Ethernet/IP Tag Client

The KAS RuntimeIn computer science, runtime (or run-time) describes the operation of a computer program, the duration of its execution, from beginning to termination (compare compile time). Within KAS, runtime also refers to the virtual machine that manage the program written in a computer language while it is running includes fully integrated EthernetEthernet is a large, diverse family of frame-based computer networking technologies that operate at many speeds for local area networks (LANs)/IP client driver for exchanging tags with Ethernet/IP tag based devices such as PLCs.

Data exchange - configuration

A dedicated configuration tool is integrated in the KAS IDE"Integrated development environment" An integrated development environment is a type of computer software that assists computer programmers in developing software. IDEs normally consist of a source code editor, a compiler and/or interpreter, build-automation tools, and a debugger.

1. Double-click the FieldbusA Fieldbus is an industrial network system for real-time distributed control (e.g. CAN or Profibus). It is a way of connecting instruments in a plant design node in the project explorer to open it
2. Click the Insert Configuration icon to add the Fieldbus configuration
3. Then select the Ethernet/IP Tag Client in the configuration selector
   

The configuration is represented as a tree:

• Ethernet/IP Tag Client
  
  • Server (an Ethernet/IP adapter device) (*)
    
    • Tag (generally an array) (*)
      
      • Exchanged variable (*)
        

  (*) The items with this mark can appear several times in the configuration.

DriverIn computing and electronics, a driver is a software component allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a computer hardware device. A driver typically communicates with the device through the computer bus or communications subsystem to which the hardware is connected and configurator are optimized for exchanging arrays (tags declared as arrays in the PLC"Programmable Logic Controller" A Programmable Logic Controller, PLC, or Programmable Controller is a digital computer used for automation of industrial processes, such as control of machinery on factory assembly lines. Used to synchronize the flow of inputs from (physical) sensors and events with the flow of outputs to actuators and events). However it is also possible to exchange single tags.

Configuration

Click the Insert Master icon to declare an server (slave device). Each server is identified by its IP address and an optional description text.

Then you need to configure tags such as declared in the PLC:

• The easiest way is to right-click on the server in the tree and select the Add ARRAY Tag command in the contextual menu. Then you enter the properties of the tag request and the symbol of the corresponding array to be used in your IEC61131-3IEC 61131-3 is the third part of the open international standard IEC 61131. The current (second) edition was published in 2003. IEC 61131-3 currently defines five programming languages for programmable control systems It deals with programming languages and defines two graphical and two textual PLC programming language standards application. Configuration of the tag and mapping of all array items is performed automatically.
• Alternatively you can click the Insert Slaver icon to declare the tag and map some variables later on.

A tag request is identified by:

Identifier	Meaning
Tag name	The name of the tag such as declared in the PLC
PLC Slot	PLC slot number
Mode	Read or Write (note that the same tag can be configured twice for both reading and writing)
Nb Elements	Number of array items to read or write
Offset	O-based index of the first item to read or write in the array
Tag data type	Data type of the tag such as declared in the PLC. Available Types are: BOOL (single Boolean variable on 1 byte - 00=FALSE / FF=TRUE) SINT (8 bit signed integer) INT (16 bit signed integer) DINT (32 bit signed integer) DWORD (32 bit string) DWORD should be selected if the tag is declared in the PLC as an array of bits.
Period(ms)	You can specify in this parameter a period for continuously sending the request. Enter "0" for a request sent "on demand"
Timeout	Request timeout in milliseconds

IEC61131IEC standard for Programmable logic controllers (PLCs)-3 variables are mapped on the data of the tag, for each variable you must specify:

Identifier	Meaning
Symbol	The name of the IEC61131-3 variable
Offset	Offset in bytes in the assembly data
Bit	Bit offset in the selected byte if format is "Bit"
Format	Format of the data in the assembly
Mode	Kind of data exchanged through the variable: Data Exchange: a piece of input or output data in the assembly Server OK: indicates the status of the IP connection to the server Send Request Now: will be used as a command for activating the request [transaction counter]: increased each time the request is sent [general status]: CIP"Common Industrial Protocol " The Common Industrial Protocol allows complete integration of control with information, multiple CIP Networks, and Internet technologies error code (0 = OK) [extended status]: CIP extended error code (0 = OK)

The tag will be read or written:

• periodically if a non zero period is specified in the tag configuration
• when a variable configured as "Send Request Now" becomes TRUE

In the case of a command variable, the variable is automatically reset to FALSE when the request is sent.

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• The data limit is: 500 bytes of data maximum O(originator)->T(target) and 500 bytes of data maximum T(target) -> O(originator). This is based on the Ethernet/IP specification.