Someone patient :)

[AusLee]

Hi,

I do not have much info to put on the table, just the following:

A friend of mine has "won" (auction) a very nice stone cutting machine. The owner is gone. Its model is 1997 but was never used. The factory ceased to exist as well.

He pushed the reset button on the PLC, now the machine has lost all its "parameters" and will not start from the PLC any more. Only from the electrical switchboard for manual control.

The questions are:
1. With this all the information, do you think the Reset was a hardware reset that deleted the software from the PLC?

2. If he wants to program the parameters again, is there a generic very powerful software that can plug into the PLC regardless of its brand, download its content, disassemble and show the built in program on screen as if it was original source code, so that he can configure the machine again? (licensed electrician to do the job of course)

3. If the above is not possible, how "good" is the solution to discard the 1997 hardware altogether, buy a new PLC and program it to control the machine? In this regard, how can he make sure that all the "smart"/"nice tricks" in the old PLC can be identified and programmed into the new PLC.

I appreciate any informative reply knowing that this is all what we have and no further information can be obtained.

Cheers,
AusLee

 

[Skogsgurra]

There are probably more machines like this in the world. Depending on what PLC it is, you can perhaps talk someone into downloading the program and mail it to you.

If you give us the manufacturer's name and address (yes, I understand that he is out of business) then someone may find a similar machine somewhere. We EngTipsters have tentacles all over the world.

Also, give us PLC manufacturer and type of PLC. That may be very helpful in identifying revival techniques.

There must have been a manual in the box. Doesn't it show all the tricks that old dog could do?

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[controlsdude]

If the program was on eeprom in the processor then your ok, but if not well the programs gone and was probably not there to begin with on that plc. Only reason I say that is battery backup does not last that long like 13 years.

Resets on processors just reset faults and puts in program mode or not running. Should be a way to put back into run mode and should be an indicator showing you if the plc goes to run.

Otherwise like Gunnar said above more info.

 

[tygerdawg]

Yeah, concur: you probably lost program & machine parms because the battery in the PLC gave out after 13 years.

Like -Dude alluded to, reset function should just clear fault bits and reset parms to a suitable default value so the machine can start over.

At the risk of being overoptimistic, "How hard can it be?" Determine the type/model of PLC, and look for a local person who could do some programming on it as a little part time project. Somebody with some technical aptitude will have to figure out all the necessary operating states, with transitions & resets, and then program them in. If done badly, then you could set yourself up for a liability issue. So tread carefully here, there be nasty beasties about.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[AusLee]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for your replies, i went back to him and got some more info:

The machine is Giben MCX-90088 Type K.fast
Cod: 466.9.450
C.P.U MOD:1.02.0500

Giben website continues to exist, i have contacted them but no reply yet, maybe it's the week end, maybe not...

I hope that helps Can you tell which PLC is in there from the brand? and from there, would it be on EEPROM or in the PLC itself?

I guess extracting the software can only be for back-up purposes, because you can't load that software into a different type of PLC, unless the programming application is so sophisticated that it can extract the existing program from the old PLC, decompile it into a high level language (ladder or other) and then compile it again for the new hardware PLC. I don't think there is a real necessity for a new hardware if the existing electronics are functional just need the program, would you agree?

 

[Skogsgurra]

SWGTFY?

I think you are on your own now, once you cared to look for the brand.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[AusLee]

SWGTFY = ?

Thanks.

 

[Skogsgurra]

Shall we google that for you?

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[Skogsgurra]

Meaning that you have a lot of first hand information that enables you to google much more efficiently than if we do it.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[AusLee]

Ok, thanks, had i found the answer i would not be asking though ...