CIP Generic messaging between a Micro800 PLC and Rice Lake SCT40-IPN scale

[kchap]

Hello, all you smart folks. I am in a bind trying to configure CIP Generic message instructions in Connected Components Workbench to enable communications between a Micro 850 PLC and a Rice Lake SCT40-IPN scale controller. While I have used CIP messaging in Logix 5000 and 500 PLC's, this is my first attempt in CCW. My problems are twofold: Due to my lack of understanding of the "guts" of CIP messaging, I do not know which MSG instruction tags I need to apply values to (outside of Service, Class, Instance, and Attribute), and then I do not know the specific values I need to enter for communicating with the Rice Lake scale. Could someone provide me with guidance on CIP messaging in general, and messaging between the Micro 850 and scale specifically? Thank you!

 

[petersonra]

One might think Rice Lake would have some kind of tech note on this. I would contact their tech support line and see what they have available.

Configuring Ethernet/IP messaging is a PITA anyway if they don't give you a few hints and my luck with the Micro 800 PLCs has been uniformly bad. I refuse to quote them.

 

[kchap]

One might think Rice Lake would have some kind of tech note on this. I would contact their tech support line and see what they have available.

Configuring Ethernet/IP messaging is a PITA anyway if they don't give you a few hints and my luck with the Micro 800 PLCs has been uniformly bad. I refuse to quote them.

I have the manual for the scale, but it is not terribly helpful. Otherwise I have not been able to find relevant documentation. I did reach out to Rice Lake and hope to hear back from their PLC specialist soon. In the meantime, I thought I would post here to see if anyone can offer insight.

In regard to the Micro 800, I have one customer who insists that I use it so as to minimize costs. Until now it has not been a problem, but yeah... the Micro 800 and CCW are just a nightmare to work with.

 

[petersonra]

I have the manual for the scale, but it is not terribly helpful. Otherwise I have not been able to find relevant documentation. I did reach out to Rice Lake and hope to hear back from their PLC specialist soon. In the meantime, I thought I would post here to see if anyone can offer insight.

In regard to the Micro 800, I have one customer who insists that I use it so as to minimize costs. Until now it has not been a problem, but yeah... the Micro 800 and CCW are just a nightmare to work with.

IMO, the difference in hardware cost between an 800 and one of the low end Compactlogix bricks is about 10% of the extra engineering cost it takes to screw around with the 800.

But as long as the customer understands he is paying more overall for a lesser product, it is hard to argue with them.

The 800s are especially painful if you have to communicate with anything other than a PV800. BTW, the PV800 is a nice product. Too bad they gelded it so it only works with the 800 PLC line. I think it works with the Micrologix and one of the compactlogix bricks too, but it would be a hot seller if they let it work with anything.

CCW works pretty good for programming the PV800 and drives.

To minimize costs I am surprised they don't have you using RS232 to interface with the scale.