like you may be trying to get your HMI to change an input that is also controlled by a physical input. HMIs generally only write to a bit, not force the bit. So if you are trying to write to a bit that is a physical input ( e.g. Local:1:I.0) then it will become a race. The HMI will set the bit, but the input module will set the bit at its update rate (RPI). Since the PLC program scan is independent, it may or may not look at the bit after it was set by the HMI, but not cleared by the input module.

If you slow down your RPI of your input module, then you can start to see this effect. The slower the RPI, the better the chance the HMI input will work.

HMI buttons should only control dedicated tags and those tags put in parallel with the input contacts in the ladder logic.

Archie
www.advancedhmi.com
 

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