Profinet IO Configuration

The workbench contains a fully integrated configurator for Profinet IO RT. Please refer to the following topics to find the requested information:

Data exchange - configuration
Configuration
Data types
Additional features

Note:

Referring to the Profinet standard the units of a Profinet network are named as IO Controllers (Profibus: Masters) and IO Devices (Profibus: Slaves).

Data exchange - configuration:

The Runtime manages a mapping table which contains the Profinet IO Inputs and Outputs.

An appropriate configuration tool is integrated in the Workbench. To start the configuration choose File > Open > Fieldbus Configuration. The fieldbus configuration window opens.

Choose Insert > Insert Configuration…

The following window opens. Select"PROFIONET IO" and click OK.

The configuration is represented as a tree:

- Profinet IO Configuration
  - Profinet IO controller (*)
    - Profinet IO device (*)
      - Variable (*)

(*) These items can appear several times in the configuration (depending on the bus topology).

With a double click on the configuration item the depth of the logging can be adjusted.

Configuration:

The I/Os of the Profinet network must be connected to the variables via a Profinet IO controller. Start the declaration of a Profinet controller with Insert > Insert Master/Port... The following window opens:

These parameter can be changed:

Name Free description text
Adapter identification MAC address of the Profinet IO controller or name of the network connection (Windows XP or younger and Windows CE 4.1 or younger). Use the name of the network connection in order to run the Runtime redundantly. The name of the network connection can be found in the system panel of the operationg system (e.g.: LAN-connection).
Activity timeout factor [100ms]

Timeout for the connection establishment to the devices (maximum time between beginning of connection establishment and the first cyclic data exchange); Timeout factor based on 100ms

Real-time class

Class 1: cyclic data exchange without priority tag
Class 2: data exchange with priority tag

Send clock factor [31,250µs] Send clock factor. Multiple of 31,250µs (32 = 1ms)
Watchdog factor

Watchdog factor (default 3):
The Watchdog factor defines how many frames may be missing until the device is set back. Frames may:
a) be lost; e.g. due to bad cabling
b) arrive delayed due to blocking situations in the network; e.g. due to a non-separated network.
and trigger a watchdog.

Alarm timeout [100ms]

Alarm timeout (default 50)

Alarm retries

Number of alarm retries (default 3)

IP configuration delay [ms]

IP configuration delay (default 500):
Defines the time to wait whether some devices are not ready after start.

Do not wait until connect has been completed

On: the application starts immediately
Off: the application starts after all devices are connected

Start despite disconnected slaves

On: the application starts despite configured but not found devices
Off: the application starts if all configured devices were found only

Mark the controller and click Insert > Insert Slave/Datablock... to add a Profinet IO device.

These parameter can be changed:

Name

A device name can consitst of labels and must follow these conventions:
- 1 or more labels, separated by [.]
- Total length is 1 to 240
- Label length is 1 to 63
- Labels consist of [a...z0...9-]
- Labels do not start with [-]
- Labels do not end with [-]
- The first label does not start with "port-xyz" or "port-xyz-abcde" with a,b,c,d,e, x, y, z = 0...9
- Device names do not have the form n.n.n.n, n = 0...999
- Labels do only start with 'xn-' if RFC 3490 is applied

Adapter MAC address MAC address of the Profinet IO device
VLAN ID Virtual LAN ID
IP address IP address of the device
Subnet mask Subnet mask for the IP address of the device
Default gateway Default gateway
Object UUID UUID of the device
Reduction ratio

Reduction ratio (default 1):
The Reduction ratio defines the frequency for data to be exchanged with the device. The transfer rate is calculated by <Send clock factor> * 31,250 µs * <Reduction ratio>. The Send clock factor is a master parameter with a default value of 32 (all known devices work with this Send clock factor).
With the default setting of 1 the data transfer rate is 1ms; for 2 it is 2ms...;
Most devices support Reduction ratio settings of 1,2,4,8,16,32...

Phase Phase
Module IDs Module IDs of the device modules 
Module IOs Module IOs of the device modules
Module configuration Module configuration
Prefix Prefix for the variables 

Note:
With the calculation of <Watchdog factor> * <Reduction ratio> * <Send clock factor> * 31,250 µs you get the time that may expire between two frames until the device is set back. I.e. for the default settings 3 * 1 * 32 * 31,250 µs the connection will be set back after 3ms of missing frames. For office networks this time is rather low. It is recommended to us a Reduction ratio of 32 and a Watchdog factor of 24 for office networks. I.e. the connection will be reset after 24 * 32 * 32 * 31,250 µs = 768 ms. If this data exchange rate is to low please separate the PROFINET IO network from the office network (e.g. by a router).

Click "Load GSDML file" to import the necessary GSDML file.

Do the slot configuration after the GSDML file import.

Select the modules in the upper list. With the buttons "Insert" and "Append" the modules are copied to the lower list.

You can not configure each module. Only modules with some sub modules respectively with a sub module with parameter data can be configured. Mark the according module in the lower list and click the "Configure" button.

Example:

Now you can connect the variables with the I/Os. Use Insert > Insert/Set Variable... in order to append a variable to a device.

These parameter can be changed:

Variable name  Variable name following the IEC 61131-3 syntax
Area Output, Output IOCS, Output IOPS, Input, Input IOCS, Input IOPS, device status
Format 32 bit float, Signed 16 bit integer, Signed 32 bit integer, Signed 8 bit integer, Single bit, Unsigned 16 bit integer, Unsigned 32 bit integer, Unsigned 8 bit integer
Slot Slot Number
Subslot Subslot Number
Offset Offset
Bit Bit 

Note: The offset of a variable is relative to a sub module. Thus also depending from a slot and subslot. The offset of the first variable of a sub module is always 0.

All settings can be changed in the grid too. Click View > Grid in order to show/hide the grid. The information show refers to the items below of the selected item in the configuration tree.

If the Workbench is online with a target system the grid shows the real-time data of the variables.

Data types:

You can connect variables of any data type to the Profinet I/Os. The Runtime converts the values of the I/Os to the type of the variable. STRING variables are not supported.

Additional features:

“Browse network adapters”:
This command is available in the context menu of the Profinet IO configuration item. All available network adapters are listed up.

Select the right network adapter and click OK.

Click Edit > Properties... to change the properties of the selected network adapter.

 

“Browse network for slaves”:
This command is available in the context menu of the network adapter. All connected Profinet IO devices are listed up.

Select the devices you want to add in the tree via the checkbox in the column "Create".

The Network Link (or another) -LED of the marked device blinks for three seconds when pressing the "Blink" button.

Set the device names (column "Name") here! Do not change this names later!
A device name can consitst of labels and must follow these conventions:
- 1 or more labels, separated by [.]
- Total length is 1 to 240
- Label length is 1 to 63
- Labels consist of [a...z0...9-]
- Labels do not start with [-]
- Labels do not end with [-]
- The first label does not start with "port-xyz" or "port-xyz-abcde" with a,b,c,d,e, x, y, z = 0...9
- Device names do not have the form n.n.n.n, n = 0...999
- Labels do only start with 'xn-' if RFC 3490 is applied

Set the IP address of the device here. By clicking into the grid the Default gateway will be set automatically.

Click OK after setting the IP-parameters (address, subnet mask, default gateway).

 

Configuration of devices
After adding the Profinet devices to the controller they need to be configured. Double click on the referring device. Load the GSDML file. If ambiguous module IDs are found they are shown in a window. Choose the right module in the combo-box.

Note: Automatic creation of variables can be done primal after this step.

 

"Create variables for slave modules"
Find this command in the context menu of the device. Based on the defined device modules the referring variables are generated. You can define a prefix for the variables to keep them unique.

 

“Create slave diagnostics”:
Find this command in the context menu of the device. Based on the Profinet standard the referring variables are generated. You can define a prefix for the variables to keep them unique.

The following variables are generated:
- CycleCounter [UINT]
- Status [BOOL]
- DataValid [BOOL]
- ProviderState [BOOL]
- StationsProblemIndikator [BOOL]

 

“Create IOxS for slave modules”
Find this command in the context menu of the device. Based on the defined device modules the referring IOPS- and IOCS-variables are generated. You can define a prefix for the variables to keep them unique.