Mitsi QJ71E71-100 to Cognex Insight Camera

[Paulio]

Hi Guys I am having issues connecting a Q00J PLC/QJ71E71-100 to a Cognex Insight Vision system. I have set up the card in the PLC and set up a TCP write in the Insight explorer but i fail to get data back to the PLC. The Ethernet card will flash the TX/RX lights when I trigger the camera but no data. Has anyone done this before and if so could you tell me the best way forward. Thanks Paul

[Jeff]

I have the same problem. Are you trying to setup for In-Sight native mode commands or just string messaging to a tcp/ip port? -Jeff

[Chris Elston]

I have never done with this with a Mitsu PLC, but I have with an Allen Bradley. One thing I learned is that all the information inside the Cognex is stored in internal memory. When you actuall query the camera, your reading what is in the memory, not from realtime, or your data will appear one trigger behind. Example: Suppose you start out and assume all your Cognex memory area is zero. If you want to query the camera, you would get zero for data. Now you have to trigger the camera, and in that JOB file you need to write or update from the job file to a memory location in the cognex camera. Now that information from the trigger is avaible. If you trigger then read from cognex memory, you might be reading nothing, because the aquistion from the camera to update it's own memory wasn't complete yet. Or if you trigger again, you'll get the data from the first trigger and it appears one trigger behind. I don't know if that is your issue or not. Also, know that the Cognex can only support ModBus TCP/IP, Ethernet I/P and explict or implict messaging from an Allen Bradley. I don't think you can do PC based TCP/IP messing. Just because it's ethernet doesn't mean your going to be having a chitter chatter with the camera. What protocol of ethernet are you using? There are some explict and implict examples done in Allen Bradley here: http://forums.mrplc.com/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=430 There are example JOB files to read and write in this example If your Mistu controller is doing Ethernet I/P, take a look at this: http://forums.mrplc.com/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=429 If you are doing ModBus TCP/IP with your Mistu, you'll have to wait until Monday when I get back to the office and I can upload a JOB files that has some Modus example....wait....hold on...I can get it direct from Cognex.....here it is, I'll attach it to this post.... I've also attached some Visual Basic Native Mode commands, if your Mistu support this. No PLC I've ever worked with can do this, so if Mistu can, MORE POWER to you... Modbus.zip InS_Enet.zip VB_Demo.zip modbusTCP.zip

[Jeff]

I am trying to communicate using fixed length strings to/from a TCP/IP port on the camera. Doesn't look like Ethernet/IP is possible without a protocol bridge and a lot of work. The Mitsubishi is not nearly as straight forward as AB.