C R O S S   A U T O M A T I O N  . . . .  A P P L I C A T I O N   N O T E S 

Project: Networking database capabilities, PC Based Control, Temp Control and Bar Coding
Industry: Automotive Components

• (1) Advantech PPC 123T PC

• (3) Phoenix DeviceNet TC input cards IB IL TEMP 2 UTH

• (3) Phoenix DeviceNet Analog input cards IB IL AI 2/SF

• (9) Phoenix DeviceNet AC input cards IB IL 120 DI 1

• (6) Phoenix DeviceNet AC output cards IB IL 24/230 DOR

• (3) Hand Held Bar Code Scanner     Power Scan

• (1) SST PCI DeviceNet Scanner Card 

• (1) Omron E5AK Ramp Soak Controller E5AK-TAA2-500

• Think & Do

• MS Access

The Advantech computer was mounted in a separate enclosure, provided by Cross. The DeviceNet cable and serial cables for the Barcode reader and the Temperature controller were ran in separate conduit to eliminate noise.

Think & Do Studio was used to perform oven control and the database connectivity. The customer wanted the operator to have the ability to load the oven, scan a barcode to download the temperature setup, and initiate the start sequence and walk away. This provided for minimal operator error when setting up the machine for a production run. This was accomplished by having the operator scan a barcode label. The system then connected to the customers SQL Database, and ran a database query. The query looked for a ticket number that could be in any of 8 fields in a 130 Meg DBF file. Once the 8 matches were found we once again had to query an Access Database written by Cross Automation. The access DB contained the ramp soak information that would be downloaded to the Omron E5AK-T controller. The temperature values were written to the controller serially. Serial communications presented a challenge in that the Omron controller had to have FCS information. An FCS calculation flow chart was written to determine the FCS values before downloading. Performing an exclusive OR on the first two digits in the string, adding that value to the next digit and doing an exclusive OR on the result accomplished this. This continued for a total of 10 digits. Then the FCS value was added to the output string set to the controller. A typical value looked like this: @00244050037, the 37 being the CRC value from Sheet Write Temp Local. These numbers also needed to be converted from ASC to Hex, a flow chart was written to do this as well. See Number to HexSting sheet.  After these values were written to the controller, the oven started. T&D controlled and monitored all of the discreet and analog values.

After the oven was started, the customer needed to log data every 5 sec. These values needed were 4 temperature values, 3 analog values, a time date stamp and the deviation between the actual controller values and the temperature values averaged. These were written to an access database written by Cross Automation. A chart recorder screen was also written to take the place of an L&L chart recorder.

Think & Do was also responsible for controlling the burners, monitoring gas pressure, atmospheric pressure and Oxygen levels.