driver addendum plc-driver beckhoff twincat beckho… · twincat variables can be recorded event...

PLC-ANALYZER pro 6 - Driver Addendum

BECKHOFF TwinCAT - Recording of TwinCAT-variables

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The software described in this manual is subject of a software license agreement and may only be usedaccording to the terms of this agreement.

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1st Edition 2019

PLC-ANALYZER pro 6 - BECKHOFF TwinCAT

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Table of Contents

Signal source ................................................................................................................................................. 3BECKHOFF TwinCAT ................................................................................................................................... 3

Installation ............................................................................................................................................. 3Installing additional hardware .............................................................................................................. 3Installing additional software ............................................................................................................... 3

Configuration .......................................................................................................................................... 4Data acquistion ....................................................................................................................................... 5

Recordable PLC addresses .................................................................................................................... 5Number of recordable addresses ......................................................................................................... 5Time behaviour and particularities ....................................................................................................... 5


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Signal source

BECKHOFF TwinCATThis driver addendum describes the particularities of the following PLC drivers and gives you hints on usingthem.

· Beckhoff TwinCAT

With the PLC driver Beckhoff TwinCAT TwinCAT-variables can be acquired. TwinCAT-variables depict a lot ofdifferent process variables from different automation networks (PROFIBUS, INTERBUS-S, CAN, DeviceNet,Ethernet, USB...) or from TwinCAT PLC Control.

It is important that you read through the driver addendum before using a PLC driver. Please pay attention tothe WARNINGS that advise you on possible dangers when using PLC-ANALYZER pro.

!WARNINGErrors that may occur in the automated facility, endangering humans or causing large-scalematerial damage, must be prevented by additional precautions. These precautions (e.g.independent limit monitors, mechanical interlocks) must guarantee safe operation, even incase of dangerous errors.

InstallationThe PLC driver can be added to the project as a new signal source. If the driver you want is not yet in the list ofavailable signal sources, you must first activate the license for the PLC-driver with the AUTEM LicenseManageron your computer.

Installing additional hardwareFor using the Beckhoff TwinCAT driver no further hardware is needed.

Installing additional softwareBesides PLC-ANALYZER pro base module and the TwinCAT-driver, an installation of TwinCAT-software fromBeckhoff is necessary. The latter software is used to define variables, which can be recorded by PLC-ANALYZERpro 5 via the TwinCAT-driver.


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ConfigurationOpen driver settings to set important parameters for data recording. If you have added the driver to the projectseveral times, you can set the properties individually for each individual driver.

Fig. 1-1 Settings Beckhoff TwinCAT

Choose a meaningful Name for the driver first. Enter the Port of your task defined in TwinCAT. You can alsoenter the port of a TwinCAT PLC (e.g. 801).

With TwinCAT it is possible to make a remote access of variables. The remote computer is specified by AMS Net-ID. By selection of Local PC the driver accesses TwinCAT tasks from local PC.

Use Connection test to check whether a connection to the controller can be established successfully.

Choose the Acquition mode. TwinCAT variables can be recorded event controlled or synchronous (polling). If youchoose event controlled recording, all variables are transmitted to the driver with the cycle time set in TwinCAT.In synchronous mode the driver polls the variables to be recorded cyclically.

Under Scan interval you specify the time interval at which measured values are read out from the PLC. A longersampling interval can be selected for signal paths that are not time-critical, e. g. temperature. As a result, thegenerated signal files become smaller.

Under Symbols, select a variable table to make the symbols of this table available for address selection. ClickRead symbols from destination to read the variable list directly form the from the controller. This makes itpossible to use symbolc identifiers when entering addresses. In addition to the absolute address, the symbolicidentifier and comment are also displayed and stored in a signal- or project file.

After setting the communication properties, add the PLC signals to be recorded. When symbols are loaded, thesignals to be recorded can be conveniently selected from the symbol list by double-click or drag and drop.


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Data acquistion

Recordable PLC addressesVariables from TwinCAT PLC and with TwinCAT defined input- and output variables (see 3.3 Set up variables) canbe recorded. The format will be bit or byte, word or double word. The following table shows a list withexamples of recordable addresses and their appropriate syntax:

Syntax Address type Example

Ex.y;BOOL Bit y from input byte x E4.6;BOOL

Ax.0;BYTE Output byte x A23.0;BYTE

Varx;WORD Variable word of selected index-group (offset x) Var52;WORD

Ax.0;INT Signed output integer x A23.0;INT

Vary:x;DINT Variable double word (index-group y, offset x) Var4040:30;DINT

Ex.0;REAL Input double word x in real format E60.0;REALTab. 1-1 Variables and syntax

Number of recordable addressesA maximum of 16 million addresses can be acquired from up to 250 signal sources.

Time behaviour and particularitiesThe interval between scans depends on the realtime settings made in the TwinCAT software. The variablevalues will be updated in this time interval and shown in PLC-ANALYZER.

Depending on the PC-hardware you can record up to 1000 variables with a scan interval of 1 ms.

Signal sourceBECKHOFF TwinCAT InstallationInstalling additional hardwareInstalling additional software

ConfigurationData acquistionRecordable PLC addressesNumber of recordable addressesTime behaviour and particularities

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