ETH I/P to serial ASCII - ideally from several PLC's to a single serial device

Anybus Support Anybus Gateways
#1

I need to send simple short ASCII commands like F002 to a very simple device, and then listen for single character responses. Hyperterminal works for this so that demonstrates how simple this back and forth is.

My issue is that I have used a PLC-5 for this for decades and it needs to go so I’m looking for an way to send these simple commands from newer controllogix or compactlogix PLC’s . Ideally from any number of source PLC’s though that might not be possible.

The EN2SE-R was recommended to me, I have looked all over for example code and all I find is modbus. Has anyone done this that can can show me some screenshot examples of how this looks inside the PLC code?

#2

Hi Mac,

The hms-en2se-r has a generic mode to send serial messages. This allows you to send and receive ACSII messages.

You could also look into the ABC3007. This would have the same functionality. https://www.anybus.com/docs/librariesprovider7/default-document-library/videos/hms-how-to-setup-a-custom-produce-consume-protocol.mp4?sfvrsn=4a24f6d7_4

#3

I was talking with someone at HMS - Brian if memory serves - and he said that the older looking model was a better fit for what I was trying to do. I don’t know enough about the differences to know for sure but he was pretty confident.
In either case I was hoping to see with visual examples what it took from a programming perspective to do this simple ASCII back and forth and not an example geared to modbus comms which muddys the waters.
And as I mentioned - is it even possible to set this or the other device standalone and have many PLC’s use it instead of using a PLC as a concentrator to it.

#4

Hi MAC,
Sorry for the delay, I was looking for an example but never did find one.

Both devices work roughly the same. The linking device has an add on profile with the software built in. The video i linked above shows how a message would be setup in the ABC3xxx communicators. It configures a data object. When added to the PLC it will be an array of bytes you can add data to.
A similar setup would be done for the HMS-EN2SE-R, but though its configuration software. Here is a matching example with a produce of 9 bytes consume of 9 bytes. The only addition you would need to do in the linking device software would be to add the input and output tags.
Produce9_consume9.cfg (16.0 KB)

#5

I appreciate the effort. It sounds like the ABC3xxx is the updated version of the other one then.
Is there a demo program I can try one of these for a couple weeks?

#6

Hi Mac,

We don’t do demos. You will want to reach out to your distributor for more help.

PS. both devices can accomplish what you are looking for, depending on you time line it might come down to what is available

#7

Copy that, I reached out to my rep,