Studio 5000 Produced Consumed Data
Studio 5000 Produced Consumed Data
Using produced and consumed data through the I/O tree instead of using message instruction which tends to bog a system down is not done correctly. Even if the message instruction is done 100% right then there is still a limitation of how much data you can send over that message without having prolonged communications.
Message instructions have been the backbone of the industry for many years but with the advancement of control logix, a better way to transfer data has come more efficient.
From working with Rockwell Automation software for over 13 years, I still use messages from time to time but my new go-to way to have two machines talk or two processor talks is to use produced and consumed data.
Another good thing about using prod/cons is that you are to just limited to one communication path, meaning if you wanted to have one processor sending data out then multiple processors could consume it very easily and just as quickly without having communication lags.
I have put together several videos below to help show how to use this process start from scratch to helpful troubleshooting areas so make sure you watch each one.
Studio 5000 Produced and Consumed | Video 1 of 2
In the video above, first, we add a new routine and make a UDT for the produced and consumed tags to have a better format to transfer data and also make it easier for system updates. This way of programming makes it easier to read for the person working behind you as well because there is a defined way of naming convention. Using a user-defined data type allows you to build a selected amount of data that can be transferred or used, generally, you want to have an amount big enough to do your work and also have room for system add-ons in the future.
Building a UDT allows you to be able to export it and be able to import it into another processor, that way you already have a set of data that matches which is what hangs most people up. This is why I choose to use UDTs when I do programming like this so I can take hard to do task and make it as easy as it can be.
This example is using two Studio 5000 Logix designer emulator processors so that it is known you can see there does not have to be physical components in order for you to practice programming. By doing so, not only do you get a clear understanding of the topic but also more experience in using emulators to simulate PLC code.
What to grab out of the first video:
- Start a Studio 5000 program from scratch
- How to setup and UDT or User-Defied Data Type
- Setup the communication path in the I/O tree
- Add a new routine
- Add a JSR or Jump to subroutine
- Change the Task from continuous scan to periodic scan
- How to export a UDT
- How to import a UDT
- How to link your data between processors
- Set up produced tags
- Set up consumed tags
- What data types are important to have in the UDT. Bools, Dint, Reals, and such
Now the items listed above are just a few high-level topics that you can easily pick up from the video but no worries if you didn’t get it all because there are several more videos in this article to help drive the learning home and make sure there are no questions about produce and consumed tags.
Studio 5000 Produced and Consumed | Video 2 of 2
In video 2, we go through the critical points to clear up any questions that may have been left from video1. We actually change a few features like data size and name to make it easier to follow, taking the two processors offline to edit the UDTs which show the exact process of editing a UDT without having to import and export. Also, note that when it comes to setting up the produced and consumed data from one processor to another then you need to be offline as well because some of the important features are not available to be changed while being online.
This may not have been so clear in the first video which is why there are multiple videos in this article. After the tags and UDTs have been edited then we download one processor at a time to show what you can expect to see if the data is not properly lined up. This gives a first-hand view of how to troubleshoot a produced and consumed tag system if for some reason you get a caution symbol after all has been set up.
After both processors have been downloaded in this example, you see that the system goes to a fully healthy set up by having no caution symbols in the I/O tree but we then send data across to double-check that as well.
What to grab out of the second video:
- Setting up processor one
- Setting up processor two
- Using the correct data type when setting up
- How tag naming is important
- Setting up the RPIs or requested pack intervals
- Changing UDT tag amount. Bools, Dint, Reals, and such
- Downloading each processor
- How to check for communication errors
- How to troubleshoot
- Using an emulation platform
There is never before talked about training material there and to be honest the more people that join the stronger it gets.
Watch More PLC Programming Videos
It is key to do testing in any programming situation so this is why in the videos, you see multiple ways of checking yourself as you program…..key to success and learning with confidence. After watching video 1 and video 2, you should have a very good grasp of this data set up but nevertheless, we continue on to the next videos to drive the learning home.
PLC Processors Sharing Data
This second set of videos is much quicker but shows important steps in making a produced consumed data structure work. Note that everything is done while being offline so that anything can be changed if needed. The setup of this system is very important so this is the reason why I show the setup again but in a much quicker way.
Just like the videos above, this video shows a much quicker version of setting up the communications but straight to the point by starting with the user-defined data type while implementing a watchdog for tracking the communication status. Using a watchdog is important to verify that the system is talking and passing data properly if you did not have a watchdog then if the data could stay in its last state before communications failed.
Using a watchdog-style monitoring system then you can trigger an alarm if there is an issue with the communications dropping out for any reason, this doesn’t often happen but is important to monitor and be knowledgeable about. Being that both processors have to transmit data, having both have a watchdog helps the programmer know that the system is healthy and has no issues from a communication standpoint.
Studio 5000 Produced and Consumed WatchDog System
In the second video, the system gets finished and then downloaded to check that everything is working just like the first set of videos but in a quick example to drive home the learning.
Also, in the video, I mention my member’s group that I have where anyone can request new training material or topics that they need help with right then and I make the training and post it on that platform. If you have been looking for a great place to get an answer to a programming issue with Rockwell Automation software then you definitely want to check out the link below.
There is never before talked about training material there and to be honest the more people that join the stronger it gets.
Using produced and consumed data through the I/O tree instead of using message instruction which tends to bog a system down is not done correctly. Even if the message instruction is done 100% right then there is still a limitation of how much data you can send over that message without having prolonged communications.
Message instructions have been the backbone of the industry for many years but with the advancement of control logix, a better way to transfer data has come more efficient.
From working with Rockwell Automation software for over 13 years, I still use messages from time to time but my new go-to way to have two machines talk or two processor talks is to use produced and consumed data.
Another good thing about using prod/cons is that you are to just limited to one communication path, meaning if you wanted to have one processor sending data out then multiple processors could consume it very easy and just as quick without having communication lags.
I have put together several videos below to help show how to use this process start from scratch to helpful troubleshooting areas so make sure you watch each one.
Studio 5000 Produced and Consumed | Video 1 of 2
In the video above, first, we add a new routine and make a UDT for the produced and consumed tags to have a better format to transfer data and also make it easier for system updates.
This way of programming makes it easier to read for the person working behind you as well because there is a defined way of naming convention.
Using a user-defined data type allows you to build a selected amount of data that can be transferred or used, generally, you want to have an amount big enough to do your work and also have room for system add-ons in the future.
Building a UDT allows you to be able to export it and be able to import it into another processor, that way you already have a set of data that matches which is what hangs most people up. This is why I choose to use UDTs when I do programming like this so I can take hard to do task and make it as easy as it can be.
This example is using two Studio 5000 Logix designer emulator processors so that it is known you can see there does not have to be physical components in order for you to practice programming. By doing so, not only do you get a clear understanding of the topic but also more experience in using emulators to simulate PLC code.
What to grab out of the first video:
- Start a Studio 5000 program from scratch
- How to setup and UDT or User-Defied Data Type
- Setup the communication path in the I/O tree
- Add a new routine
- Add a JSR or Jump to subroutine
- Change the Task from continuous scan to periodic scan
- How to export a UDT
- How to import a UDT
- How to link your data between processors
- Set up produced tags
- Set up consumed tags
- What data types are important to have in the UDT. Bools, Dint, Reals, and such
Now the items listed above are just a few high-level topics that you can easily pick up from the video but no worries if you didn’t get it all because there are several more videos in this article to help drive the learning home and make sure there are no questions about produce and consumed tags.
Studio 5000 Produced and Consumed | Video 2 of 2
In video 2, we go through the critical points to clear up any questions that may have been left from video 1. We actually change a few features like data size and name to make it easier to follow, taking the two processors offline to edit the UDTs which show the exact process of editing a UDT without having to import and export.
Also, note that when it comes to setting up the produced and consumed data from one processor to another then you need to be offline as well because some of the important features are not available to be changed while being online.
This may not have been so clear in the first video which is why there are multiple videos in this article. After the tags and UDTs have been edited then we download one processor at a time to show what you can expect to see if the data is not properly lined up.
This gives a first-hand view of how to troubleshoot a produced and consumed tag system if for some reason you get a caution symbol after all has been set up. After both processors have been downloaded in this example, you see that the system goes to a fully healthy set up by having no caution symbols in the I/O tree but we then send data across to double-check that as well.
What to grab out of the second video:
- Setting up processor one
- Setting up processor two
- Using the correct data type when setting up
- How tag naming is important
- Setting up the RPIs or requested pack intervals
- Changing UDT tag amount. Bools, Dint, Reals, and such
- Downloading each processor
- How to check for communication errors
- How to troubleshoot
- Using an emulation platform
There is never before talked about training material there and to be honest the more people that join the stronger it gets.
Watch More PLC Programming Videos
It is key to do testing in any programming situation so this is why in the videos, you see multiple ways of checking yourself as you program…..key to success and learning with confidence. After watching video 1 and video 2, you should have a very good grasp of this data set up but nevertheless, we continue on to the next videos to drive the learning home.
PLC Processors Sharing Data
This second set of videos is much quicker but shows important steps in making a produced consumed data structure work. Note that everything is done while being offline so that anything can be changed if needed. The setup of this system is very important so this is the reason why I show the set up again but in a much quicker way.
Just like the videos above, this video shows a much quicker version of setting up the communications but straight to the point by starting with the user-defined data type while implementing a watchdog for tracking the communication status.
Using a watchdog is important to verify that the system is talking and passing data properly if you did not have a watchdog then the data could stay in its last state before communications failed.
By using a watchdog-style monitoring system then you can trigger an alarm if there is an issue with the communications dropping out for any reason, this doesn’t often happen but is important to monitor and be knowledgeable about.
Being that both processors have to transmit data, having both have a watchdog helps the programmer know that the system is healthy and has no issues from a communication standpoint.
Studio 5000 Produced and Consumed Data WatchDog System
In the second video, the system gets finished and then downloaded to check that everything is working just like the first set of videos but in a quick example to drive home the learning.
Also, in the video, I mention my member’s group that I have where anyone can request new training material or topics that they need help with right then and I make the training and post it on that platform. If you have been looking for a great place to get an answer to a programming issue with Rockwell Automation software then you definitely want to check out the link below.
There is never before talked about training material there and to be honest the more people that join the stronger it gets.