Welcome to lesson 3 of “How to control a VFD with a PLC”.
We have created this series of lessons discussing the steps to configure and program
communication between a Rockwell ControlLogix PLC and a Siemens VFD.
As a prerequisite, please watch lessons 1 and 2.
We have provided the links to these lessons in the description area.
In Part 1, we have addressed how to configure the communication between ControlLogix 5000 PLC
and HMS Anybus gateway using ControlNet network media with CIP protocol.
In Part 2, we discussed how the HMS gateway was set up as a PROFIBUS Master
to communicate and control the slave Robicon VFD using PROFIBUS protocol.
The gateway is a device for converting or translating ControlNet CIP protocol to Siemens PROFIBUS protocol.
The scope of our work in this part, part 3, is primarily provided into setting up the Siemens VFD
to complete the communication path between the gateway and the Rockwell ControlLogix processor.
Perhaps for the average learner,
the overall communication configuration process to accomplish this
may be somewhat complex to understand without all of the details for each of the three-interconnecting,
the processor, gateway and VFD, equipment used.
However, our lessons have been created with this in mind,
to help simplify the overall configuration by providing only the necessary steps for communication
and assumes the learner has some knowledge of the process equipment used in these videos.
If you would like RealPars to provide more details on any of Rockwell processors,
HMS gateway and Siemens Robicon VFD, please let us know in the comment section or contact us directly.
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Overall, the ControlLogix PAC will be controlling a pump
with a simple ON/OFF command and velocity by setting a speed setpoint to the VFD.
In response, the Siemens VFD will return the actual speed reference
and VFD status information controlling the pump.
This exchange of control data and status information is all performed by the HMS gateway.
We will begin our Robicon VFD configuration by connecting
a Laptop Ethernet port using a non-crossover Ethernet cable to Ethernet port on the VFD drive.
Ping the IP address of the Robicon to ensure we are connected.
Next, I will start the Siemens SINAMICS STARTER program by double-clicking on its icon.
After that, a program pop-up display will open.
The “STARTER Project Wizard” display will appear.
Now let’s select the “Arrange drive units offline” button.
A new window will appear. Step 1, “Create new project” will be highlighted.
I will enter the Project Name as, RealPars_VFD.
Now let’s select the “Next” button.
Step 2, “PG/PC set interface” tab display area appears.
For the “Access Point”, I will select “Device” and the “Set interface” becomes, “USB.S7USB.1.
Again, let’s select the “Next” button to bring up the next project configuration category.
Step 3, “Insert drives units” display tab appears.
In this configuration display, I will select “Sinamics” for the “Device”.
For the “Type”, under the drop-down menu, locate “S120 CU320-2 DP”.
Enter 3 for the “Target device address”;
this is the PROFIBUS device address we assigned
using the HMS Gateway as the PROFIBUS master in lesson 2.
Also, I will set the “Name” to “Pump”, since this is what the drive and motor will operate.
And for those of you that wish to learn about the S120 drive,
you may select the “SINAMICS tutorial” button for further understanding of the S120.
Now, let’s select the “Insert” button to add the drive to the project;
the S120 Pump icon will display into the Preview Window.
Then I’ll select the “Next” button to complete this portion of the drive configuration.
The final “Summary” screen will display.
To complete the wizard setup, I will press the “Complete” button on the “Summary” display tab.
After a few seconds, the “STARTER RealPars_VFD” project display window will appear.
Now that the drive is configured,
I need to add “Input/Output components” and a Drive device that will be controlling the motor.
I click on the “+” next to the “Pump” to show the list of “Pump” components.
Next, I expand the “Input/Output components” by selecting the “+” sign next to the folder.
Now I double click the “Insert input/output components” folder.
In this window, for our example, I will provide the name of “RealPars_IO”.
For the “Drive objects type” I will select “TM31”.
The Terminal Module 31 (or TM31) is a terminal expansion board
that can be attached to a DIN 50022 mounting rail.
It can be used to increase the number of available digital inputs/outputs
and analog inputs/outputs within a drive system.
I press “OK” to close this window.
Under the “Drives” folder, I double click over the “Insert drive” folder.
On the “Insert Drive” window, enter the name “RealPars_Drive_1” under the “General” tab.
Under the “General” tab, For the “Drive objects type”, I select the “Vector”.
Vector is chosen over Servo type because in this configuration
the type of motor used does not use an encoder for feedback.
Now under the “Drive object no.” tab, I assign 3 to the “Drive object no.”
because it is the next available object number. I then select “OK”.
The “Control structure configuration” display appears.
I will leave this display selection as is
using the “encoderless speed control” as the “Control type”.
I then select the “Next” button.
In the next display window, I will change the Component name to “Motor_Module”.
Under the “Type” dropdown menu, I choose the “Cabinet modules”.
In the “Power unit selection”, we will match the power unit installed
and then navigate down to locate the ”6SL3320-1TE35-0ACx” power unit.
I will leave the other fields as they are and then press the “Next” button.
When I press the Next button “Wire Operation signal” Warning may appear
and indicate a Caution that “The Operation signal must be wired”.
I will ignore this and click “close” and continue to the next stage.
In this window, we will leave the “Infeed in Operation”
set to “0” because the Ready signal for the infeed is issued by an outside control unit.
To continue, I will press the “Next” Button.
I will leave “No filter/choke” selected because we will not use a sinewave filter.
To continue, I select the “Next” button.
On the “Configure the Drive” properties display I will select the NEMA motor (60 hertz, US units),
and next, I set the “Connection Voltage” to 700 volts.
For the “Power unit application”, I will choose “Load duty cycle with high overload”.
High overload is chosen because the base load current for a slight overload
is based on a load cycle of 110% for 60 seconds or 150% for 10 seconds
and the base load current for a high overload is based on a load cycle of 150% for 60 seconds or 160% for 10 seconds.
I will now select the “Next” button.
But for now, we will stop with this segment of the lesson,
configuring the RealPars VFD using Siemens STARTER software.
In the next lesson, Part 4 and the final part of this video series,
we will continue with the VFD configuration
and jump into configurating the type of motor and its nameplate data.
This concludes this part of the video lesson,
ControlLogix PLC and Siemens VFD Communication Part 3.
So the remaining VFD configuration will be offered in Part 4 of this video series.
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