Example 2: Multi-time stamping

The following example program uses 10-fold multi-time stamping in which a set of 10 (set) switching states are transferred together with the associated different switching times to the process data of the EL2212 terminal. So that the required process data are available for linking to the program variables, multi-time stamping 10x must be selected on the Process Data tab.

In addition, Distributed Clock must be used and is selected via the "DC" tab:

The settings in the "DOX Settings" object for channel 1 (Index 0x8000) are to be made as follows:

Supply voltage: 60 V
Holding current: 600 mA
Coil resistance: 25 Ω
"Boost current" of the switch-on phase: 1200 mA (initially still inactive)
Current switch off threshold: -300 mA (initially still inactive)
"Booster on time " of the switch-on phase: 5 ms
"Booster off time " of the switch-on phase: 5 ms

The current switch-off threshold should be set to "TRUE"; it takes effect as soon as the overexcitation is activated in the switch-off phase "Boost-Off" and in this way prevents in advance a possible overstressing of mechanical components.

Energization of a pneumatic valve 24 V, 600 mA

The setup already used in Application Demonstration 2 is used again here: a pneumatic valve with a holding current of 600 mA and alternating current flow is energized with the following 10 switching times (in ms): [1, 50, 25, 75, 25, 50, 75, 50, 25, 50]. The first switching state is "1" with the switching time 1 ms in order to generate the first rising edge without delay from the PLC for the beginning of the switching phases. In the illustrations below this edge was used to trigger the oscilloscope for the oscilloscope recordings. The valve is connected to channel 1 of the terminal.

Oscilloscope channel assignment:

Channel 1: current flow in converted 400 mA / division
Channel 4: setpoint value of the control

Energization of a relay 24 V, 200 mA

For comparison, two oscilloscope recordings of a relay with switching times (in ms) of [100, 200, 250, 100, 150, 200, 100, 150, 200, 150] are shown in the following. The holding current and the overexcitation current have been set in advance to 200 mA and 400 mA respectively in the CoE object "DOX Settings Ch. 1". With the first switching state "1" and the associated first switching time 100 ms from the PLC, the first rising edge is generated again for the trigger.

Oscilloscope channel assignment:

Channel 1: current flow in converted 200 mA / division
Channel 2: NC contact of the relay
Channel 3: NO contact of the relay
Channel 4: setpoint value of the control

The bouncing of the NC and NO contacts already known from Application Demonstration 1 can be seen in the right-hand oscillogram; this bouncing is caused by an excessively high reverse current from the overexcitation of the switch-off phase – the "Boost-Off" in the control coil – and thus an excessively fast switch-off.

Program to example 2

All arrays have to be linked to a channel with all the necessary status, output and input variables respectively. This is already be done by the downloadable example:

Download: Program

You can use either an embedded PC that has the terminal placed on the right or an IPC with an EtherCAT link of an e.g. RJ‑45 connector to the EK1100 coupler with the terminal (e.g. C6915 + EK1100 + EL9190 + EL2212). Optionally a digital input terminal e.g. EL1004 can be set before the EL9190 for program control. A relay is connected instead of a valve and the coil resistance have to be set in CoE Object DOX Settings (0x8000:05) respectively.

Variables declaration:

PROGRAM MAIN

VAR_INPUT

   // External switch to start by user

   bEnable AT%I* : BOOL;

   // To check if last tasks were already executed

   bReadyToActivate AT%I* : BOOL;

   // Target state given back by the EL2212 (Feedback)

   bOutputState AT%I* : BOOL;

END_VAR

VAR_OUTPUT

   // Reference signal for e.g. trigger of oscilloscope

   bOutputReference AT%Q* : BOOL;

   // Link to terminal EL2212 (Output event time n):

   aQE_Time AT%Q* : ARRAY[0..9] OF UDINT;

   // Link to terminal EL2212 (Output event state n):

   aQE_State AT%Q* : ARRAY[0..9] OF BOOL;

   // Outputvariables to reset the output-buffers of EL2212

   bOutputBufReset AT%Q* : BOOL;

   // Real number of fixed State/Time-Events as a Task for EL2212

   nNoOfOutputEvents AT%Q* : USINT;

   // Start-Event to trigger beginning of task scheduling

   nOutputOrderCnt AT%Q* : USINT;

END_VAR

VAR

   aSwitchTime : ARRAY[0..9] OF UDINT:=

   // All 10 time offsets in ms allocated to the 10 states:

      100, 200, 250, 100, 150, 200, 100, 150, 200, 150

];

   nState : UINT:=0; // Use for "CASE .. OF" statement

   nShortTime : ULINT; // Timevalue of current DC time/ lower 32 Bit only

   nCurrentTime : ULINT; // Current DC-Time of the PLC-Task

   bStateValue : BOOL; // Variable to set a toggled state of a task-event

   nScheduleNo: INT; // Consists No of respective state/time pair

                     // of a Switch-Task

END_VAR

Program:

// Example program 2: 10x Multi-Timestamp for EL2212

nCurrentTime := F_GetCurDcTaskTime64(); // Get current DC-Time (Task-Related)

// Overtake feedback of EL2212 to any output terminal

// for using as trigger / reference signal:

bOutputReference := bOutputState;

CASE nState OF

// ====================== Do some initializations here: ============================

0:

// Reset ouput buffer of the terminal EL2212

   bOutputBufReset := TRUE;

   nState := nState + 1;// Go to next state

1:

   bOutputBufReset := FALSE;

   nState := nState + 1; // Go to next state

2:

// Wait for external start-event by user (e.g. ext. switch)

   IF bEnable THEN

      nState := 10; // Go to next state and set events

   END_IF

// =================================================================================

// ============ Now fill up all state/time pairs for the four channels =============

10:

// Last tasks already executed?

   IF bReadyToActivate THEN

      bStateValue:=1;

      // Set first state level ('1')

      aQE_State[0] := bStateValue;

      // Cut 64 Bit time value to 32 Bit

      nShortTime := nCurrentTime AND 16#FFFFFFFF;

      // Set first time value (duration for "save" begin)

      aQE_Time[0] := (ULINT_TO_UDINT(nShortTime)

                     + aSwitchTime[0] * 1000000);

      // Use 'nScheduleNo' as loop counter

      FOR nScheduleNo:=1 TO 9 DO

         bStateValue := NOT bStateValue;

         // Set inverting output states of one switch-task

         aQE_State[nScheduleNo] := bStateValue;

         // Set timestamps of one switch-task

         aQE_Time[nScheduleNo] := (aQE_Time[nScheduleNo-1]

                         + aSwitchTime[nScheduleNo] * 1000000);

      END_FOR

      nState := nState + 1; // Go to next state

   END_IF

// =================================================================================

// ======== Allow some taskcycles (min. 2) to let EL2212 schedule all tasks ========

11:

   // 'nScheduleNo' is still 9; wait until 12: 3 more PLC-Taskcycles

   IF nScheduleNo = 12 THEN

      nNoOfOutputEvents := 10;

      // Trigger Multi-Timestamp scheduling: now start:

      nOutputOrderCnt := nOutputOrderCnt + 1;

      nState := nState + 1;

   ELSE

      // Just count PLC-Taskcycles here

      nScheduleNo := nScheduleNo + 1;

   END_IF

12:

// ================================== End ==========================================

   // Wait for external switch to be released

   IF NOT bEnable THEN

      nState := 0; // Go to beginning state

   END_IF

END_CASE

Preparations for starting the sample programs (tnzip file / TwinCAT 3)

Click on the download button to save the Zip archive locally on your hard disk, then unzip the *.tnzip archive file in a temporary folder.

Select the .tnzip file (sample program).
A further selection window opens. Select the destination directory for storing the project.
For a description of the general PLC commissioning procedure and starting the program please refer to the terminal documentation or the EtherCAT system documentation.

The EtherCAT device of the example should usually be declared your present system. After selection of the EtherCAT device in the “Solutionexplorer” select the “Adapter” tab and click on “Search...”:

Checking NetId: the “EtherCAT” tab of the EtherCAT device shows the configured NetId:.
The first four numbers must be identical with the project NetId of the target system. The project NetId can be viewed within the TwinCAT environment above, where a pull down menu can be opened to choose a target system (by clicking right in the text field). The number blocks are placed in brackets there next to each computer name of a target system.
Modify the NetId: By right clicking on “EtherCAT device” within the solution explorer a context menu opens where “Change NetId...” have to be selected. The first four numbers of the NetId of the target computer must be entered; both last values are 4.1 usually.
Example:

NetId of project: myComputer (123.45.67.89.1.1)
Entry via „Change NetId...“: 123.45.67.89.4.1

Also see more hints in section:
Commissioning, TwinCAT Quickstart, TwinCAT 3, Startup.

Assignment of the process data and settings

	EL2212: "DC" tab – selection of the DC operating mode The operating mode "DC active (controller handled)" must be set for the functional capability of this program.