Re: [foxboro] Integration or replacement of AB PLC5 BMS?

We have 3 AB Integrator 30s here, talking to 3-5 PLC-5s apiece.  I have 
yet to get one to saturate a 9600 baud serial link, which I can't 
understand, since I was able to do this in school with a lowly Z-80.  We 
talked to Foxboro about improving the capacity/communications efficiency, 
and they gave us some helpful advice (as few ABSCAN blocks as possible, 
wiith as many scanned registers/bits each as possible; ABSCANs carry a lot 
of comm overhead), but when we tried to implement the changes, the 
integrators got really flaky on us.  ABSCANs would smurf for no apparent 
reason, usually requiring a change in scan period or phase to get them to 
come back.  Worse, at times the blocks would "freeze", not updating values 
but showing good.  These usually take an initialize/reload cycle to fix. 
We finally left them alone.  One is running with 200%+ IO load, and can 
take several seconds to update points, but I didn't know what else to do 
with it.

So then we got an AW70 OPC integrator for some other OPC stuff we were 
doing.  No, I don't like the Windows box either, but with XP, it's been 
pretty reliable (the NT version locked up every 1.5-2 months).  I plan 
over time to migrate the PLCs to that box, as Rockwell RSLinx running on 
it handles comms far better than the I30 does (and it can cross bridges on 
the AB highways, which the I30 cannot).


Maybe with just one PLC you will have better luck.  And unless you are at 
version 8+, it's the only redundant option you really have.  But IMHO it 
is not Foxboro's best AB integration solution.  The AW70 integrator is 
expensive, and not redundant, so you may not want that, but it's working 
alright for us.  The FBM224 (you'd have to use Modbus there I think) works 
well (for Modbus at least), but it's not module redundant, and requires a 
CP60.  If you have V8.x I/A and CP270s, the FDSI sounds good, and is 
module redundant.


Corey Clingo
BASF Corp.





"Baptiste, Nigel" <NBaptiste@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent by: foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
03/31/2006 06:50 AM
Please respond to
foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


To
<foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
cc

Subject
[foxboro] Integration or replacement of AB PLC5 BMS?







Hello List,

At our plant we are considering a boiler control upgrade and the BCS =
would be upgraded to the Fox I/A. However, the BMS is an AB PLC5 system =
and the decision to be made is whether to replace it and implement in =
I/A system or use an integrator.

Does anyone have experiences with this sort of integration?

What are the pros/cons.

Cost would be a factor in the decision making process - however, =
reliability is key.

Regards,
NB.



 
 
_______________________________________________________________________
This mailing list is neither sponsored nor endorsed by Invensys Process
Systems (formerly The Foxboro Company). Use the info you obtain here at
your own risks. Read http://www.thecassandraproject.org/disclaimer.html
 
foxboro mailing list:             http://www.freelists.org/list/foxboro
to subscribe:         mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=join
to unsubscribe:      mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=leave

Other related posts: