Decrease your Security Risk with GE QuickPanels

Decrease your security risk by giving certain users privileges. GE's series of QuickPanel HMIs use security to do just this. Here is how to configure and implement security on QuickPanels.

The act of configuring users is done during the runtime. Typically this means downloading and running on the QuickPanel itself but you can simulate the project on the PC before downloading. Click on the target within Machine Edition and enable the Simulate property.

Next, create/edit a panel and add two buttons anywhere. Double click one button to give a touch animation of Logon.

Double click the other button and give it a Touch animation with a script. You'll be using the EditUserList command which can be found by right clicking in the script body.

Now download the project and run. The target has been set to simulate so it should run on your local PC. Open the panel you've made and you'll see the two buttons we placed. Click the first button to trigger the logon dialogue. The default credential is:

username: master
password: control

After logging in, click on the second button to trigger the EditUserList dialogue. This window is where we create new users,access levels, and permissions.

At this point, security has been configured but it hasn't been implemented. Simply hide objects in all your panels by their Visibility Animation. Objects can be visible based on user or access level as shown below.

Use a web browser on ABB drives!

The FENA-01 Ethernet module for ABB drives can be reached through a web browser!

1. Using the keypad, enter a valid IP address in Group 51, Parameters 5105 through 5108.
2. Using the keypad, enter a valid subnet mask like 255.255.255.0 which shows up as option 24 in Parameter 5109
3. Parameter 51.27, Edit, Refresh to perform a parameter refresh or cycle power to the drive.
4. Connect the drive to the same network as your PC and type the IP address into the address bar of your favorite browser.

You will have access to 3 major sections of information.

Section 1: Status
This will show all of the important facts about the Ethernet module like software version, MAC and serial number.


Section 2: Configuration This will show all of the parameters needed to configure your Ethernet module to talk to your control system via EtherNet IP, Modbus TCP or ProfiNET.


Section 3: Support This section give you links to find important information like manuals and EDS files.

*Note: This is not a webpage that will show all of the parameters in the drive. It will only show Ethernet card related parameters.

Configuring the Horner XL4 for Ethernet communications with ABB VFD's

Multiple VFD installations can be enhanced with a centrally located HMI/Controller for display, alarming, and control of the remote drives. The following outlines the configuration for Ethernet communications of the new Horner XL4 OCS All-in-One controller to ABB VFD's.

First install and configure the correct Ethernet Fieldbus Adapter Module for the ABB drive you want to communicate with. ACS350/355 drives use the FENA-01 EthernetIP\Modbus TCP module. The ACS550 and ACS800 use the RETA-01 EthernetIP\Modbus TCP module. Set the Protocol, IP address, COMM PROFILE to ABB DRIVES, and configure the specific data you want to read and write to in the drive under Drive Parameter section 51. (See note)

Next, using CScape version 9.3, Service Pack 3 or newer, select Protocols under the Networking configuration in the Project Navigator and then choose "Modbus Tcp/Ip Client v3.05" for the Ethernet protocol.

Next select the Network button on the Protocol Config screen. In the Port configuration leave everything at default except change the Timeout from 10000 mSec to 1000 mSec. In the Update Scan configuration, also change the Reacquire Time from 1000000 mSec to 10000 mSec. These two settings should be kept short until communications with the drives has been established. Once configuration and programming is completed, the Timeout and Reacquire Time can be lengthened to optimize the communications.
Under the Status configuration, enter a register that will contain the status of the Ethernet communications. This is usually a register location outside your normal program registers. Notice that this is 4 Double Integers (DINT), so do not use any registers above this address for at least 8 registers. Once this is completed, select OK and return to the Protocol Config screen.

Now select the Devices button. This brings up the Device List. The Device List shows the devices that can be configured to communicate with. To add a device, select the Add button.

To Add a device enter the Name and IP address of the first drive to communicate with. Leave the Port at 502 and enable the Status monitoring if you want to monitor the status of communications to this device. Be sure to include another unused register for the status word for communications to this drive. Take note that this is also a DINT, so two register will be used for this status word. Under Device Options select “Modbus PLC 5-Digit Addressing” as the Device Type. Select OK and make sure the device you entered is now in the list of devices.

You can select Add and repeat the Device Config steps to add any additional drives you want to communicate with on the network. When done, select OK on the Device List and return to the Protocol Config screen. Then select the Scan List button. The Scan List shows you the polling configuration of the XL4 to each device you have configured.

Select Add to configure the Data Mapping between the XL4 and drive unit. First select the drive you want to map to in the Device Name. Then in the Device Register enter the Modbus start address of 40001. Next enter the number of words you want to read from the ABB Drive based on how many words you configured to read from and write to in the ABB drive. In the Local section enter the starting register you want to write the data to in the XL4. Make sure the Update Type is set to "Polled Read/Write" for continuous polling.

Now select OK to close the Data Mapping screen. Select Add to map any additional drives you want to communicate with. When done, select OK to close the Scan List screen, and OK to close the Protocol Config screen. This completes the configuration of communications to the ABB drives.
Once the project is downloaded to the XL4 it will continuously poll all the drives in the Scan List and place the data at the registers you designated for each drive. Display screens and logic can now be added to the Horner XL4 to display and control the remote ABB drives.
For additional information on the XL series of the Horner OCS line, contact your Logic, Inc. sales engineer. For a closer look at the new XL4, a 30 min. YouTube video can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLqg0Wx9sw4.
Note: For additional information on the ABB RETA and FENA modules you can contact our support department or an upcoming Tech Tip will discuss in detail the configuration of these interface modules for use with Modbus TCP/IP and Ethernet/IP communications.

Manage EIP Traffic with No Configuration!

Moxa now has a version of their managed switch that has IGMP snooping enabled out of the box. This means that you can install this switch and manage that pesky EIP traffic without ever logging on to the switch. As inventor Ron Popeil says, "Set it and forget it"!

Some Moxa switch models are available with a -EIP model number. The difference between an EIP and a non-EIP switch is a configuration setting. The EIP models are factory configured for IGMP snooping.

Non-EIP

EIP

Firmware in both switches is the same. Both will forward EIP traffic. Both can be accessed via an Allen Bradley ControlLogix add-on instruction. The part number difference is only to enable IGMP snooping by default. The non-EIP switch can be configured to be a -EIP switch by making the configuration change above. Note: one switch in the network must be enabled as the Querier.

Prepare Windows 7 for Wonderware Products

Installing Wonderware products to a computer has gotten far easier with the new one-disk install. There are a few things, however, the OS needs set as a best practice before installation.

Step 1 
Disable Data Execution Prevention: bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff

Step 2 
Disable User Account Control: Control Panel, User Accounts, User Account Control, and lower the slider to the bottom. This will require a computer restart.

Step 3 
Firewalls can keep a computer safe from intrusions. They also hinder Wonderware communications if left with default settings. Either shut your firewall completely off or add a series of exceptions:

InTouch

• slssvc.exe
• wm.exe

InSQL or Historian

• InSQLData.exe
• InSQLConfig.exe
• InSQLSCM.exe
• InSQLRet.exe
• SQLServr.exe

General Ports

• 445 tcp
• 1434 udp
• 1433 tcp
• 135 tcp
• 102 DAS SI Direct
• 502 DAS MBTCP
• 2221 DAS ABTCP
• 2222 DAS ABTCP
• 2223 DAS ABTCP
• 5413 S/L DA Servers
• 44818 DASABCIP

For more details, visit the Security Settings for Wonderware Products pdf.
Now you're ready to begin Wonderware installation.

Interact for Windows 7

The release of Windows 7 has left most computer manufacturers with little choice but to abandon XP and include 7 instead. If your 3rd party software isn't ready for this then you're left with very few options. Parker's latest version of Interact is fully capable of working in Windows 7 but needs a compatibility check box to be set. After Interact 7 is launched, you'll be met with an error popup.

Click OK, find the shortcut once again, but right click on it and select properties.

Find the Compatability tab and check the box.

Once this is complete, the application will run unhindered and perfectly.

Variable Creation Made Easy(er)

Variable creation in GE Machine Edition can be a very time consuming task. You can create them on the fly in logic development or one-by-one in the variable table. If you have several variables to create that are similar it is a good idea to export to a CSV (comma-separated value), copy the variables and then import that CSV back into Machine Edition. Described below is an even easier way to create variables quickly in Machine Edition.

Select variables you would like to replicate and click Copy.

Open Excel and paste.

The list should look something like this.

Copy the single variable as many times as needed. Make sure that the Variable (column A) and Reference Address (column F) increase by one or change them to be unique. Also make sure that size stays 16 for integers and 1 for discrete variables. (Note: If you are using symbolic addresses, Reference Address will be blank)

Here is the list with the variable size fixed.

Copy all of the variables.

Go back to Machine Edition. Right click on variable list and paste.

Click YES.

Now you have all of your new variables.