MagneMotion Guide Series

• MagneMotion Guide Part 1: Creating Configuration Files
• MagneMotion Guide Part 2: Starting up and Commissioning a Track
• MagneMotion Guide Part 3: Controlling a System with a PLC
• MagneMotion Guide Part 4: Using Path and Station AOI’s
• MagneMotion Guide Part 5: Alternative Routing Controls
• MagneMotion Guide Part 6: Track Recovery Considerations
• MagneMotion Guide Part 7: Traffic Lights
• MagneMotion Guide Part 8: Simulation
• MagneMotion Guide Part 9: Traffic Jam Prevention
• MagneMotion Guide Part 10: Moving Track

What is Tuning?

Tuning is the process of adjusting the parameters of your system that control the motion profiles used to turn motion commands (i.e., move this vehicle to this position) into mechanical movement. In the case of MagneMotion, tuning usually involves adjusting the Control Loop Parameters in the configuration file along with other advanced parameters that handle the system response to vehicles being out of position. 

While some systems have automatic tuning processes, MagneMotion tuning is a very iterative process. Typically, you’ll adjust tuning parameters before running your track, make observations about the current track behavior, and then iterate on the parameters again until system performance meets application requirements. 

Benefits of Tuning

There can be several different reasons why you would want to tune your system. The first is to ensure that vehicle motion is smooth. A properly tuned system will reduce vibrations and jerky movements from vehicle motion. 

Tuning can also be useful in increasing the overall throughput of your system. Mistuned vehicles can take longer to get up to speed or might slightly overshoot their targets, causing delays as they need to correct their positions. 

Similarly, tuning can also considerably reduce the current draw and thermal load on your MagneMotion motors. When a vehicle is moving smoothly and precisely, there is less need for the motors to draw an excessive amount of current to correct the vehicle’s positioning. 

Before you begin tuning your system, it is important to consider what your priorities are in tuning. A system tuned to optimize speed and responsiveness may look different from a system tuned to reduce thermal load. 

Configuration File Adjustments

See MagneMotion Guide Part 1: Creating Configuration Files for additional details.

The relevant parameters for MagneMotion tuning are found in the motor defaults section of the track. While you can adjust these parameters on a per motor basis, it’s usually a good idea to adjust them on a per path basis to keep vehicle motion consistent across your track. 

Here you can set up different sets of control parameters. To make use of a new set simply fill out the parameters and click the Enable check box. When commanding a vehicle to move (through NC Host or a controller) you can set the command to run at one of the PID sets configured here. Typically, it is a good idea to have a PID set for unloaded vehicles and another for vehicles that are loaded. Additional PID sets can be added, either to account for different load types or different types of moves along the track. 

Below is a quick description of each parameter used in a control set: 

Tuning Process

Using Virtual Scope

To properly tune a system, you will need to run a vehicle around your track while assessing whether the vehicle’s behavior is improved after each adjustment to the system’s control parameters 

While you can certainly do this by just monitoring the system, MagneMotion has created a tool to help gather more specific motion data called Virtual Scope.

The Virtual Scope tool gathers data about a vehicle’s position error, velocity, and current use as it moves along a motor of your track. 

To use Virtual Scope in your tuning process simply hit the setup button and input the IP address of your HLC controller along with the vehicle ID you are planning on tracking and the path and motor you are running your tuning tests over. 

Note that for a running system it can be tricky to line up a scope of a specific vehicle crossing a specific motor. Make use of NC Host’s ability to track vehicle positions to setup a trace before the vehicle approaches the motor you are monitoring. 

When a profile is captured, you can select which parameters you wish to display. You can also choose to set up a data capture to record the data from the scope into a .csv file for additional analysis. 

Data Streams

The Virtual Scope tools make use of data stream files to determine which data it is capturing from the MagneMotion motor. By default, virtual scope uses a data set that includes information on the vehicle position, error, and velocity.  

The virtual scope tool can gather additional information on things like motor temperature, power specifics or other details if the scope tool is loaded with different data streams by going to “Advanced” -> “Load Data Stream.” Rockwell does not publish these data stream files, but you can reach Rockwell ICT’s support team for alternative data streams if needed. 

Using NC Host

While you can certainly run your tuning by setting up a PLC program to run tests, it is often easier to use NC Host to control a singular mover instead of spinning up a whole PLC program or modifying your production code. 

For more details on NC Host see MagneMotion Guide Part 2: Starting up and Commissioning a Track.

NC Host also has a tool that allows you to use a temporary set of PID parameters to reduce the number of times you’ll need to change the configuration file of your system. This means you can try out PID values without needing to restart your system. (Note that any parameters changed through NC Host will be reset the next time the system restarts or the relevant path is reset). 

Other Tuning Considerations

On top of the typical PID-based configuration adjustments, there are also several additional configuration modifications that can be made to improve your system’s behavior. 

Disable Control Thrust

 If a vehicle is having trouble settling into position, the configuration file can be adjusted to disable the control thrust on a vehicle when it is within a certain tolerance of its target. This comes at a cost to how closely the vehicle will hold to its destination but removes any oscillation or additional thrust from a vehicle that is within tolerance of its position. 

Motion Limits

If you are having trouble ensuring smooth motion on your vehicles, configuring a stricter velocity limit or acceleration limit can prevent the vehicle motion from overshooting its target too aggressively at the cost of overall system speed. Importantly, this also is the easiest way to reduce temperature issues on a motor. 

Arrival Tolerance 

Similarly, if a station has too large of a settling time where vehicles are adjusting themselves to get into a station position, you can adjust the arrival position and velocity targets. This way, if on that particular path vehicle tolerance is not too strict, you can reduce the delay between when a vehicle arrives at its destination and when MagneMotion indicates that the vehicle is in position. 

This parameter only affects when MagneMotion considers a vehicle ‘in position’ and does not change the motion profile of a vehicle. 

Host Controller Communication 

You can also potentially reduce settling time by adjusting the system’s communication with its host controller. For high throughput systems, changing the Send Vehicle Status Period or the Vehicle Records/Status Period values can reduce the delay caused while waiting for the Node Controller to tell the host controller that the vehicle has arrived. Care should be taken when adjusting these values to ensure that you are not overloading the communication resources of the Node Controller or the Host Controller. 

On a host controller, this update frequency also depends on the cycle time of the MagneMotion device handler. 

Also note that these settings are specifically for systems that make use of Rockwell’s ICT library, see MagneMotion Guide Part 3: Controlling a System with a PLC. 

Learn more about DMC’s MagneMotion programming expertise and contact us today to get started on your next project. 

The post MagneMotion Guide Part 11: Tuning appeared first on DMC, Inc..

The competition will take place over a day and a half, Monday and Tuesday of Automation Fair week, with the winning team announced on Wednesday at 2:30 PM on the Discovery Theater stage.

DMC’s team of experts will be competing against six other teams for honor and glory in a coding challenge that incorporates FactoryTalk Optix, FactoryTalk DataMosaix, FactoryTalk Analytics LogixAI, Studio 5000 Logix Designer, FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition, and Plex.

Good luck to all the teams competing!

Exploring the Expo? Visit us in Booth #752

Stop by our booth to connect with our team, explore our latest automation solutions, and see our custom-built “Drop Bot” in action.

Test your skills against Drop Bot in a life-sized game of Connect Four or challenge your colleagues to a game.

Will we see you at the show? Let us know!

Connect with Us

Don’t miss the chance to connect with the DMC team at Automation Fair 2025. Register today and meet with us in Chicago at Booth #752.

The post DMC is Competing in the 2025 ROKathon! appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Exploring the Expo? Visit us in Booth #752

Stop by our booth to connect with our team, explore our latest automation solutions, and see our custom-built “Drop Bot” in action.

Test your skills against Drop Bot in a life-sized game of Connect Four or challenge your colleagues to a game.

Will we see you at the show? Let us know!

Connect with Us

DMC is Competing in the 2025 ROKathon!

DMC is excited to be participating in the first-ever ROKathon coding competition at Rockwell’s Automation Fair 2025!

DMC’s team of experts will be competing against six other teams for honor and glory in a coding challenge that incorporates FactoryTalk Optix, FactoryTalk DataMosaix, FactoryTalk Analytics LogixAI, Studio 5000 Logix Designer, FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition, and Plex.

The competition will take place over a day and a half, Monday and Tuesday of Automation Fair week, with the winning team announced on Wednesday at 2:30 PM on the Discovery Theater stage.

Good luck to all the teams competing in this new challenge!

What to Expect at the Rockwell Automation Fair

Automation Fair 2025 offers attendees the chance to:

• Gain new insights from 400+ domain expert presenters.
• Explore 120+ interactive exhibits with new technology and solutions.
• Connect with 10,000+ professionals in industrial operations.
• 450+ hours of training opportunities and hundreds of solution showcases & more!

DMC and Rockwell Automation

As a Rockwell Automation Gold System Integrator, DMC is proud to demonstrate our expertise in advanced integration and custom engineering solutions. Our session highlights how we apply FactoryTalk Optix and C# to real-world customer challenges, delivering both innovation and measurable impact.

Don’t miss the chance to connect with the DMC team at Automation Fair 2025. Register today and meet us in Chicago at Booth #752.

The post Join DMC at the 2025 Rockwell Automation Fair appeared first on DMC, Inc..

The DEI Award honors a Rockwell partner that has made DEI part of its business strategy and taken steps to make the industry more diverse. 

Giana Fallara, Systems Engineer, and Marilyn Sedlak, Project Engineer, accepted the award on behalf of DMC by video. Kristie Shea, Vice President, accepted the award in person at the PartnerNetwork Conference. 

“One of DMC’s core values is to make things happen. The employee-driven nature of DMC’s DEI efforts make them personal, impactful, and flexible to meet the actual needs of employees,” said Fallara. 

DMC supports diversity, equity, and inclusion through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) created by DMC employees who share a minority identity. Additionally, the FRIEND (Fostering Relationships, Inclusion, Equity aNd Diversity) user group at DMC encourages community members to share their experiences and identify areas for improvement. Beyond the company workforce, DMC is a proud sponsor of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) chapters at a handful of universities. 

“Rockwell’s prioritization of DEI initiatives meshes with DMC’s focus on creating a workplace culture where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued," Sedlak shared. "This is one of the factors that contributes to our successful partnership."

This recognition reflects DMC’s ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive culture where every team member feels empowered to thrive. 

DMC previously received the 2024 Rockwell System Integrator Innovation Award at the PartnerNetwork Conference. 

Learn more about DMC’s Rockwell Automation Gold System Integrator partnership and contact us today for your next project. 

The post DMC Receives DEI Award from Rockwell Automation appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Typically, a MagneMotion track is designed to fit a 2D profile, the track might turn left or right but not up or down. While this is sufficient for most MagneMotion applications, sometimes systems are designed to lift or move MagneMotion track out of its typical 2D plane.  

Whether this is to move MagneMotion closer to tooling or to transport MagneMotion vehicles from one level of track to another, configuring this type of track involves careful modifications to the typical MagneMotion system. In this blog we’ll review general guidelines on how to handle these situations. 

Note: This blog is for MagneMover Lite systems only. QuickStick systems have a built-in feature of linking and unlinking paths which is a preferred way to handle this issue.

MagneMotion Guide Series

• MagneMotion Guide Part 1: Creating Configuration Files
• MagneMotion Guide Part 2: Starting up and Commissioning a Track
• MagneMotion Guide Part 3: Controlling a System with a PLC
• MagneMotion Guide Part 4: Using Path and Station AOI’s
• MagneMotion Guide Part 5: Alternative Routing Controls
• MagneMotion Guide Part 6: Track Recovery Considerations
• MagneMotion Guide Part 7: Traffic Lights
• MagneMotion Guide Part 8: Simulation
• MagneMotion Guide Part 9: Traffic Jam Prevention

Step 1: Creating the Track Layout 

When laying out track, any moving segments of track should be carefully considered. You will need to account for any moving track in your system configuration, but different tracks have different considerations. 

Terminus Nodes vs. Relay Nodes 

Regardless of how the track is set up it is often a good idea to define any moving track as its own specific path. This allows the host controller to suspend or start that track section independently and makes it much easier to follow if there are any vehicles on the track. 

If the track is simple, you can usually add relay nodes to your system to break out your lifting path. In the below example, a single meter of track would be used to raise carriers from a ground section of track to a raised section of track. 

Here, you can maintain a simple track setup. Vehicles can still be sent from the ground track to the lift track or from the lift track to the ceiling track using the same typical motion commands that you’d use in other parts of your MagneMotion System. 

However, some tracks are more complicated to set up. Since MagneMotion is constrained to 2D systems any track that requires having multiple motors in the same two-dimensional position will require more a complicated track configuration to set up. 

In the example below, the track has been set up with a lift that can move vehicles to any one of three different levels of track. 

In this example, the track must be configured so that the different levels of track are considered separate from the rest. While regular vehicle commands can still be used to pass vehicles from the left ground track to the lift track, any vehicles sent from the lift track to one of the right-side tracks will need to be done with a terminus node handoff. 

Terminus Node Considerations 

In general, this terminus node-based configuration should be reserved for tracks where alternate configurations are not possible. While these terminus nodes will function, they come with some additional caveats. 

While terminus nodes can be properly simulated, you will need to add additional simulation logic to your PLC to properly run a simulation test of your system. Since MagneMotion will not know that the track on either side of the terminus node spot is next to each other when a vehicle exits through one terminus node it will not automatically appear on the other track section. Spoofing logic will be required to create an additional vehicle to receive it on the other track. 

Also, while MagneMotion supports disjointed tracks, many of the MagneMotion tools used in generating files will not work for non-contiguous tracks. For example, the “walk the paths” action will only create a configuration file with the paths of one disjointed section, any additional paths and nodes will need to be added manually. Similarly, the configurator tool cannot generate an .mmrtk file from the configuration of a disjointed track (though you can manually create an .mmtk file on your own using any text editor). 

Terminus nodes also require more programming overhead to control and manage. Moving vehicles across a terminus node is more complicated than regular MagneMotion motion commands. 

Step 2: Controlling Motion Across Your Lift 

Once you have your track laid out, you need to consider how to best control the movement of vehicles across your track.  

Having moving track in your system adds another considerable risk to your project. If a vehicle is commanded off the lift track at the wrong time it can fly off the lift into empty air and hurt anyone nearby. While you could theoretically control your lift track the same exact way you control all your other track, it is always a good idea to add some extra precautions when dealing with moving track.  

It is also worth noting that MagneMover Lite is not a safety-rated system so including reasonable mechanical constraints in your system is also a good idea. Ideally, any system would be set up so that no matter what, a vehicle wouldn’t fall off the track. 

Mechanical Restrictions 

Implementing simple solutions like mechanical guarding around your track can help prevent incidents. Alternatively, adding cylinders to the end of a track that actuate to restrict vehicle motion can help ensure system reliability even if power is lost to the MagneMotion track. 

There are countless ways to design a system to prevent issues with moving track. It is important to consider the possible failure modes of the system and ensure that they are accounted for in the design. 

Traffic Lights 

Traffic lights are used in MagneMotion systems to stop vehicles in certain spots of the track. For more information see MagneMotion Blog Part 7: Traffic Lights. 

Where moving track is used, it can be useful to keep traffic lights on either side of the track. 

To help ensure that no vehicles are commanded off the end of the track, the lights will be set to turn red when it is not safe for a vehicle to cross. 

It is important to note that the traffic light setting is not instantaneous. Not only is there a slight delay in a command for a traffic light being sent from the host controller, but any incoming vehicle will need time to decelerate before the traffic light. This means that when using traffic lights, they should be set to red before the moving track starts to get out of position to ensure there are no issues with incoming vehicles as the track is moving. 

Another consideration is that while traffic lights are defined as a single point on a track, they can take up a fair amount of space. When a vehicle is approaching a traffic light it will maintain a distance between itself and the traffic light based on its configured vehicle length. 

This means that track lifts can run into situations where there is insufficient space to have traffic lights and move vehicles onto the lift track. 

Keepout Areas 

Another tool MagneMotion has for controlling vehicle flow is the creation of keepout areas.  

Keepout areas are configured spots on the track that are set up to make it less likely for vehicles to come to a stop in those spots. When a vehicle approaches a keepout area it will only continue into the area if it has permission to move through the entire area. 

This means that vehicles will not get stuck in a keepout area when they’re backed up, but they will still be able to move through them if the track is clear. Similarly, any vehicles in the keepout area when the track suspends will continue moving until they are outside of the area. 

Unlike traffic lights, keepout areas cannot simply be turned on and off. They are defined in the MagneMotion configuration file and require updating that file and rebooting the system to change. 

Defining Keepout Areas 

Keepout areas are defined in the configuration file on a per motor basis. Each keepout area only applies to upstream or downstream motion. If vehicles will be moving across the keepout area from either direction make sure that both are configured correctly.  

For setting up a keepout area for moving downstream, the “No Move Permission After” parameters need to be set for each motor in the keepout area. The value should correspond to the distance between the start of the motor and the beginning of the keepout area (a value of 5 meters means this parameter is ignored). 

In a keepout area that extends several motors, the first motor in the chain may have a positive value for where the keepout area begins but each motor after it needs to indicate that the keepout area began upstream of it. This means that each downstream keepout area needs to end on the endpoint of a motor. 

Similarly, for defining keepout areas moving upstream simply reverse this process using the “No Move Permission Before” parameter. Here the value means the distance from the start of the motor to the end of the keepout area (a value of -1m means that the motor is not in a keepout area). 

Using Keepout Areas 

For the use case of a lift or other moving track, a keepout area can be used to ensure that a vehicle does not stop halfway on the moving track during normal track operation. 

This will reduce the chance of a mechanical failure where the lift tries to move while a vehicle is in the way. 

Learn more about DMC’s MagneMotion programming expertise and contact us today to get started on your next project. 

The post MagneMotion Guide Part 10: Moving Track appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Part Three: Operators Empowered

August 14, 2024 – 10:00 AM CT (5:00:00 PM CET)

Paul Haikal, Rockwell Automation Commercial Portfolio Manager and Mark Hobbs, Rockwell Automation Software Senior Product Manager, will close out the three-part series with a webinar on empowering operators. The session will include the following:

• Remote access tools allow the timely flagging of issues and the notification of maintenance.
• Out-of-box standardized content ensures consistency across machines and supports simplified operator training, safety, and troubleshooting as well as maintenance.
• Collect, contextualize, and deliver relevant data to operators to enable faster decision-making, minimize downtime, and maximize machine efficiency.

Register for the Webinar

Click here to register.

Previous Webinars

This goal of the three-part webinar series on the FactoryTalk Optix portfolio is to provide overview of how this end-to-end HMI solution can revitalize HMI operations across your equipment lifecycle. 

The series deep dives into how best to design and test your HMI projects directly from a web browser with collaborative workflows and version management, create your application once and deploy at scale to many devices, and empower operators with relevant data for faster decision-making.

You can view the previous webinars in this series at this link. 

• Part One: Design & Collaborate Webinar
• Part Two: Deploy Applications at Scale

Learn More About FactoryTalk Optix

Ready to learn more? DMC created a blog series on FactoryTalk Optix, the next generation of visualization software from Rockwell Automation.

• FactoryTalk Optix Series 1 – Getting Started with FactoryTalk Optix
• FactoryTalk Optix Series 2 – Variables, Attributes, Dynamic Links, and Converters
• FactoryTalk Optix Series 3 – NetLogic Overview and Examples

DMC and Rockwell

DMC is a Rockwell Gold System Integrator. We are proud to be recognized for our expertise in implementing the full suite of Rockwell Automation technologies for our customers.

A recent recipient of the 2024 Rockwell System Integrator Award, DMC is always eager to stay updated on Rockwell's latest developments and technologies, including FactoryTalk Optix.

Learn more about DMC's partnership with Rockwell and contact us for your next project.

The post Join Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Optix Webinar on August 14 appeared first on DMC, Inc..

NetLogic is C# code that is linked to Optix. Optix can call methods with parameters, set private C# variables, and has numerous C# Libraries integrated by default to assist with passing data between Optix and your C# code. Optix also allows you to link the monitoring of C# code to an Optix runtime instance.

Linking Variables

When creating NetLogic, you can define variables that interface with the C# code, and can be both written to and read from said C# code. You can also define variable categories to assist with organization.

• First, Variables are added onto the NetLogic object in Optix.

An example of variables attached to a NetLogic object

These variables can be referenced in the C# logic by utilizing the “GetVariable” method on our LogicObject.

• For any variables at the top-most level, simply call: LogicObject.GetVariable(“YourVariable”).
• For nested variables (such as variables under “Table” in the example above), define a new IUAVariable for the nested name (Tables in this case), and then reference the individual elements of that new variable.

private void ParametersSetup()

{
	DB_SERVER_IP = LogicObject.GetVariable("Server IP").Value;
	DB_SERVER_PORT = uint.Parse(LogicObject.GetVariable("Server port").Value);
	SERVICE_NAME = LogicObject.GetVariable("Service name").Value;
	DB_USERNAME = LogicObject.GetVariable("Username").Value;
	DB_PASSWORD = LogicObject.GetVariable("Password").Value;
	DB_QUERIES_FEEDBACK = LogicObject.GetVariable("Queries feedback");
	TABLES = LogicObject.GetVariable("Tables");

	TABLE_DESTINATION = TABLES.GetVariable("Destination").Value;
	TABLE_DISTANCE = TABLES.GetVariable("Distance").Value;
	TABLE_LOCATIONCHANGE = TABLES.GetVariable("LocationChange").Value;
	TABLE_EQUIPMENTSTATUS = TABLES.GetVariable("EquipmentStatus").Value;
	NUMBER_OF_DEVICES = LogicObject.GetVariable("Number of devices").Value;
	NUMBER_OF_EQUIPMENT_AREAS = LogicObject.GetVariable("Number of equipment areas").Value;
	CONNECTIONSTRING = $"Data Source=(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST={DB_SERVER_IP})(PORT={(int)DB_SERVER_PORT})))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME={SERVICE_NAME})));User Id={DB_USERNAME};Password={DB_PASSWORD};";
}

private void ParametersSetup()

{
	DB_SERVER_IP = LogicObject.GetVariable("Server IP").Value;
	DB_SERVER_PORT = uint.Parse(LogicObject.GetVariable("Server port").Value);
	SERVICE_NAME = LogicObject.GetVariable("Service name").Value;
	DB_USERNAME = LogicObject.GetVariable("Username").Value;
	DB_PASSWORD = LogicObject.GetVariable("Password").Value;
	DB_QUERIES_FEEDBACK = LogicObject.GetVariable("Queries feedback");
	TABLES = LogicObject.GetVariable("Tables");

	TABLE_DESTINATION = TABLES.GetVariable("Destination").Value;
	TABLE_DISTANCE = TABLES.GetVariable("Distance").Value;
	TABLE_LOCATIONCHANGE = TABLES.GetVariable("LocationChange").Value;
	TABLE_EQUIPMENTSTATUS = TABLES.GetVariable("EquipmentStatus").Value;
	NUMBER_OF_DEVICES = LogicObject.GetVariable("Number of devices").Value;
	NUMBER_OF_EQUIPMENT_AREAS = LogicObject.GetVariable("Number of equipment areas").Value;
	CONNECTIONSTRING = $"Data Source=(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST={DB_SERVER_IP})(PORT={(int)DB_SERVER_PORT})))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME={SERVICE_NAME})));User Id={DB_USERNAME};Password={DB_PASSWORD};";
}

private IUAVariable DB_QUERIES_FEEDBACK;
private string DB_SERVER_IP;
private uint DB_SERVER_PORT;
private string SERVICE_NAME;
private string DB_USERNAME;
private string DB_PASSWORD;
public IUAVariable TABLES;
private string TABLE_DESTINATION;
private string TABLE_DISTANCE;
private string TABLE_LOCATIONCHANGE;
private string TABLE_EQUIPMENTSTATUS;
private Int32 NUMBER_OF_DEVICES;
private Int32 NUMBER_OF_EQUIPMENT_AREAS;

private IUAVariable DB_QUERIES_FEEDBACK;
private string DB_SERVER_IP;
private uint DB_SERVER_PORT;
private string SERVICE_NAME;
private string DB_USERNAME;
private string DB_PASSWORD;
public IUAVariable TABLES;
private string TABLE_DESTINATION;
private string TABLE_DISTANCE;
private string TABLE_LOCATIONCHANGE;
private string TABLE_EQUIPMENTSTATUS;
private Int32 NUMBER_OF_DEVICES;
private Int32 NUMBER_OF_EQUIPMENT_AREAS;

Calling Methods

C# Methods can be called directly from Optix when the [ExportMethod] Line is added above said method. Any parameters associated with the Method will also be exposed, allowing you to set them dynamically from Optix, using a MethodInvocation or by linking them to events.

An example method invocation that shows all the [ExportMethod] methods from the Netlogic C# code

[ExportMethod]

public void SelectAllDevicesDestination()

{

…

[ExportMethod]

public void SelectAllDevicesDestination()

{

…

Monitoring Code

When NetLogic is created, Optix automatically configures the codespace (if utilizing VSCode) to attach to the Optix runtime instance, allowing you to monitor your C# card while the Optix application is running.

Visual Code is attached to the Optix Runtime when monitoring

Logging and Error Handling

Optix has a C# library for logging code that should be utilized, as it will output to the console in FT Optix Studio, as well as to the log file for the Optix application.

catch (System.Exception ex)
{
	Log.Error(MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod().Name, ex.Message);
}

catch (System.Exception ex)
{
	Log.Error(MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod().Name, ex.Message);
}

The location of Optix log files for an emulated project

Read the Other Articles in this Series

• FactoryTalk Optix Series 1 – Getting Started with FactoryTalk Optix
• FactoryTalk Optix Series 2 – Variables, Attributes, Dynamic Links, and Converters

Learn more about our experience with Rockwell FactoryTalk and contact us today for your next project.

The post FactoryTalk Optix Series 3 – NetLogic Overview and Examples appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Variables, Attributes, Dynamic Links, and converters are the building blocks of Optix UI design. Each variable has a number of attributes associated with it, and Dynamic links and Converters can be used to define a relationship between two or more variables/attributes.

A map of the relationships between Variables, Attributes, Dynamic Links, and Converters

Variables and Scope

Variable scope is influenced by the containers they are in. All variables with a given container (screen or panel) can access each other. Variables in nested panels have access to the variables in other nested panels and parent/children panels, and vice versa.

An example of variable scope extending to variables nested in other related panels

However, scope is limited when variables are not contained within a shared container, which happens most commonly with panels utilized in popups and panel loaders. However, the scope of panel loaders is unrestricted, so variables can be added to panel loaders and modified/updated anywhere in the Optix application, and the panels being loaded by said panel loader can then reference its variables to dynamically display information.

An example showing the limitations of scope when creation relationships between variables

To see an example of a panel loader utilizing variables to allow the Main UI to interact with individual panels being loaded by a panel loader, stay tuned for our upcoming Optix Series – Device Sidebar Example blog.

Attributes

Understanding attributes and their relationship to their parent variable is necessary to form complex Dynamic Links for UI functionality. Below is a list of the most common variable attributes.

To see an example of different attributes being used to create a clean, complex solution, stay tuned for our upcoming Optix Series – Device Sidebar Example blog, which utilizes NodeId, BrowseName, and DataType BrowseName attributes.

Converters

• Conditional Converter
  • Sets the output variable’s value based on a true/false evaluation of the input.

• Engineering Unit Converter
  • Scales the output linearly based on the input.

• Linear Converter
  • Scale the output based on a defined slope and intercept.

• Key-value Converter
  • Matches an output value to the input “Key”.

• Expression Evaluator
  • Evaluates an expression consisting of one or more input variables.
  • To see all of the valid operators that can be used in an expression, see Rockwell’s documentation.

• String Formatter
  • Outputs a string that can be defined using variables and various formatting options.

Dynamic Links

Dynamic links are defined relationships between two or more variables. Dynamic links can implement converters to create complex relationships and can be pointed at both variables and attributes.

Aliases

Aliases are a unique property type that allows you to specify the structure of a variable.  This is useful when creating panels that should be referencing a specific Data Types, such as a motor or valve Data Type. An alias allows you to reference all the elements of the defined Data Type, while still allowing the alias variable to be linked dynamically, allowing graphics to be updated in real time, such as being able to swap which motor a panel is pointing to.

An example of an alias to a Motor Data Type

An example use case of aliases is for a device sidebar that utilizes a panel loader to swap in faceplates panels for different types of devices. The panel loader would have a NodeId variable (Let’s call it “Device Tag”) that would be updated at runtime to point to a desired device tag. For each device type, one panel would be created with a tag alias with the “Kind” attribute bound to the UDT of said device and the “NodeID” attribute bound to the “Device Tag” Attribute on the panel loader. Typically, you cannot create property bindings between variables that are not within the same window or screen (or the same panel for panels that are not directly placed on windows or screens), but panel loaders can be referenced regardless of project scope, allowing us to make use of the “Device Tag” variable we attached to ours.

For an in-depth example, Stay tuned for our upcoming Optix Series – Device Sidebar Example blog.

Read the Other Articles in this Series

• FactoryTalk Optix Series 1 – Getting Started with FactoryTalk Optix
• FactoryTalk Optix Series 3 – NetLogic Overview and Examples

Learn more about our experience with Rockwell FactoryTalk and contact us today for your next project.

The post FactoryTalk Optix Series 2 – Variables, Attributes, Dynamic Links, and Converters appeared first on DMC, Inc..

Webinar Details

“Learn how the FactoryTalk Optix end-to-end HMI solution can revitalize HMI operations across the equipment lifecycle.

This three-part webinar series on the FactoryTalk Optix portfolio will give you an overview of how this end-to-end HMI solution can revitalize HMI operations across your equipment lifecycle.

The series deep dives into how best to design and test your HMI projects directly from a web browser with collaborative workflows and version management, create your application once and deploy at scale to many devices, and empower operators with relevant data for faster decision-making.”

Part One: Design & Collaborate Webinar

Today’s digital landscape is evolving rapidly. HMI design engineers need new tools to quickly create intuitive visualization so operators can leverage plant floor data to enable the enterprise. This is where a modern HMI software platform with collaboration tools comes into play. These tools offer comprehensive project visibility within a collaborative design environment so designers can work in teams to maximize productivity.

Speakers:
Paul Haikal – Commercial Portfolio Manager, Rockwell Automation
Chad Dale – Technology Consultant, Rockwell Automation

Date & Time:
On Demand – Register and watch it now

Part Two: Deploy Applications at Scale

Once FactoryTalk Optix users have leveraged its powerful features to build their applications, the next step is to deploy them out to the field devices. This can be done locally via USB drive or through a LAN, but with FactoryTalk Remote Access you can also connect to Rockwell Automation’s cloud infrastructure to deploy your application remotely and securely via VPN anywhere in the world.

In this webinar, we’ll provide you with a detailed coverage of FactoryTalk Remote Access and our seamless continuum of deployment options, including ASEM 6300 industrial PCs, OptixPanel HMI terminals, and Embedded Edge Compute modules. We’ll also talk about how FactoryTalk Optix’s flexible runtime licensing containerized deployment gives you a real competitive advantage.

Speakers:
Al Letourneau – Product and Marketing Manager, Rockwell Automation
Jessica Morell – Remote Access Product Manager, Rockwell Automation

Date & Time:
May 8, 2024 – 10:00 AM CT (5:00:00 PM CET)

Part Three: Operators Empowered

• Remote access tools allow the timely flagging of issues and the notification of maintenance.
• Out-of-box standardized content ensures consistency across machines and supports simplified operator training, safety, and troubleshooting as well as maintenance.
• Collect, contextualize, and deliver relevant data to operators to enable faster decision-making, minimize downtime, and maximize machine efficiency.

Speakers:
Paul Haikal – Commercial Portfolio Manager, Rockwell Automation
Mark Hobbs – Software Senior Product Manager, Rockwell Automation

Date & Time:
August 14, 2024 – 10:00 AM CT (5:00:00 PM CET)

Registration Info

Click here to register.

DMC and Rockwell

DMC is a Rockwell Gold System Integrator. We are proud to be recognized for our expertise in implementing the full suite of Rockwell Automation technologies for our customers.

A recent recipient of the 2024 Rockwell System Integrator Award, DMC is always eager to stay updated on Rockwell’s latest developments and technologies, including FactoryTalk Optix.

Learn more about DMC’s partnership with Rockwell and contact us for your next project.

The post Rockwell Webinar Series – Revitalize Your HMI Operations appeared first on DMC, Inc..

This blog series covers the essentials to creating your own HMI and SCADA applications using Optix as well as some helpful examples for common applications.

Installation

FactoryTalk Optix Studio is installed via FactoryTalk Hub, and it is the IDE used to program Optix projects. You can either download the IDE application or utilize a web-based IDE if your license supports it.

The Optix Runtime tools are also installed via FactoryTalk Hub, and they are required on any machine that is going to run an Optix application.

FactoryTalk Hub: which hosts a number of FT applications (including FactoryTalk Design Studio for Optix)

Licensing and Pricing

Optix licensing is done on a token-based system, with more features requiring more tokens, and, therefore, a larger license. Generally speaking, the largest contributors to token usage are multiple concurrent web clients, OPC-UA connections, or database connections.

Examples of features that affect the sizing of your application include the following:

• Controller connections
• Multiple web clients
• Alarming
• Recipes
• PDF reports
• Data logging
• Database connectivity
• OPC UA connectivity

For more information on tokens and licensing, please see Rockwell’s documentation.

Presentation Engines

Presentation engines are responsible for rendering and displaying UI elements during runtime. There are two available presentation engines that can be used simultaneously – the native presentation engine and the web presentation engine.

The native presentation engine launches the project in its own window as an application.

The web presentation engine hosts the application on a web server, accessible via the defined web page. Multiple concurrent web clients can access the application (if multiple connections are defined in the web presentation engine), but more concurrent clients require more tokens.

Optix can make use of session-specific tools to allow concurrent clients to have different screens/panels open, have different users logged in, and display different information, provided that the Optix project was designed with multiple clients in mind.

An example configured Web Presentation Engine

Style Sheets

Style sheets allow the definition of default colors, shapes, sizes, and other UI element configurations. A project’s style sheet can be swapped during runtime. Some properties can be defined both in the style sheet and in an individual UI element. In the case that a property is explicitly defined for an individual element, it will override the style sheet.

An example Style Sheet

Screens and Panels

FT Optix uses screens, panels, and popups as the main methods for displaying UI elements. Screens and popups can both contain multiple panel loaders, which can be used to dynamically change displayed content when a defined action is performed, such as hitting a button.

To see panel loaders being implemented to create a dynamic device sidebar that changes what device it controls (and the associated UI elements) at the push of a button, stay tuned for our upcoming FactoryTalk Optix – Dynamic Device Faceplate blog post.

A panel loader that is a part of the main overlay of an application. It has the ability to load either a Motor or a GroundRack panel into the panel loader.

A runtime instance with the "Motor" panel loaded into the panel loader

A runtime instance with the "Ground Rack" panel loaded into the panel loader

Converters

Converters allow you to modify variables dynamically based on other variables. For instance, a key-value converter could change the text displayed in a string variable when a different integer variable’s value changes, and an engineering unit converter can be used to scale variable values differently.

There are more converter types and use cases that were not mentioned above. For more information on converters, stay tuned for our upcoming FactoryTalk Optix – Variables, Attributes, Dynamic Links, and Converters blog post.

A Key-Value converter that parses an integer out into valve status strings

Dynamic Links

Dynamic links are used to define relationships between two or more variables or attributes within the FT Optix project. Complex dynamic links allow the use of built-in converters, allowing further customization of UI elements.

For further information on Property Bindings, stay tuned for our upcoming FactoryTalk Optix – Variables, Attributes, Dynamic Links, and Converters blog post.

For an example of leveraging complex dynamic links, stay tuned for our upcoming FactoryTalk Optix – Dynamic Device Faceplate blog post.

A dynamic link that performs mathematical operations on several variables to return an adjusted distance

Events

Events call methods when a specific trigger happens, such as a button being pressed or a variable's value changing. Events can be added onto most UI elements, and they can trigger multiple methods.

Methods

Methods are called by events. FT Optix has a number of built-in methods, but custom methods can be defined through NetLogic as well.

You can also create pre-defined method invocations, which allow the calling of methods with pre-defined parameters.

A list of common methods available in FT Optix

A custom method invocation for renaming a MySQL Database table

NetLogic

NetLogic allows C# code to be integrated and run in an FT Optix project. FT Optix can call parameterized methods, and they can send and receive variables with the C# project.

For further information on NetLogic, stay tuned for our upcoming FactoryTalk Optix – NetLogic Overview and Examples blog post.

An example NetLogic snippet that returns a localized time

Data Stores

Data stores are databases used to store values from different loggers and NetLogic (if you so choose). You can either use an embedded database, which is a simple SQLite database created with minimal overhead, or you can choose to create a connection to a database (SQL Server or MySQL). Other database types may be supported through ODBC connections, but they have not been tested or confirmed yet.

Loggers can be linked directly to a data store and will automatically configure tables for themselves on said database.

An example data store with an "Alarm Logger" linked to it, auto generating the necessary tables

Communication Drivers

Communication Drivers allow defining communication paths to PLCs and other devices, as well as the importing of tags and other information to be used in the Optix project. A list of the currently available communication drivers is available below.

All available communication drivers in Optix

The tag importer display from an example Rockwell Ethernet Driver linked to a PLC

Template Library

Optix's Template Library

The template library stores templates created by Rockwell and allows you to create/import your own libraries as well. Some examples of useful templates that are included with Optix are:

• Alarm Grid
• Alam History
• Alarm Banner
• User Login Popup
• Confirmation Dialog
• Date and Time Display
• File Selector
• File System Browser
• Alarm Importer and Exporter
• Alarm Logger

Read the Other Articles in this Series

• FactoryTalk Optix Series 2 – Variables, Attributes, Dynamic Links, and Converters
• FactoryTalk Optix Series 3 – NetLogic Overview and Examples

Learn more about our experience with Rockwell FactoryTalk and contact us today for your next project.

The post FactoryTalk Optix Series 1 – Getting Started with FactoryTalk Optix appeared first on DMC, Inc..