JB2020 (Customer) asked a question.
I have a product distribution system that is running on Productivity 2000s and Cmore HMIs. The vendor who manufactured this equipment followed my recommendations as far as using Productivity and Cmore, but the communication setup they chose is not what I would have used.
There are 5 panels - a Main Panel and then a panel for each product bin. All of these panels are connected via Ethernet. However, they chose to use Ethernet to the Main 15 inch HMI but not to the rest of the smaller 7 inch HMIs. They also chose to put a P2-550 CPU in each panel instead of going the Remote IO route and using the P2-RS.
Attached below is a Excel document with a drawing of how it is connected vs how I would like it to be connected. The 2 drawings are separated using the tabs at the bottom.
My question is - Can I change this all over to Ethernet only without changing a whole program?
I know I can change the communication protocols in Cmore software...But will that affect the addressing of all the objects on the HMIs?
Basically, can I assign IP addresses to each HMI, change the protocol to Productivity Ethernet, and plug in an Ethernet cable, and be good to go?
Thanks!
FYI- I had setup serial connection from hmi to plc- then wanted to go ethernet- if I remember correctly. I deleted the serial connection and all the tags reverted to to internal tags which then i had to change each one to the device I added (ethernet) like device two. So next time (long time ago) I added the ethernet first already had the serial with tags assigned to serial (device1), added ethernet software made it device 2, then deleted device one(serial) and I think software gave me a choice of where to assign the tags since I was deleting where they were assigned. The choice was internal or device 2 (you may want to test this but if memory serves me correctly), so I chose device 2 and then did not have to reassign each tag to new device 2. Point being if you have to reassign each tag and you have a lot ouch, they should add a way to batch change a lot of tags to different device.
Before me they had serial from all hmi's to plc (in same panel with green serial cable) I added ethernet so I could program from my office or network connection. I really did not have to remove serial connection in hmi setup so now I have serial connection to all hmi's from plc and ethernet connection very nice (do not reassign tags leave them on serial, great again if network ever goes down)so in office I can see all EA9 panel in the plant(only 1 EA7 panel left which is great cause EA7 you can not do web interface so if making changes I still have to walk out in plant to EA7 panel to verify but can make change from office), and then enabled web interface so again in office I can pull up any hmi monitor or control machine, with plc software running also in status or monitor mode then if i make any changes to either plc or hmi i can stay in office to test and verify. Of course anything super critical or safety related I still go to machine to verify changes. I suppose I could also pull up IP camera's also and observe but like to get out in plant once in a while. Moto is work smarter not harder, getting older but wiser.
Sorry got long winded, hope these tips will help other in future. probably nobody will read since best answer already marked, but still, I guess bored today, ready for weekend.