Import of IOL device
I have noticed that it is not possible to integrate an SICK SLT060 light tower in to PLCNext Engineer 2021.6.2 (see IOLImport).
The parameters are correct for the imported SICK SLT 060 (see IOLPara)
It is possible to import the IODD file in the project and it is also possible to assign variables to the IOL device (see IOLActive). But that is where it stops.
The SICK SLT 060 has 3 operating modes as can be seen in the IOLMap (see IOLMap) you can choose one of those 3 modes during the setup process with an external tool - IOLConf cannot be used because the IOLink master is inserted in the local bus.
But when I download the project as it is now, The AXC F 2152 is in to FAIL mode. The IOLink master still shows an active communication.
When I did a factory reset (type 2) the controller did not go in to FAIL mode but also did not sent the IOL data to the SLT 060. Meaning that I have activated my variable for a light and nothing happened.
I'm using the SLT 060 as a standard signal tower with 5 colors and mapped 5 variables to activate those colors. That will say, that the imported structure for the SLT 060 can be used.
Because this did not work, I generated the input / output arrays (IN_58Bytes / OUT_58Bytes) and manually programmed the IOL mapping. Here it was possible to activate the light tower.
If you choose an different operating mode, the import function can't be used und you have to map the IOLink data manual to an array of bytes and sort it out in the program.
Here are my questions:
1. why is it not possible to access the IOLink device for setup via IOLConf when the IOLink master is connected to the local bus
2. are there any plan to extent the import function, so that it is possible to change the operating mode in PLCNext Engineer - other engineering tools let you do this
3. could you please explain why PLCNext Engineer can't activate 5 bits that are correct mapped in the imported IOL device
Peter Paul
The parameters are correct for the imported SICK SLT 060 (see IOLPara)
It is possible to import the IODD file in the project and it is also possible to assign variables to the IOL device (see IOLActive). But that is where it stops.
The SICK SLT 060 has 3 operating modes as can be seen in the IOLMap (see IOLMap) you can choose one of those 3 modes during the setup process with an external tool - IOLConf cannot be used because the IOLink master is inserted in the local bus.
But when I download the project as it is now, The AXC F 2152 is in to FAIL mode. The IOLink master still shows an active communication.
When I did a factory reset (type 2) the controller did not go in to FAIL mode but also did not sent the IOL data to the SLT 060. Meaning that I have activated my variable for a light and nothing happened.
I'm using the SLT 060 as a standard signal tower with 5 colors and mapped 5 variables to activate those colors. That will say, that the imported structure for the SLT 060 can be used.
Because this did not work, I generated the input / output arrays (IN_58Bytes / OUT_58Bytes) and manually programmed the IOL mapping. Here it was possible to activate the light tower.
If you choose an different operating mode, the import function can't be used und you have to map the IOLink data manual to an array of bytes and sort it out in the program.
Here are my questions:
1. why is it not possible to access the IOLink device for setup via IOLConf when the IOLink master is connected to the local bus
2. are there any plan to extent the import function, so that it is possible to change the operating mode in PLCNext Engineer - other engineering tools let you do this
3. could you please explain why PLCNext Engineer can't activate 5 bits that are correct mapped in the imported IOL device
Peter Paul
Comments
please find the answers to your questions below:
1) Currently the PnE does not support the parameterization of the individual device parameters of an IO Link device. This means that the module would have to be parameterized externally.
Another option is to read / write the IOL indexes of the device via PnE and the acyclic PDI FB for the local bus. In this case for the operating mode index hex78 (see IOLink_Prozessdata.PNG).
2) The IODD also uses a condition attribute which is not supported in the PnE or the IODD compiler does not evaluate this and thus duplicate PD data is available and this leads to problems.
The test cannot be carried out because the hardware is not available. Here I would not use the individual bits, but rather the Octectstring2 and set the corresponding bits for the set operating mode (see IOLink_ProzessdataElement.PNG).
3.) The IODD import and the configuration of the device parameters are currently under development, but it cannot be said when this feature will be available.
I hope this information help you.
Best Regards
Eduard
thank you for the answer. I did find a work a round for the issues.
But still can't see the point of Phoenix Contact releasing software tools that are not fully developed. This leads to confusions and misunderstandings that could have been avoided.
The IOLink hardware should also play not a role. We are looking at a common function for IOLink devices that could have been tested with other IOLink devices.
If it will help you, I can send you the Sick SLT 060 for testing.
Also would it be more beneficial to have IOLConf working with IOLink masters connected to the controller. Or do you wish that we also have to install an extra bus coupler just to gain this function? And here it would be the AXL BK PN TPS since the AXL BK PN does not support the IOLink masters.
Peter Paul
thanks for the information. As per Engineer version 2021.6.2 we have already some option to setup the IOLink devices. This work fine with devices with fixed functionalities. The interesting part comes when we have devices that support multiple functions as in my case.
We see more and more devices that have this function and it would be a great help if those could be supported be PLCNext Engineer in a more simple manner. There always options to achieve the desired function today. But most of the ways to do that is very time intensive and give room for problems / mistakes.
The new function I guess will be released with the 2022.LTS version?
Peter Paul