Promotic

PmOmronFINS - Driver for communication with OMRON PLC devices by the FINS protocol

This driver serves for communication with OMRON PLC devices by the FINS protocol. See also Communication with Omron PLC devices.

The FINS protocol (Factory Interface Network Service) is a network protocol for PLC devices by the OMRON company working on different physical networks like Ethernet, Controller Link or DeviceNet. This driver is designed only for Ethernet.

Before using this driver in the PROMOTIC application it is highly recommended to watch "PROMOTIC video tutorial 4 - Communication drivers".

Basic properties of the driver:
- Usage of this driver requires purchase of the PmOmron licence. When developing the application in the freeware mode PmFree, or with development environment and while testing it in runtime, this component is always functional.
- The communication is done for Ethernet (PROMOTIC application is client).
- The PROMOTIC application is the Master (it means that it initiates the data transfer) from this communication point of view.
- The driver is incorporated into the PROMOTIC system by means of the PmaComm object.
The driver supports the usage of the PmaCommGroup object. The PmaCommMsg object cannot be used.
For easy integration of this driver into the application it is handy to use: Preconfigurations in group "Omron - PLC device"


Recommended values of the PmaComm object parameters:

Recommended values for the Ethernet-client parameters:
TCP/UDP remote port number9600 (default) (can be changed).
 
See: Wikipedia: A list of TCP and UDP port numbers used by protocols to run network applications.
Ethernet transfer type
TCP - Designed for FINS TCP type.
UDP - Designed for FINS UDP type.
Not connect until first transferNOT checked (mandatory)
Close connection after every transferNOT checked (mandatory). After each connection, it is necessary to transfer several initialization messages and if the connection is closed repeatedly, the communication speed would be decreased significantly.
Description and recommended values for the Protocol parameters:
Protocol data type
FINS TCP - Use this type:
- if the FINS nodes are connected through several IP layers
- if the connection quality is poor (for example for wireless LAN)
FINS UDP - Use this type:
- if the FINS nodes are connected to the same Ethernet segment (FINS UDP provides higher bandwidth)
- if the remote device does not support FINS/TCP
Source Network AddressNumber of FINS network where the PROMOTIC application is located. If the network contains only a single Ethernet layer, then is entered 0.
Source NodeNumber of PROMOTIC application node (PC identifier) in the FINS network.
The default value is 253.
If using FINS TCP and entering the value 0 then the PLC device assigns the value automatically.
Source UnitFormal number of the program on the computer (of the PROMOTIC application). Usually is 0.
Destination Network AddressNumber of FINS network where the PLC device communicating with the PROMOTIC application is located. If the network contains only a single Ethernet layer, then is entered 0.
Destination NodeNumber of the PLC device node (PLC identifier) in the FINS network. The value is configured by jumpers in the PLC device. The FINS network topology allows to have one or multiple FINS nodes behind a single IP address.
Destination UnitNumber of logical unit (parts) in the PLC device. The OMRON PLC can be logically divided into several parts (units). The typical parts are the CPU, internal bus, perifery unit, communication module, memory of different types, etc. If a compact PLC is used then the value 0 is entered, otherwise follow the device documentation.

The communication description by means of the PmaCommGroup object

The variables in the PmaCommGroup object (or even better the variables in the PmaData object with ExtComm data extension) can be of arbitrary number, type and order. The driver uses optimalised internal communication messages for reading the data from the device.
All variables are read (if the "Data refresh enabled" configurator is checked). When writing into the variable, only the single variable is sent into the device (if the "Auto send when writing to item" configurator is checked).

The driver supports the following data types:
- W: (Word) In the PLC device stored on 2 bytes (from 0 to +65 535).
In the PROMOTIC application represented by the Long data type.
- I: (Integer) In the PLC device stored on 2 bytes (from -32 768 to +32767).
In the PROMOTIC application represented by the Integer data type.
- L: (Long) In the PLC device stored on 4 bytes (from -2 147 483 648 to +2 147 483 647).
bytes order PC:1234, PLC:4321.
In the PROMOTIC application represented by the Long data type.
- L1: (Long) In the PLC device stored on 4 bytes (from -2 147 483 648 to +2 147 483 647).
bytes order PC:1234, PLC:2143.
In the PROMOTIC application represented by the Long data type.
- R: (Real) In the PLC device stored on 4 bytes.
bytes order PC:1234, PLC:4321.
In the PROMOTIC application represented by the Single data type.
- R1: (Real) In the PLC device stored on 4 bytes.
bytes order PC:1234, PLC:2143.
In the PROMOTIC application represented by the Single data type.
- Bit: (1 bit)
In the PROMOTIC application represented by the Boolean data type.


The driver supports the following data areas:
- CIO = Common Input/Output Register
- WR = Working Relay Register
- HR = Holding Relay Register
- AR = Auxiliary Relay Register
- TIM = Timer Register
- CNT = Counter Register
- DM = Data Memory Register
- EM = Extendet Data Memory Register
- TK = Task Flag. The data type is Bit.
- TKS = Task Flag Status. The value je stored in one byte.

For all areas (except for TK and TKS) the "index" represents an index to array of values of 16-bit registers (W data type). Even if the 32-bit data types (L and R) are used then the "index" specifies the index of lower 16-bit registry. The ItemId identifier can (but also may not) contain the specification of forced data type (b, I, L, R).

Description of the "ItemId" configurator:
ItemId is the text identifier of the item that is used for addressing the item in the device. The "ItemId" configurator tells the driver how to receive or send the item value.
The text can be written manually, or it can be assembled in the window opened by the button to the right of the configurator.
Macro expression can be used for input (it is evaluated after the application is launched).
Examples of the identifier syntax:
- CIO15 = The W type value in CIO data area on the index 15.
- CIO9.5 = The value of the bit 5 in the CIO data area on the index 9.
- DM8.L = The L type value in DM data area on the index 8 and 9.
- TK3 = The Bit type value in TK data area on the index 3.
- TKS7 = The value of the Byte type in TKS data area on the index 7.


Description of the "PmaCommGroup > Parameters > Special Parameters" configurator:
This configurator is not used for given driver.

History:
Pm8.03.27: Sometimes after the PLC was switched off and on the driver stopped communicating.
Pm8.03.25: Added data type L1 and R1.
Pm8.03.15: the EM register is now supported.
Pm8.03.01: Created
PROMOTIC 9.0.27 SCADA system documentation MICROSYS, spol. s r.o.

Send page remarkContact responsible person
© MICROSYS, spol. s r.o.