Time Sync

[brettshelley]

Hi guys, Finished a project for Toyota with a Q Series, two GOT1675's, Industrial PC all through a network switch, then softgot to a PC!! Working great, but one question... If I set the time on the got terminal it updates the time via the broadcast but the softgot displays the clock of the PC!!! Is there any way to update the PC time when the GOT terminal time is updated? One of those annoying little things!!! Cheers, Brett

[kaare_t]

I'm not very familiar with GOT's, and what do you mean by "broadcast"? The PC time can, as any other PC, have NTP/SNTP server(s) that will automatically adjust the clock. Is that a possibility?

[Crossbow]

kaare_t, the GOT can broadcast its internal clock to the connected PLCs. No the GOT cannot update the clock on a PC.

[kaare_t]

Nice, didn't know... However what's the point if it cannot update to a computer (or at least run as a NTP or SNTP server)? Thw whole point is to have the same clock all around the network, including possible computers running SCADA/SQL/MES++++ I guess (hopefully) that the GOT can be a NTP/SNTP client so that you can update the GOT from a PC, then the GOT updates all the "below" devices. All in all, the best way to change the clock is usually on the computer side. If that's not an option, you could always write a small computer application/service that picks up the GOT broadcast...

[Crossbow]

It's purpose is to make sure all of the PLCs it communicates with share its time clock, and allow changes to the GOT to be reflected to keep them matching. PCs should get their clock from the office network or Internet, so the GOT should not have to set them. GOT is an interface to a PLC, not to a PC.

[kaare_t]

Well, since the GOT cannot send nor receive time from a computer, NTP or SNTP service then it's in essence useless for updating the PLCs. When I run my MES modules, datalogger modules against computers/servers it is highly essential that the clocks on the computers and PLC's are synced. In other words I would say that forget about the GOT (maybe it can have it's time updated from one of the PLCs, and if so then receive it from one of the PLC's), and use NTP from a server to all the PLCs. That way, all the PLCs will get the time from the server which in turn gets it's time from a verified timemachine (local or internet). All in all the critical time is not the GOT, but the servers and the PLCs. If desired, I would guess that the GOT can be set up to receive time from one of the PLCs (which are already receiving a verified timestamp from a computer).

[Crossbow]

Newer QCPUs have SNTP capabilities. So what I do is get the clock to one of them, and read it to the GOT, then broadcast it to the other PLCs. This works perfectly.

[kaare_t]

Yes I agree when the Q-CPU gets it's clock from a TimeMachine, and then use the PLC to update the GOT which in turn updates the other PLC's. I fine solution!

[gleblanc]

Woah, I think that would solve having to set the clock on the FX1S I have running the bells here at work. What's the cheapest I can get into a Q CPU with network and SNTP? I think I'm currently using 5 outputs and 2 inputs for this project, but the time sync probably makes an upgrade worthwhile.

[Crossbow]

Look at Q03UDECPU. That's the lowest one with Ethernet built in. It's a big upgrade from FX1S which is the cheapest PLC they make.

[kurokage]

how about Q03UDVCPU? more faster with same price.

[kaare_t]

What's a Q03UDV CPU? Never heard of it... Something new released only in Japan at this time?

[kurokage]

i don`t know but please look at this site http://www.mitsubishielectric.co.jp/fa/products/plc_spec/schRlt.do?m=plcq&pageNo=1&series=500000003,500050006&idSeriesChk0=500000003&idSeriesChk1=500050006&category1=CPU%E3%83%A6%E3%83%8B%E3%83%83%E3%83%88&category2=%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B5CPU&category3=-1&category4=-1&formNM=&saleSituation=2

[kaare_t]

Just googled a little, and it seems to me like the **UV** CPU are the new series, faster than the **U** series. I haven't seen it in Europe yet, but in the end it seems like it's only the next generation of CPU's from Mitsubishi. Seems like a good next generation though, so I'm looking forward to playing with it...

[Crossbow]

UDV is a newer generation than the UDE. Last I knew it wasn't released outside Japan.