Omron Serial Configuration Walkthrough

Introduction

Before starting this walkthrough, you should read the help topics on the Configuration Tool, and Getting Started. These topics provide background information on using the Configuration Tool.

The walkthrough covers:

Creating a Folder to store the configuration created in the walkthrough
Creating an Omron Serial Channel Tag
Creating an Omron PLC Tag linked to an Omron Serial Channel Tag
Creating an I/O Digital Data Point Tag linked to an Omron PLC Tag

Create a Folder

1. Start the Configuration Tool. Use one of the options on the start page to connect to a Fernhill SCADA Server.

2. If not visible, select the Tags view in the Tag Window:

3. In the Tags window, right-click the root entry: localhost

4. Select Add new folder to create a new folder:

Create an Omron Serial Channel Tag

1. Right-click Folder and select New Tag, followed by Omron, followed by Omron serial channel.

2. Change the name of the channel to Channel:

Tag View showing Omron Serial Channel Tag

3. In the Properties Window enter suitable values for Omron Serial Channel Tag properties:

Property	Explanation
Mode	Keep the default mode of Baud=9600 Parity=E Data=7 Stop=2. Most Omron devices support this mode out of the box. If you want to use a different communications mode, Click the Browse button to edit the serial port mode using the Serial Port Mode Editor.
Port	Click the Browse button to choose the COM port the PLC is connected to. For example COM1.

Create an Omron PLC Host Link protocol

1. Right-click Folder and select New Tag, followed by Omron, followed by Omron PLC Host Link protocol.

Note: An alternative device type for serial communications is Omron PLC FINS protocol. However, only later models support the FINS protocol.

2. Change the name of the device to PLC:

3. In the Properties Window enter suitable values for the Omron Device properties:

Property	Explanation
Channel	Click the Browse button to open the tag browser dialog. Select the channel created earlier.
UnitNumber	Keep the default address of 0. Most Omron devices use unit number 0 out of the box.

Note: Once the PLC tag is associated with the Channel tag, Fernhill SCADA will attempt to establish communications. You can monitor the status of the PLC tag in the Status Monitor Window.

Create an I/O Digital Tag

1. Right-click Folder and select New Tag, followed by Core, followed by I/O Digital Tag.

2. Change the name of the digital tag to Output Q100:

3. In the Properties Window enter suitable values for the Omron digital tag properties.

Property	Explanation
AllowControls	Keep the default value of False.
IODataSource	Click the Browse button to open the browse dialog. Select the Omron PLC Device Tag created earlier.
IOItemName	Enter the value 100.0.

Further Information

Serial Communications

For background information on serial communications.

Glossary

For the meaning of terms used in Fernhill SCADA.