Fieldbus Foundation Interoperability with NI as LAS

[BerniW]

Hello,

I use NI-FBUS V3.1.1 with a Softing FG100FF/M Modbus/TCP to FF Gateway.

When the FBUS Interface is the LAS, I periodically get the Substatus "FaultStateActive" in Final Value of the DO and AO Transducer Blocks of the Softing Device.
When the Softing Device is the LAS, the communication works fine.
Using the "Optimizing" Function in the FBUS Configuratior changes the period of the "FaultStateActive" messages, but doesent prevent them from occurring.

Does anybody have an idea, what the reason for this problem might be?

Thanks,
Berni

[fieldbus]

It is interesting that you are using NI-FBUS Configurator with Softing FG100FF/M linking device; I only know the Configurator works well with Softing FG-100 FF/HSE linking device.

You mentioned you set the FBUS interface as LAS, do you mean you have NI PCMCIA or PCI interface card connected to the FF H1 segment?

If so, please make sure the Softing LD (or other FF host device) is not connected to the same H1 segment; or you can set the NI interface device as Basic Device to avoid LAS conflict with Softing linking device. Normally the linking device should be set as LAS in the FF H1 segment.

If not, can you explain how did you connect Configurator and Softing FG-100 FF/M linking device? Did you connect them through Ethernet, or you have Configurator running with NI interface card and just connected the interface card with Softing linking device together?

[BerniW]

Yes, I have the NI PCMCIA interface connected to the FF H1 segment.

Please Note, that the Softing FG100FF/M is not working as a linking device on the FF H1 bus side.
It just offers Muliple DI,DO,AI and AO Blocks on the FF side. The input data of the output blocks is mapped to registers on the Modbus/TCP side and can be read with a Modbus/TCP client (and vice versa for writing input blocks).

Therefore it was my understanding, that it should be possible to have the NI PCMCIA interface as a LAS.
If the connection to the NI PCMCIA interface is cut, the the FG100FF/M can act as the LAS.

However in the configuration with NI PCMCIA interface as LAS the bus doesn't to work stable, but when I assign the Softing FG100FF/M as LAS it works just fine.

[fieldbus]

Thanks for the further information about Softing FG-100FF/M device. In this case, the H1 port of FG-100FF/M is more like field device instead of interface device.

Can you please check something below:
1. Set the FG-100FF/M as LAS, connect PCMCIA interface and FG-100FF/M device, set PCMCIA interface as Basic Device;
2. Run Configurator, right click the H1 link and choose "Advanced View" menu;
3. Double-click the object "MIB" under the FG-100FF/M device;
4. Check the parameter "PRIMARY_LINK_MASTER_FLAG";

If the value is "TRUE", set it to "FALSE"; If the value is already "FALSE", then there might be some other conflicts between PCMCIA and FG-100FF/M, I would suggest you have NI-FBUS Monitor connected and check what's the problem in communication.

[BerniW]

Hello,

thanks for your hint.
The PRIMARY_LINK_MASTER_FLAG on the FG-100FF/M was set to false.
So I will coninue working with the Bus Monitor.