This integration guide describes the recommended settings for integrating the 1769-L30ER CompactLogix to DeltaV utilizing the Emerson Virtual IO Module 2 (VIM2) with the MYNAH IOD-4116 ODVA EtherNet/IP driver.

Introduction

Resources

1. CompactLogix 5370 Controllers User Manual
2. EtherNet/IP Network Configuration User Manual
3. VIM Help Files

Guide Assumptions
This guide walks through the process of integrating a 1769-L30ER CompactLogix PLC with the VIM2 and DeltaV. In this application note, it is assumed the user is familiar with the necessary procedure of installing, powering up the Emerson VIM2 hardware. Additionally, the guide assumes all hardware, including the CompactLogix components, are installed and ready for integration. For questions on how to install the VIM2 hardware, please refer to the VIM2 Help Files, and for questions on how to install the CompactLogix components, please refer to the CompactLogix 5370 Controllers User Manual. Lastly, it is assumed that the user has installed Logix Designer and is familiar with the basic use of VIMNet Explorer and DeltaV Explorer. For Logix Designer, installation may require addition of secondary Windows PC.

Integration

Jump to 1769-L30ER CompactLogix PLC Configuration
Jump to VIMNet Configuration
Jump to DeltaV Configuration

Theory of Operation

The DeltaV VIM2 provides a native DeltaV I/O interface to the 1769-L30ER CompactLogix PLC via a plant Industrial Ethernet network and open EtherNet/IP protocol. This firmware allows the VIM2 to behave as a Class 1 Server on the network for sensitive I/O transfer, linking the 1769 I/O to the DeltaV system. Additionally, the guide will showcase the use of Unconnected Explicit Controller-to-PLC communication for monitoring data, configuration data, management data, diagnostics data, etc. The EtherNet/IP devices are presented to the DeltaV controller as either Serial devices or DeviceNet devices. This firmware is compatible with the Open DeviceNet Vendors Association (ODVA) EtherNet/IP specification. The firmware supports both Implicit Client/Server and Explicit Client functionality.

1769-L30ER CompactLogix PLC Configuration

To begin the integration process, physically install and connect the CoompactLogix EtherNet/IP capable CPU to the desired Ethernet network via the 100Mbit Ethernet port. There are many ways to set the module’s IP address. MYNAH recommends setting the IP Address using the RSLinx software.

For additional information utilizing this software, please reference Chapter 3 of the EtherNet/IP Network Configuration User Manual linked above. Communications between the nodes in the EtherNet/IP network can be carried out either via I/O Messages or Explicit Messages. The guide outlines the both connection types and the strategies associates with each.

Class 1 ENBT

Each dataset in DeltaV corresponds to a specific ENBT module in the Logix controller I/O network. Configuration of an ENBT module is described below. The Logix controller manages data updates for an ENBT dataset, i.e., the Logix is the Master in this communication. The VIM merely receives the data and sends it up to the DeltaV controller. By nature, this mechanism is very fast, and suitable for high-speed data transfers from the Logix I/O sub-system into DeltaV.

The VIM represents a 1756-ENBT Ethernet module in the controller I/O configuration. Thus, emulating a remote I/O adapter as the communication module for a 1756 chassis. Up to 32-slots may be specified for the chassis configuration. Each Generic I/O module configured in this chassis under the VIM will represent a unique DeltaV dataset. Output data from DeltaV is mapped into the input Logix I/O data and DeltaV input data is mapped as output from the Logix I/O data.

To create an ENBT dataset, follow these steps:

1. In the RSLogix 5000 system, right click on Ethernet as shown below and select New Module.

   

2. When New Module is selected, the following dialog will appear. Select the Ethernet Interface card appropriate for your PLC.
   This module corresponds to the VIM card. Regardless of the parent processor, this one should be a 1756-ENBT. Other interface card types may result in undesired behavior.

   

3. Configure the module as shown below. The specified IP address is for the VIM card.Specify the Slot number as 0, and the Chassis size as 32. This will allow you to add a maximum of 32 ENBT connections into the VIM. Select all other parameters as shown.
   It is very important that Comm Format and Electronic Keying are set as shown, if they are not, the VIM will not be able to communicate with the PLC.

   

4. Right-click on the VIM Ethernet Module and select New Module.
   This will be the module that represents the DeltaV Dataset in the Logix configuration.

   

5. From the presented list of modules, select the 1756-Module as shown below.
   Always select the 1756-MODULE, using any other module type may result in undesired behavior.

   

6. Specify the properties of the 1756-Module.
   This module is equivalent to the DeltaV dataset. Specify the Name corresponding to the DeltaV dataset or some other meaningful string.

   

7. In the Assembly Instance column, the Input and Output parameters are the dataset index numbers. In this example, these are specified as 81. Valid range for these parameters is 1-128. This parameter is calculated based on the VIMNet Explorer connection definition configured later in this article. The assembly instance must be unique for each connection definition. It is recommended to use the same value for both the Input Assembly Instance and the Output Assembly Instance. Else, an Input Only Comm Format may be selected in which only the Input Assembly Instance will be available (Output from DeltaV).
8. The Input and Output Size Parameters should match the number of values in the DeltaV dataset. Configuration parameters should always be specified as shown. Lastly, specify the Comm Format. The Comm format corresponds to the DeltaV data type. For example, INT corresponds to 16-bit unsigned int.
   Do not use any data type other than an array of a basic type. The VIM as a Class 1 Server does not support user-defined data types.
9. Click Next to specify the Requested Packet Interval. The following dialog is shown. Specify the time as 400ms.
   This parameter specifies how frequently the Logix will update the VIM. For few (less than 8) datasets, an RPI of 200ms may be used. For more than 16 datasets, the RPI may have to be adjusted up to the maximum (slowest) rate of 750ms. Click Finish, to complete the module configuration.
   Configuring an RPI of less than 100ms is not recommended. The VIM will not be able to keep up with messages from Logix, causing datasets to have bad status.

   

10. Create the 1756-MODULE for the second DeltaV Dataset
    Note that this module is configured for DeltaV dataset 2, and has a Comm Format of REAL. This corresponds to a DeltaV dataset of type floating point, with a maximum of 50 registers.

    

11. The final configuration with two ENBT connections will appear as follows:

    

Unconnected Tag Access Client

DeltaV Datasets can be configured to read/write standard Logix Controller Tags. The VIM uses unconnected explicit messages to do this data exchange. Where these native data tags are within the scope of the Logix controller. The VIM can then read/write the registers in a native controller tag, using exact tag name in the path of the request. The following steps define how to configure a controller tag:

The steps detailed below should be completed in Studio 5000 Logix Designer.

1. Right click on Controller Tag to create a new tag.

   

2. Name the new tag.
   The dialog below will appear. Give the controller tag a meaningful name and select all other parameters.

   

3. Specify the Data Type of the tag.
   The data type should match the DeltaV dataset data type. For example, if the tag registers are to be referenced as 16-bit values, then select the data type as INT. Furthermore, if the values in the tag are floating point numbers, select the data type as REAL. Correspondingly, the DeltaV dataset will be of type floating point. Click on the ellipsis to select the data type. The following list will be displayed to allow data type selection. In addition, also select the number of values in the tag by changing the Array Dimension parameter. In our example, we are configuring a tag with 100 integer values. For DeltaV usage, the tags will be single dimension arrays, i.e., Dim1 will always be 0.

   

4. Click OK and the tag properties will be added.
   The dialog will appear as follows:

   

5. Click Create to add the tag.
   The VIM may read Tags of a User-Defined type. However, elements of the structure will be read individually. Processing numerous piecewise Tags will put a greater load on the VIM than reading array of a single data type structure. When plausible with Tag Access, it is recommended to map single dimensional array structures to DeltaV datasets.

VIMNet Configuration

It is assumed the user has successfully flash upgraded the VIM2 to the MYNAH IOD-4116 ODVA EtherNet/IP driver. As a reminder, to properly flash upgrade to IOD-4116, the user should flash the VIM2 to the latest version of Simulation firmware before flash upgrading to the ODVA EtherNet/IP driver. If unsure as to how to flash upgrade a VIM2, MYNAH has released a guide in the online VIM help files here that can serve as a template.

In VIMNet Explorer, the user must specify either a Serial Card EthernetIP Definition or DeviceNet EthernetIP Definition. For this example, a Serial Card EthernetIP Definition will be used to form the connection between DeltaV and the VIM. Proceed to right-click on “Serial Card EthernetIP Definition Library” and “Add Connection Definition”, as shown below:

A pop-up window will appear that asks the user to configure the EtherNet/IP Interface Definition as well as the DeltaV Serial Card Mapping. This connection definition is not tied to one particular instance of a specific device, i.e. this connection definition can be used to integrate more than one device of the same make and model into DeltaV.

Tab 1 represents the EtherNet/IP Interface which defines the Ethernet connection between the VIM and the device in the field.
Tab 2 represents the DeltaV Serial Card Mapping which defines the Railbus connection between the VIM and the DeltaV Controller IO.

Class 1 Server

For the EtherNet/IP Interface Definition match the Implicit Class 1 Adapter configuration for the VIM with the 1756-Module(s) configured in the Logix section above.

For the DeltaV Serial Card Mapping, the user is only required to define the datasets. In the example below, the default DeltaV Output dataset has been removed which will result in a connection with only a DeltaV Input dataset.

Continue to configure all desirable connection definitions defining the desirable assembly instance ranges.

Now that the connection definitions have been defined, the user can create a VIM2 I/O Net placeholder for the ODVA EtherNet/IP VIM2. First, add a device with the CompactLogix IP Address under a desired serial card port, next “Add Connection” of the newly created connection definitions to this device. This is shown below:

VIMNet auto-generates the necessary dataset configuration required to bridge the connection between DeltaV Controller and ControlLogix PLC.

The input datasets to DeltaV are mapped to the 1756-Module Output Assembly Instance in the ControlLogix I/O Configuration. DeltaV output datasets are mapped to the 1756-Module Input Assembly Instance in the ControlLogix I/O Configuration.

Unconnected Tag Access Client

Unconnected Explicit Messaging connection definitions may also be configured to transmit monitoring data, configuration data, management data, diagnostics data, etc. between DeltaV and the device. Below showcases the configuration to read a 16-bit unsigned integer array from the controller tags:

The DeltaV Serial Card Mapping is not required for Unconnected Explicit Tag Access messaging. These details are interpolated from the defined EtherNet/IP Interface settings.

In the example above, we have entered the Tag Name manually into the connection definition configuration. The following additional methods exist for generating a tag list:

• Tag Browser/Capture using an .L5X
• Tag Browser/Capture using an onine PLC
• Generating a tag list .CSV

For information regarding the additional methodologies, please consult the ODVA section of the VIM2 Help Files.

Upload VIM Configuration & Export FHX File

At this time, the VIM2 may be commissioned and the configuration uploaded. Refer to the online VIM2 Help Files if unsure how to perform these actions. The user may now proceed to prepare the DeltaV system for communication with the CompactLogix PLC. These datasets may be manually created in the DeltaV Controller’s I/O tree. Mismatched configuration errors will generate if the DeltaV configuration does not match the VIMNet configuration. VIMNet Explorer has the capability to export a DeltaV FHX file from the card level to help with generation of DSTs in DeltaV, and it is recommended the user take full advantage of this functionality. Save the FHX export file to a convenient location.

DeltaV Configuration

It is assumed that the user has already created a new DeltaV database and ProfessionalPlus station. To begin integrating the ControlLogix PLC into DeltaV, create a new controller in DeltaV Explorer and provide it the same name as the Node in VIMNet Explorer. This is a strict requirement to ensure the FHX import from the VIM2 above functions properly. Once the controller has been created, proceed to commission it and autosense the DeltaV cards emulated by the VIM2. This operation may take a few minutes, but once complete, cards 57-60 (or 61-64, depending on how the user originally specified the VIM2 configuration) should appear. At this time, import the FHX file saved above by following the procedure outlined in the image below:

When the pop-up window appears, browse to the FHX file and select “Open.” The file should automatically import the CompactLogix Data as DSTs as shown in the image below:

Download the DeltaV Controller. DeltaV should now begin communicating with the CompactLogix PLC automatically. As communications are initiated, the VIM2 flags the controller with new data, which in turn, the controller polls from the VIM. Likewise, when data is ready to write from the assigned controller module, the controller communicates this data to the VIM registers, which in turn, the VIM sends to the device. Logix Designer is established by first selecting the Path to the process and then with “Communications -> Go Online”. Download the program to the CompactLogix PLC and start it with “Communications -> Run Mode”. I/O can now be observable between DeltaV and the ControlLogix PLC.

Data can now be observed online with Logix Designer.

To verify proper communications between DeltaV and the ControlLogix PLC, the user can create modules and assign them to the controller in DeltaV. In these modules, the user can create input and output blocks, and link them to the corresponding DSTs generated by the FHX import. The mapping of the physical connection of the CompactLogix PLC to the signals configured in VIMNet Explorer (and therefore passed into DeltaV) can be inferred from the Logix Designer.

DeltaV Diagnostics is a good tool for diagnosing status issues on bad datasets as well as quickly viewing input data with the “View Dataset Registers” right-click selection.

At this point, DeltaV has been integrated with the ControlLogix.

Please contact MYNAH for any questions about this integration at:

MYNAH Technologies
390 South Woods Mill, Suite 100
Chesterfield, MO 63017 USA
1.636.728.2000
support@mynah.com