Overview
The Device Module plays a central role in managing communication between the HMI and devices in an industrial automation system. To ensure seamless integration and optimal performance, it is essential to properly configure the Device Module. This includes selecting the appropriate communication protocol, creating and managing device channels, and defining device nodes and points.Each device connected to the system through channels is called a Node. Nodes can be individual devices or groups of devices. Each node contains one or more Points.
On this page:
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Configuration Workflow
The typical configuration workflow for the Device Module has the following sequence:
Device Module Configuration Workflow | ||
|---|---|---|
Action | Where | Comments |
Create Channels | Devices → Channels | Identify the required field devices and protocols the project requires, create channels accordingly. |
Create Nodes | Devices → Nodes | Identify the Network addresses and relevant information to all stations and devices that need connectivity. Learn more at Devices Nodes. |
Map Tags to Point addresses | Devices → Points | Optionally, you can Copy Tags from Excel/CSV from Excel or execute Import Wizards. Learn more at Device Points. |
Create or Customize AccessTypes | Devices → AccessTypes | Optionally, you can optimize the communication, grouping Points with similar requirements to the same AccessType. |
Communication Protocol Selection
Our software supports over 50 communication protocols to facilitate interaction between the HMI and various industrial devices. To select the appropriate protocol for your system, consider factors such as compatibility with the devices in your network, data transfer speed, reliability, and security requirements. Once you have determined the most suitable protocol, configure it within the Device Module to establish communication between the HMI and devices.
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You can check the up-to-date list of Communication drivers at the Communication Drivers section. Additional communications protocol (drivers), can be user-created with the Drivers Toolkit. |
Creating and Managing Device Channels
Device channels are the pathways for communication between the HMI and the devices in the system. To create and manage channels, follow these steps:To create channels:
Go to Devices → Channels.
Click New item...
The Create New Channel window displays.
Enter or select information, as needed.
Click OK. The channel is added as a new row in the table
Device Channel Creation Settings
Field/Column
Description
Channel Name
Enter a name for the channel.
Protocol
Select the protocol this channel uses.
Description
Enter a description for this channel.
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For more information about the configuration for common protocols and interfaces, click Help at the top of the tab inside FrameworX. |
To edit device channels:
Go to Devices → Channels.
To add or remove a column (visualization only), right-click the column heading area and select or deselect columns.
Edit the fields on the row corresponding to the channel you want to modify.
Device Channel Configuration Properties
Field/Column
Description
ProtocolOptions
Configure the options for this protocol.
Protocol options depend on the selected protocol. Check each documentation to guide you.
Interface
Select the interface type for this channel.
Serial - Use to configure the serial parameters for RS232/485 networks.
MultiSerial - Use for configurations with multiple RS-232 ports.
TCPIP - Use for Ethernet or wireless networks.
Settings
Configure the settings for this channel. The available values depend on the interface the channel is using.
For a serial interface, typically keep the defaults.
For a MultiSerial interface, enter the number of RS-232 ports to use in the Ports field.
Learn more at AccessType. |
AcceptUnsolicited - Accept unsolicited input from the slave.
ListeningPort - TCP port where the slave device is connected (default is 502).
NodeConnection - Number of parallel requests sent to each node (asynchronous communication).
MaxSimultaneousConnections - Maximum number of concurrent connections.
ShareNodeSameIP - Several slaves are connected to a single IP address. For example, RS485/Ethernet Converters.
UseSingleThread - Use a single thread for the same IP nodes.
UsePingToCheckConnection - Check for connection before sending a packet.
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The settings here must match the settings on the slave device. |
Timeout
Configure the timeout options for this channel. Typically, keep the default value.
InitialState
Select the initial state for this channel.
Enabled: the channel is loaded and execution starts when the project starts.
Disabled: the channel is loaded, but does not starts execution going the disabled state.
Remote: the channel is local in a remote Computer defined that the Remote Settings. See more information at Remote Channels.
Reserved: the channel is not loaded, it acts as the channel was temporarily deleted from the project.
Remote Settings
Set the primary IP and backup IP to configure the remote computer where this channel will run
Driver Version
The version of the current driver being used.
Restarting the channels:
It is possible to restart the Channel of the device module via script. That way, you don't have to shut down the entire system.In Scripts > Classes, create a class using the follow code:
Device.Channel.XXXX.Stop()
Device.Channel.XXX.Start()
Note: The "XXXX" refers to the name of the Channel being used.
You can create a Task or Expression to call this class when needed, you can also do it in other ways that don't use the class. You can configure a button to perform this task in a screen, as example.
Creating Nodes
Nodes are the devices or PLCs on the network with which you communicate and this is where you must enter the settings for each one that will be connected to your project.
You can also import settings from an OPC server or from another data source.
To configure nodes:
Go to Devices → Nodes.
Enter or select information, as needed.
To add or remove a column (visualization only), right-click the column heading area and select or deselect columns.
Device Node Configuration Properties | |
|---|---|
Column | Description |
Name | Enter a name for the node. The system lets you know if the name is not valid. |
Channel | Select the channel for this node. For more information about the configuration for common protocols, click Help at the top of the tab. |
PrimaryStation | Enter the information required to access the primary node, based on the protocol selected. |
BackupStation | Enter the information required, based on the protocol, to access the backup node. When the backupstation is defined and a communication failure occurs on the primary station, the system automatically attempts to establish communication with the backup station. |
SyncDate | Date that the import was done (read only field). |
SyncStation | Information about the station where the import was done - Station IP, Port and Slot - (read only field). |
SyncSettings | Information about the settings used by the system to import the file (read only field). |
TemplateID |
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Description | Enter a description for this node. |
[Other columns] | For definitions of other columns that are available in many tables, see Common Column Definitions. |
Adding and Editing Points
Data Points define specific values for each node that can be accessed using tags. The number of data points you can configure is related to both the ProductModel that is configured for the project and your software license.
To configure data points:
Go to Devices → Points.
You can copy and paste tags from the Unified Namespace → Tags.
Enter or select information, as needed.
To add or remove a column (visualization only), right-click the column heading area and select or deselect columns.
Points Configuration Properties | |
|---|---|
Field/Column | Description |
TagName | Enter a tag name or click "..." to select a tag. You can also create a new tag. |
Node | Select the node for this data point. |
Address | Enter the register address which is based on the PLC and protocol for this data point and tag. |
DataType | Select the data type you want to use. Most protocols should use the native option. When native is used, the protocol will automatically handle the data conversion.Selecting a different data type overrides the defaults. Some options may not be applicable to the selected node. Make sure you know the applicable data types. |
Modifiers | If the PLC uses a different byte order, select the options you want. You can change the position bit, byte, Word, or Dword of the data that is communicated. |
AccessType | Select the access type for this data point. You can define and configure the access types. See Access Types below. |
Scaling | If you want to manipulate the tag value, select the options you want.When the data is read in the Equation option:
|
Label | A text that represents a label to the point |
Dynamic Configuration Points > Address
The example below shows how to configure a dynamic Address using a MQTT telegram, for example:
/topic/gateway/data:
/topic/gatewayX/data
/topic/gatewayY/data
/topic/gatewayZ/data:
In other words: /topic/@Tag.gateway/data:
You can create a standard point in Devices>Points, with Tag name, node, and Address
You can use the following code to change the Address for the desired point:
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string error;
DataTable dt_DevicePoints = TK.ProjectDB.GetDataTable("EditDevicesPoints", "TagName='Tag.Tag01.Velocidade'");
DataRow[] rows = new DataRow[1];
rows[0] = dt_DevicePoints.Rows[0];
@Info.Trace(rows[0]["Address"].ToString());
rows[0]["Address"] = "Group01/"+@Tag.Gateway+"/Device01";
@Info.Trace(rows[0]["Address"].ToString());
rows[0].AcceptChanges();
TK.ProjectDB.UpdateDataRows("EditDevicesPoints", rows, out error);
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(error) == false)
{
@Info.Trace("Error changing tag address: " + error);
}
else
{
@Info.Trace("Applying Devices Changes - begin");
TK.ProjectDB.ApplyProjectChanges();
@Info.Trace("OK!");
} |
In the second line when using the code DataTable dt_DevicePoints = TK.ProjectDB.GetDataTable("EditDevicesPoints", "TagName='Tag.Tag01.Velocity'"); the first parameter refers to the table you want to obtain, in this case, it would be the Points, in the second parameter it would be the TagName column and the tag configured in Points, in this example the tag: Tag.Tag01.Velocidade.
In the line where the code rows[0]["Address"] = "Group01/"+@Tag.Gateway+"/Device01"; is where you choose the new desired address, in this case @Tag.Gateway which is a string type tag will receive different names and make this substitution.
To internally update this Address you need the following code: TK.ProjectDB.UpdateDataRows("EditDevicesPoints", rows, out error); If no error occurs in the update, you can apply the change to the project using the code: TK.ProjectDB.ApplyProjectChanges(); from this moment on your Address is configured with the new value previously entered. |
Importing PLC Addresses
When creating the communication nodes and point addresses, there is no need to retype those addresses if they are already defined in some other data source. Currently, Tatsoft supports the following methods to automatically import remote data configuration:
You can copy and paste the contents of a table from Excel. The tables can have different columns or order, as long you include the TITLE of the column in the copy and paste operations. The system will put the data in the expected columns, even if the order is different in the source and target tables.
You can import the data from CSV files.
For Rockwell ControlLogix devices, you can import from L5k definition files.
You can use various Import Wizards from many data sources
For OSIsoft® PI database, there is a FactoryStudio version to share definitions.
A programming API is available that can populate the tables from code, even from runtime execution when it is necessary.
If your PLC or Field Device has an open database of file with the available addresses, and you would like to have a tied integration with that configuration and addresses, contact us, as we have programming interfaces to allow that just like we did with the OPC datasources.
For more information, visit Import Tag Wizards.
Importing from an OPC Server
Importing data from an OPC server allows for efficient and streamlined integration with industrial automation systems. By creating an OPC communication node and selecting the "Import" option, FactoryStudio automatically creates tags and communication points based on the information available from the OPC server. This functionality simplifies the configuration and maintenance of the project, optimizing the data integration process. To learn more about importing data from an OPC server, please visit Import Tag Wizards - OPC Server.
Tutorial - Importing from an OPCXmIDA
The Importing from OPCXmIDA tutorial guides you through the process of configuring a Kepware server and a client, establishing an efficient OPC connection between the two systems. By following the steps outlined in the tutorial, you can create and configure devices, tags, and OPCxmIDA communication nodes in both Kepware and our software. Additionally, the tutorial covers how to change the visibility property of the tags to ensure proper communication between the OPC server and client. For detailed, step-by-step information on importing from OPCXmIDA, please visit Tutorial - Importing from an OPCXmIDA
Importing from Excel
The import and export of tags and PLC addresses is streamlined due to its integration with Excel, as the software extensively utilizes tables in various features. By creating a table in Excel with the required columns, such as TagName, Type, and Address, you can copy and paste the data directly into platform. The software ensures the accurate assignment of data to the corresponding columns, even if the column order is different. After the first import, the system stores your settings, making it easy to synchronize previously imported addresses and new addresses. For more detailed information on the import and export process of tags, visit Import Tag Wizards -Importing from Excel.
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