how to communicate Labview with Mitsubishi plc

[locman]

i'm using Labview 7.1 and want to create VIs to control Mitsubishi PLC (model: A1shcpu). 

So i'm wondering if NI provides the driver to communicate Labview with this PLC?

[RavensFan]

Yes.  You can use datasocket to communicate with an OPC server.  Mitsubishi A series is supported according to this link.  https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/supplemental/07/supported-device---driver-plug-in-list-f...

Search the forums and NI.com for more information on OPC servers and datasocket.  Also DSC module.

[aeastet]

We talk directly to the PLC through the serial port. We use FX2N and the A series PLC's. It will take a little time to develop the drivers yourself for the Mitsubishi PLC. but then you do not need any extra software to talk to these divices. You will need a cable that you will have to buy from Mitsubishi.We have been talking to these PLC's all the way back to Labview 5.0 and before.

[locman]

"We talk directly to the PLC through the serial port. We use FX2N and the A series PLC's. It will take a little time to develop the drivers yourself for the Mitsubishi PLC. but then you do not need any extra software to talk to these divices. You will need a cable that you will have to buy from Mitsubishi.We have been talking to these PLC's all the way back to Labview 5.0 and before. "

Right, i am too communicate to the PLC thru serial port.  Inorder to talk to the PLC i have to run an executable application called Setup Bootstrap for Visual Basic setup toolkit.  I believe this is the driver to communicate Labview with Mitsubishi PLC, but is this Bootstrapper a part of the support from the NI end or Mitsubishi?

[RavensFan]

That sounds like that software is supplied by Mitsubishi.  Probably a program they supply so that you can go into the PLC and program it or setup registers or something like that.  I'm a little confused by they would say "for Visual Basic" if they supply it as an executable.  You may need to run that in order to initially setup the PLC.  I doubt you will be able to make that work easily with LV itself.

You should look at the Modbus drivers available on the NI website here.  If you are able to setup the PLC to communicate with Modbus over the serial port, these could help you.

[locman]

Ravens Fan wrote: "I'm a little confused by they would say "for Visual Basic" if they supply it as an executable."

I think this Setup Bootstrapper that i mentioned was wrote and deployed from Microsoft Corporation Visual Basic.  What i don't understand is that Labview was able to use the Bootstrapper as its subvi.

[MehakD]

National Instruments does provide VISA drivers to communicate directly over Serial Port and like Ravens Fan mentioned we also do provide a modbus library.

Is that what you are looking for? Also would it be possible for you to provide more information on how the bootstrapper application was being used as a subVI in LabVIEW?

[locman]

Mehak D wrote:   "Is that what you are looking for? Also would it be possible for you to provide more information on how the bootstrapper application was being used as a subVI in LabVIEW?"

just like any other subvis an icon of the name MitCom is place on the Front window and its property node, invoke node are use in the block-diagram window.

[MehakD]

In that case you are probably refering to ActiveX or .NET objects for the Mitsubishi PLC. National Instruments does not provide those. However, we do provide  ActiveX functions in LabVIEW to work with those.

You may need to contact Mitsubishi to obtain the drivers for the PLC.

[locman]

thanks,

i will look more into ActiveX.