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This process varies from HMI to HMI, but the fundamentals are the same.
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Remember to move the key on the front of the PLC to either " Remote" or " Program" before downloading. Select your PLC at the IP address you just assigned and click Download. This will bring up the familiar RSLinx view.
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With your program open in RSLogix, select “ Who Active” from the “ Communication” menu.
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Download your programĪt this point, your PLC is ready for operation. If you’re having issues with the BootP/DCHP tool, check out Lillian’s blog post for tips. If not, try this step again until the IP settings stick. If the PLC retains its IP address, go ahead and move on to the next step. It’s always a good idea to stop at this point and power cycle the system. Wait for the a successful confirmation message. Locate your PLC by its MAC address and choose “ Add Relation.” Next, right click on the PLC (now in the lower window pane) and choose “ Disable BootP/DHCP.” Enter the desired network settings and click OK. To disable BootP and give the PLC a static IP address, you’ll need another Rockwell tool called BootP DHCP EtherNet/IP CommissioningTool. This makes life much easier in the future, especially with integrating SCADA, remote access, and device troubleshooting. However, DMC finds that best practice is to setup static IP addresses for all devices on the control network. The factory default for Allen-Bradley PLCs and many peripherals is to ship with BootP/DHCP enabled. That means you’re ready to assign IP addresses. If you are doing this on a live system – STOP! When the firmware upgrade completes, the PLC will begin scrolling its MAC address across its display (if applicable). Accept all the warnings that tell you not to do this on a live system. Navigate to the PLC in RSLinx and click OK. With an Ethernet cable connected directly between your PC and the PLC, follow the prompts to select your model number and firmware revision. To do this, you’ll need a Rockwell tool called ControlFLASH. Believe me, it’s as exciting as the icon makes it look, just without the lightning bolts. Now what? If it’s fresh out of the box, you’ll likely have to install the firmware. Once you've accomplished this, give yourself a pat on the back and read on! Firmware SetupĬongratulations, you’ve just powered up your shiny new Allen-Bradley PLC for the first time. You'll also need a PC with all the relevant Rockwell software installed. All the information covered here is also available in Rockwell’s help documentation, but I tried to distill out the most important bits to get you off the ground as fast as possible.īefore we start, you'll need all of the components networked together and powered on.
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In this blog, I’ll walk you through the basic commissioning steps to get a brand-new Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI up and running.
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