FBM230 is for single-ported devices. It has 4 ports which can be individual= ly set as RS232, RS422 or RS485. RS232/422 are single-drop, so 4 devices co= uld be attached to each FBM. RS485 allows multidrop for a total of 64 devic= es distributed over the 4 ports. (Keep in mind that data loading may restri= ct the number of devices to less than 64.) FBM231 is the redundant version = for dual-ported devices. FBM232 is for Ethernet 10/100 TCP/IP or UDP/IP communication. It supports 6= 4 devices through hubs or switches. FBM233 is the redindant version for dua= l-poerted devices. Some docs you'll want to read: B0700AH - FDSI User's Guide B0700BG - FDSI Driver for Modbus (Serial & TCP/IP) (FBM230/231/232/233) B0700BH - FDSI Driver for OPC Client (only FBM232/233) B0700BJ - FDSI Driver for Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLC (only FBM232/233) The basic principle is there is a FBM driver file (.ZIPH) and a port config= uration file (.XML) for each FBM. There is a device configuration file (.XM= L) for each device attached to the FBM. The format of these .XML files diff= ers depending on the type of FBM, the driver and the device. For example, the Modbus driver pre-defines all the transaction types, so th= ere is no need to build the equivalent of MDSCAN or FDSCAN blocks to define= the transactions. The DCI blocks simply refer to the addresses within each= transacton type. So to read 16 inputs (Modbus FC2) starting bit 73, PAKIN.= PNT would simply be 10073:C16. The driver already know that 10073 falls wit= hin the range for FC2. The driver manuals explain all the details of addres= sing for each protocol. Brad Wilson brad.wilson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Invensys Systems, Inc 1090 King Georges Post Rd, Suite 204 Edison, NJ 08837 732-874-0087 -----Original Message----- From: foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On= Behalf Of Corey R Clingo Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 3:09 PM To: foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [foxboro] RE =A0: Communication problem b/w FBM231 & AB PLC >>The AB Gateway (or Integrator30) limiting resource is usually the RS232 = baud rate, likely 19, 200. Not in our experience. Our Int30As will not saturate even a 9600 baud = serial link, a fact which I find puzzling to this day, given the hardware. = We do generally have more than one PLC per A-B highway (but not an = excessive number), but the Honeywell PLCGs I used to use fared far better = in a multiple-PLC scenario than Int30s do, and Rockwell RSLinx is in = another universe entirely performance-wise. = Since our efforts to optimize the gateways led to even more problems = (frozen data with no system errors, primarily), we are switching slowly to = an AW70 integrator. It's not a situation I like, but the AW70 has much = better performance (it uses RSLinx to deal with the PLCs), and it's about = our only other option unless we decide to go to V8 and CP270s. In = addition (because of RSLinx), it can read _any_ PLC data from _any_ A-B = PLC, regardless of the PLC type or the manner in which it's connected. = Int30s can't deal with anything not directly connected to the highway they = are attached to. That said, you are correct about the desire to pack the data and read as = many (contiguous) registers with as few ABSCANs as possible. The effects = of ABSCAN processing overhead can be profound -- we noticed it the few = times we were able to make the changes without any other adverse = side-effects. Now, back to Imran's question :) The addressing format will be different = in the FBM231s than on the DI I imagine. I've never set up a FBM231, but = to continue my previous example, a CIN that referenced a bit in B3 on the = Int30 might have a PNT_NO of 3:0.1, where in the AW70 it would be an FCIN = block with a PNT_NO of [PLC_NAME]B3:0.1. For the AW70 I found this out by = trial and error with an OPC test tool (the AW70 reads in data via OPC), = but I found this documentation for my FBM224s in the Modbus FBM User's = Guide. So your block types will be different ("standard I/A" in the DI = vs. DCI in the FBM231), and the IOM_ID and PNT_NO will likely be = different. Unfortunately I did not find a document on the Invensys site = that described the addressing format for serial-connected A-B PLCs; they = only seem to have one for OPC connections. Corey Clingo BASF Corporation "Doucet, Terrence" <tdoucet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> = Sent by: foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 09/17/2007 10:14 AM Please respond to foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To <foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> cc Subject [foxboro] RE : Communication problem b/w FBM231 & AB PLC Imran, The AB Gateway (or Integrator30) limiting resource is usually the RS232 = baud rate, likely 19, 200. Each serial communication consists of = overhead (addresses, security check, etc) that do not provide information = about your process and data (your process good stuff) that all must be = part of the 19,200 baud. You need to try and minimize the overhead by = reading (or writing) contiguous bytes of PLC data. Most users get the PLC logic to move the various pieces of information in = the PLC into contiguous data areas in the PLC and then the Foxboro = Integrators read that contiguous data with the largest read that is = possible. If you just read your input data directly, most of your 19,200 baud would = be overhead. It takes a little work to map the data in and then read it = out on the Foxboro side but it is well worth the effort. At 19,200 baud = you can usually read about 350 bytes per second of your data but there are = a lot of other factors (like the number of PLC's on your DH+ network) that = could lower this 350 bytes per second. Also you need to keep writes from = the Foxboro to the PLC to low numbers per second. = = _______________________________________________________________________ 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. 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