Hello,
I am new to Codesys, and am trying to learn about it for a project we're developing. I've got a couple questions, but first a little explanation of the project:
What we're doing is controlling a portable rollformer for roofing metal, so we want a PLC with a 7" HMI. The specific requirement from the customer is that they do not want touchscreen operation - all navigation and entry on the screen needs to be via buttons/function keys/membrane keypad/something like that... It seems to be extremely difficult to find an HMI that will work, especially because it also needs to function down to -10 degrees C, and hopefully be readable outdoors. The machines get mounted in enclosed trailers, and the screen is just inside the trailer door, so that the operator can just open the trailer door to use the machine (see attached pic). So the screen needs to be more or less rated for outdoor use.
So, I finally found the IFM CR1074. It seems like this should check all the boxes. I haven't ordered one to try yet; I'm mostly exploring Codesys at this point.
What I'll want to do is use the CR1074 as just an HMI, and have it communicate with a Do-More BRX PLC via Modbus (or maybe Ethernet/IP?). What I'm not sure of is how to set this all up, and how/if it'll work. On the PLC side I'll have roughly 50 bits and 50 Dword variables that I'll map into the Modbus memory blocks. That's all easy and I've done it before. But then in Codesys I'll need to set up the Modbus addresses, and I expect I'll have to convert the registers to the 32 bit integers as needed. Some of these variables will be available to edit on screen (ie. the operator will type in quantity of parts to cut and target length, using a USB numeric keypad plugged into the CR1974). Those edited variables will need to be written back to the PLC.
On a "normal" HMI the data conversion and Modbus writes (ie after entering data into a numeric field) are taken care of and I don't have to mess with any of that. But I'm not sure how that all works in Codesys, and am not finding much information online. Should the CR1074 be the Modbus slave, or Master? How do I set it up, so that it'll display values read from the PLC, and I can type in a new value that gets written back to the PLC?
Any insight would be appreciated!
I am new to Codesys, and am trying to learn about it for a project we're developing. I've got a couple questions, but first a little explanation of the project:
What we're doing is controlling a portable rollformer for roofing metal, so we want a PLC with a 7" HMI. The specific requirement from the customer is that they do not want touchscreen operation - all navigation and entry on the screen needs to be via buttons/function keys/membrane keypad/something like that... It seems to be extremely difficult to find an HMI that will work, especially because it also needs to function down to -10 degrees C, and hopefully be readable outdoors. The machines get mounted in enclosed trailers, and the screen is just inside the trailer door, so that the operator can just open the trailer door to use the machine (see attached pic). So the screen needs to be more or less rated for outdoor use.
So, I finally found the IFM CR1074. It seems like this should check all the boxes. I haven't ordered one to try yet; I'm mostly exploring Codesys at this point.
What I'll want to do is use the CR1074 as just an HMI, and have it communicate with a Do-More BRX PLC via Modbus (or maybe Ethernet/IP?). What I'm not sure of is how to set this all up, and how/if it'll work. On the PLC side I'll have roughly 50 bits and 50 Dword variables that I'll map into the Modbus memory blocks. That's all easy and I've done it before. But then in Codesys I'll need to set up the Modbus addresses, and I expect I'll have to convert the registers to the 32 bit integers as needed. Some of these variables will be available to edit on screen (ie. the operator will type in quantity of parts to cut and target length, using a USB numeric keypad plugged into the CR1974). Those edited variables will need to be written back to the PLC.
On a "normal" HMI the data conversion and Modbus writes (ie after entering data into a numeric field) are taken care of and I don't have to mess with any of that. But I'm not sure how that all works in Codesys, and am not finding much information online. Should the CR1074 be the Modbus slave, or Master? How do I set it up, so that it'll display values read from the PLC, and I can type in a new value that gets written back to the PLC?
Any insight would be appreciated!
