I had MKVie and Emerson DCS network. I want to send the signal from MK Vie to DCS. I need to add this signal to the modbus.

how can I add the signal to the modbus?

 

The Mark VIe is a control system that uses I/O, so I’m assuming that you don’t need data acquisition modules to read from sensors, right? If you need to simply transfer your data from the Mark VIe to the Emerson DCS, there are a number of options, from serial interfaces, for short distances, and Ethernet and cellular/ GPRS options from remote locations.

For instance, to send a Modbus RTU signal from your MK to Modbus TCP for Ethernet connectivity to the Emerson DCS, there are modules such as the following, from ICP-DAS, a company that specializes in Modbus data communication:

http://www.icpdas-usa.com/tgw_722.html

The question here is which Modbus protocols are being used by the Mark VIe and the Emerson (RTU, TCP) and what type of connectivity options are being used. If you can elaborate, that would help.

If, say, the MK sends data out through an Ethernet port and you want to communicate over a cellular network, then there are options like the following, which will transfer that signal over a 3G connection to any computer system with Internet access:

http://www.icpdas-usa.com/grp_520.html

Again, if you can specify exactly how you wish to communicate, it can help pinpoint an exact device for you.

 

We recently converted from Mark5 to Mark6e. We had an existing link to Ovation already. Previous link was a modbus over ethernet. The MK6e is GE special using GSM code that Emerson has a driver for. So we had to change the Emerson configuration for the previous Mark5 link to Mark6e. If you do not have an existing link or connection, you can add a Mark6e device in the Ovation system then connect via ethernet. You will need to understand that arrangement and how it is set up then it is a simple matter of creating points in the Ovation system that refernce the Mark6e tag names directly.

 

It's not really clear what mohanad is asking. It could be that he wants to establish an entirely new MODBUS link between the Mark V and the Emerson control system, in which case, that would require a long and detailed explanation--but could be gleaned from reading the manuals provided with the HMI (presuming they are using GE Mark V HMIs, running MS-Windows and CIMPLICITY). Some sites have not upgraded from <I> operator interfaces, and not all sites have the same operator interface for the Mark V turbine control system.

Or, it could be that he's asking how to add a single signal to an existing link, which shouldn't be too difficult to explain--if we knew what kind of operator interface (<I> or HMI), and something about the existing MODBUS link (which could be done in one of several methods depending on the version of operator interface and software running on the operator interface--sometimes it's done via CIMPLICITY, sometimes not).

So, mohanad needs to provide much more information for anyone to provide a useful answer. Specifically, is the MODBUS link between "the Mark V" and the Emerson control system existing or does it need to be established from scratch?

If the link is existing, what signal needs to be added?

If the link is existing, can you tell us what kind of operator interface is in use at the site: <I> or GE Mark V HMI? If the operator interface is a GE Mark V HMI, what version of MS-Windows does it run? What version/service pack of CIMPLICITY does it run? What version of TCI and CIMBRIDGE does it run?

Do you know how the existing link between "the Mark V" and the Emerson control system is done? That is, is it serial (RS-232/485; MODBUS TCP)?

Do you know if the existing link is done using TCI or CIMPLICITY?

With more information, it would be possible to provide a more concise answer.

Lastly, any MODBUS communication link between a control system and "a Mark V" is done via an operator interface (<I> or GE Mark V HMI)--not directly to the Mark V. While an operator interface is pretty essential to sending commands to and monitoring the operation of a Mark V, it's not really "the Mark V"--just a means of communicating with the Mark V turbine control panel(s) it is configured to communicate with. A turbine can run without an operator interface, and it can even be started, stopped, loaded, and monitored without an operator interface (I'm referring to an IBM-compatible PC configured with a suitable ARCnet card and software to allow communication with one or more Mark V turbine control panels). Every Mark V has a <BOI>--Backup Operator Interface--which can be used to operate and monitor the turbine, so a PC-based operator interface is not necessary for turbine operation. A PC-based operator interface can be shut down (or failed) and the turbine can continue to run without a problem until the PC-based operator interface is returned to communication. The turbine can safely operated using the <BOI>.

Several sites actually have their operators use the <BOI> on a periodic basis for starting and stopping and managing alarms, etc., just so that in the event the PC-based operator interface isn't available they are capable of operating the turbine with the <BOI>.

Anyway, we might be able to answer the question--if it's clarified, and more information is provided.

 

It is a simple as changing a couple of text files and restarting interfaces.

 

CuriousOne,

If I only had a nickel for every time I have heard that refrain I would be a very, very wealthy young man.

Yes; the file(s) in question (which you didn't name) is(are) most likely ASCII text and so can be easily edited.

<b>However,</b> what to put in the file, and where, and other choices (such as scale code/type) are not so simple. There are registers, holding registers, packed registers, and so on.

It's pretty likely if there is an existing MODBUS link between the Mark V and the Emerson control system that the Mark V operator interface which is linked to the Emerson uses a file called MODBUS.DAT. My recommendation to someone attempting this for the first time is to find a signal in MODBUS.DAT that is as close as possible to the signal which is to be added (a logic or a PRESS or a TC or whatever) and then more or less "copy" the information into a spare point in the same area as the existing signal. (ALWAYS make a back-up of the original MODBUS.DAT file FIRST!!!) Make a note of the MODBUS address of the point.

Then save the changes and exit the editor, and, re-start the operator interface.

Something similar will likely need to be done at the Emerson end of the link, whether or not the file is an ASCII text file is not known (to me, anyway). But, there will likely need to be some scaling information required to properly display the data, etc. So, there may be several steps/files at the Emerson end.

And, of course, somehow the MODBUS link at the Emerson end has to be re-started with the new point. And, that <i>should</i> be that. Some GE Mark V HMI operator interfaces used the MODBUS feature of CIMPLICITY and that was significantly more involved when it came to adding a single point that just editing MODBUS.DAT. (I think there was a file called CIMMODBUS.DAT, but I also think that the point had to be added to the CIMPLICITY Project database, which depends on the version of CIMPLICITY and TCI in use.

But, simply editing an ASCII text file or two or three is much too simplistic a description--and without knowing which files to edit and how to edit them it is useless to even offer that as a solution to the question. The designers of the Mark V used to repeat that mantra all the time: "It's just a couple of ASCII text files. Any idjit can edit ASCII text files!" they would always say. (Of course, that's what they did day in and day out--edit ASCII text files, so to them it was simple. Never mind the ASCII text files they were editing were C language text files.) Sure, anyone can edit an ASCII text file--but will it work when finished?--that's the million dollar question.

If you know the filenames to be edited, and how to edit them, please--provide the information.