Connecting CLX PLC to advancedHMI

[jhaycee03]

Hi There,

I'm new with PLC but I have some knowledge on VB. We are connecting our client PLC using only VPN access and remote. May I know what other details I need to connect it? They just give me the IP of the PLC and told me that they what to monitor a Tag Name. Is the PLC have an access to see their settings? I'm sorry for the ignorant question about PLC. Appreciate your help with this. Thanks in advance

[dmroeder]

The only things you really need to know as far as the PLC is concerned with connecting AdvancedHMI to it is:

-PLC IP Address
-The slot that the PLC is in within the chassis (*1)
-The Tag name that you want to read/write/connect-to (*2)

*1 - Since the CLX platform can have a processor in any slot of the chassis, if the processor is in a slot other than zero (uncommon), then you will need to specify the slot number.  Most people put the controller in slot 0, I just wanted to point this out.

*2 - Tags can be defined as "Controller Scope" (global) or "Program Scope" (local to the program).   Program scoped tags have to be handled a little bit different than Controller scoped tags.  I realize that this may add some unnecessary confusion, but it's good to be aware of how the tags are defined in the controller.

Have you had a look at the quick start guide?  It's a little out of date but the idea is the same.

edit: There is a newer quickstart guide in AdvancedHMI/Documents

[bachphi]

Since it's remote access, you may need to portforwarding TCP/UDP 44818 and UDP port 2222 (Ethernet/IP).
Does the controllogix rack has 2 Enet cards ( local + remote)?

[jhaycee03]

@dmroeder Thank you to the great info. I will request that details to the client. How about how can I read the Tags from CLX to VB? what toolbar I need to use to detect the Tags?

[jhaycee03]

@bachphi I will ask. But the setup of my client is only connected via VPN to the PLC, I just remote his PC to apply and monitor via AdvancedHMI. May I know how the CLX PLC control since it has dedicated IP, is there a way to have GUI of its control and how? Sorry Im not familiar with PLC.

[dmroeder]

@dmroeder Thank you to the great info. I will request that details to the client. How about how can I read the Tags from CLX to VB? what toolbar I need to use to detect the Tags?

Well it depends on what you want to do with the data in the tag.  If you simply want to display a value, then the quick start guide walks you through adding a driver, adding a component to display the tag, then setting their properties.

If you want to read the tag in code and do something custom with the data (like log it somewhere), check the end of this and see if it helps:

https://www.advancedhmi.com/documentation/index.php?title=EthernetIPforCLXCom

[jhaycee03]

@dmroeder Thank you to the great info. I will request that details to the client. How about how can I read the Tags from CLX to VB? what toolbar I need to use to detect the Tags?

Well it depends on what you want to do with the data in the tag.  If you simply want to display a value, then the quick start guide walks you through adding a driver, adding a component to display the tag, then setting their properties.

If you want to read the tag in code and do something custom with the data (like log it somewhere), check the end of this and see if it helps:

https://www.advancedhmi.com/documentation/index.php?title=EthernetIPforCLXCom

Hi, Thank you for your guide it help me a lot. But now we try to monitor the Tag using DigitalPanelMeter but we think it is delay. what is the most accurate toolbar to read time to time changes? Thanks

[dmroeder]

@dmroeder Thank you to the great info. I will request that details to the client. How about how can I read the Tags from CLX to VB? what toolbar I need to use to detect the Tags?

Well it depends on what you want to do with the data in the tag.  If you simply want to display a value, then the quick start guide walks you through adding a driver, adding a component to display the tag, then setting their properties.

If you want to read the tag in code and do something custom with the data (like log it somewhere), check the end of this and see if it helps:

https://www.advancedhmi.com/documentation/index.php?title=EthernetIPforCLXCom

Hi, Thank you for your guide it help me a lot. But now we try to monitor the Tag using DigitalPanelMeter but we think it is delay. what is the most accurate toolbar to read time to time changes? Thanks

If you are not happy with the update rate of the DigitalPanelMeter, find the driver on your form and look for the property "PollRateOverride", it will probably be a value of 500(ms).  As a test, drop it to 0, this will update your DigitalPanelMeter at the fastest possible rate.  You probably wouldn't want it at 0 if you have a lot of controls using that instance of the driver.  You probably could have 2 drivers, one set to update fast for some objects, the other set to slow for other non critical objects.

Each visual control has a property "ComComponent", which is the driver that the control is assigned to.

Also, there is a better way to read a tag in code that I should have mentioned.  I said use a button and use the button click event.  If you don't want to interact with the application but have the tag read and used in code, check out the "DataSubscriber" control. It's pretty slick, it subscribes to the tag in the same way that a visual control does, but it provides "DataChanged" and "DataReturned" methods that you can use to do things in code with the value.

[jhaycee03]

@dmroeder Thank you to the great info. I will request that details to the client. How about how can I read the Tags from CLX to VB? what toolbar I need to use to detect the Tags?

Well it depends on what you want to do with the data in the tag.  If you simply want to display a value, then the quick start guide walks you through adding a driver, adding a component to display the tag, then setting their properties.

If you want to read the tag in code and do something custom with the data (like log it somewhere), check the end of this and see if it helps:

https://www.advancedhmi.com/documentation/index.php?title=EthernetIPforCLXCom

Hi, Thank you for your guide it help me a lot. But now we try to monitor the Tag using DigitalPanelMeter but we think it is delay. what is the most accurate toolbar to read time to time changes? Thanks

If you are not happy with the update rate of the DigitalPanelMeter, find the driver on your form and look for the property "PollRateOverride", it will probably be a value of 500(ms).  As a test, drop it to 0, this will update your DigitalPanelMeter at the fastest possible rate.  You probably wouldn't want it at 0 if you have a lot of controls using that instance of the driver.  You probably could have 2 drivers, one set to update fast for some objects, the other set to slow for other non critical objects.

Each visual control has a property "ComComponent", which is the driver that the control is assigned to.

Also, there is a better way to read a tag in code that I should have mentioned.  I said use a button and use the button click event.  If you don't want to interact with the application but have the tag read and used in code, check out the "DataSubscriber" control. It's pretty slick, it subscribes to the tag in the same way that a visual control does, but it provides "DataChanged" and "DataReturned" methods that you can use to do things in code with the value.

Thankyou for the options to try. I will try this and update you the progress result. Thank you

[jhaycee03]

@dmroeder Thank you to the great info. I will request that details to the client. How about how can I read the Tags from CLX to VB? what toolbar I need to use to detect the Tags?

Well it depends on what you want to do with the data in the tag.  If you simply want to display a value, then the quick start guide walks you through adding a driver, adding a component to display the tag, then setting their properties.

If you want to read the tag in code and do something custom with the data (like log it somewhere), check the end of this and see if it helps:

https://www.advancedhmi.com/documentation/index.php?title=EthernetIPforCLXCom

Hi, Thank you for your guide it help me a lot. But now we try to monitor the Tag using DigitalPanelMeter but we think it is delay. what is the most accurate toolbar to read time to time changes? Thanks

If you are not happy with the update rate of the DigitalPanelMeter, find the driver on your form and look for the property "PollRateOverride", it will probably be a value of 500(ms).  As a test, drop it to 0, this will update your DigitalPanelMeter at the fastest possible rate.  You probably wouldn't want it at 0 if you have a lot of controls using that instance of the driver.  You probably could have 2 drivers, one set to update fast for some objects, the other set to slow for other non critical objects.

Each visual control has a property "ComComponent", which is the driver that the control is assigned to.

Also, there is a better way to read a tag in code that I should have mentioned.  I said use a button and use the button click event.  If you don't want to interact with the application but have the tag read and used in code, check out the "DataSubscriber" control. It's pretty slick, it subscribes to the tag in the same way that a visual control does, but it provides "DataChanged" and "DataReturned" methods that you can use to do things in code with the value.

Thankyou for the options to try. I will try this and update you the progress result. Thank you

Hi, we applied the changing of poll rate from the driver and it works fine thankyou very much for that. For now, let me understand things about the PLC. Once we connect the advancedhmi and PLC, can we control it now? My client want to speed up the reading and push the limits of the PLC or how much PLC can do more. Correct me I'm wrong my understanding is that advancedHMI will just read what is the actual reading of the PLC itself, is that correct? Please guide me more about the PLC or you can give me any article that will me to understand the process. Thank you so much for the help