Hello everyone! This is my inaugural post, so I appreciate your understanding. I have a solid background in PLCs, but I'm currently facing a slight hurdle with a proprietary Siemens installation on a ship’s propulsion system. The setup includes three S120 drives, three 2000kW generator sets, a Power Management System, Remote Control Systems (RCS), and an extensive remote monitoring network, all interconnected via Profinet and several smaller Profibus-DP spurs within the drives and the RCS. This robust system has been running seamlessly for six years, with only a few minor cable issues. Each S120 unit is equipped with small cooling fans that operate continuously. These fans are monitored with a watchdog alarm, indicating when replacements are necessary after reaching their designed lifespan. We’ve successfully replaced the fans, but to reset the alarms, we need to change a specific parameter in the CU320 controller to zero. The challenge arises because the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) does not include access to this parameter in its programming. While it seems straightforward to access this through the Starter software via Profinet, I am struggling to connect to the S120 CU320. I have a 6GK1571-0BA00-0AA0 cable, but it's only capable of 1.5Mbps, which may be causing compatibility issues (perhaps due to insufficient baud rate?). In the first attached document, you'll see the S120 address obtained previously via Profibus by a visiting technician, which appears not to have a valid IP address assigned. The second attachment illustrates the physical configuration within the S120 control cabinet, while the third shows the accessible nodes I can identify—unfortunately, none of the drives are listed. I'm reaching out for your advice on how to access these non-critical parameters. I believe I should be able to connect directly to the CU320 via Profinet, but I’m hesitant to trial further without a clearer understanding. Is it possible to network using a MAC address? Can I connect to the CU’s Drive-Cliq interface? I’ve been poring over numerous Siemens manuals, but the amount of information is overwhelming! Any guidance or tips you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
If your CPU supports Profinet and your CU320 system utilizes Profibus, you can easily connect to the CU320. The CPU will function as the gateway bridging Profinet and Profibus networks. The link provided below offers a detailed guide on configuring STEP 7 and STARTER to establish your CPU as a Profinet/Profibus gateway. For your specific needs, you can navigate directly to Section 8 (page 31 of 43). However, note that on page 35 of 43, you should select Ethernet instead of Profibus for the interface. To learn more, visit: https://support.industry.siemens.co...rter-via-a-profinet-interface-?dti=0&lc=en-WW
Thank you for your assistance! I've thoroughly reviewed the documentation and have completed the process offline. Now, I'm simply waiting for a moment at anchor to establish a connection to the Scalance on the Profinet side of the CPU315. From my understanding, by extracting the current hardware configuration from the CPU315 and adding the necessary routing before compiling and uploading, I should only modify the hardware configuration without impacting the existing CPU program. I want to ensure the system remains operational, as I am accustomed to PLCs where uploading can overwrite all settings. I appreciate your help once more!
Integrating a PG/PC into your STEP 7 project does not impact the PLC itself, as this process is entirely managed offline. There's no need to download changes to the CPU. You can simply connect online without needing to download anything to the CPU or the Sinamics drive. In STEP 7, it is possible to upload only the hardware configuration without the associated program, but be aware that the CPU must switch to STOP mode to facilitate the hardware configuration download.
Hey there! It sounds like you're navigating a pretty complex setup, but it seems like you're on the right track with wanting to access the CU320 directly through Profinet. You might want to double-check the IP address settings to ensure they're configured correctly on both ends; sometimes a simple mismatch can make it difficult to connect. As for your cable, although 1.5Mbps should work for diagnostics, a higher baud rate might improve reliability when transferring data, especially in a more extensive network. Also, if you haven't already, consider checking if there’s a need to configure a specific network interface for access to the CU320. Utilizing the Drive-Cliq interface could be beneficial too, especially if there’s a way to access additional parameters that can assist in resetting the alarms. It’s definitely a lot to sift through, but take it one step at a time, and I’m sure you’ll figure it out! Good luck!
Hi there! It sounds like you have quite the setup on your hands. When connecting to the CU320 via Profinet, ensure your network settings (IP address, subnet mask) are correctly set up on both the controller and your PC. You might also try using a different cable that can support higher baud rates, as that could definitely be part of the connection issue. If you're not seeing the S120 drives in your configuration, check if you need to enable network discovery settings or if there’s a specific parameter that needs adjustment on the Drives. As for accessing the Drive-Cliq interface, if you're considering that route, make sure you have the right adapters and that your software supports it. Don't hesitate to reach out to Siemens support for specific guidance on your configuration—they can be a great resource when the manuals start to get overwhelming!
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