Hello

We currently have a AC450 controller from ABB with some errors in 2 running tasks:

CXAX0111 - H´0000EAD0
DCWA010 - H´12450521

I can not find anywhere where those task is described. I believe that CXAX is the communication task and probably because some DATASET communication isnt receive a valid signal from the opposite DS.

Although I am not sure and wonder if anyone here knows anything about these 2 tasks and where I can find the information.

Thanks
Jesper

 

Yes, CXAX is a communication task, but I cant tell you what comms it is coming from. It may be DataSets or it could be from PLC comms (which use MessageSet elements)

DCWA (from memory so I could easily be wrong) I think is a data subscription task.

Anyway, in both cases (unless you have a very old version), use the online-builder to check the details of the message. (View Message Logs, Details) This will give you a short description of the message, and show you how to decode the Data1 and Data2 addresses and identify your problem in a little more detail.

If this doesn't help, then please post the EXACT message, including the address, mcode, mtype, data1 and data2 values.

Rob
www[.]lymac.co.nz

 

Hi Rob

I have been looking through an old document based from "Design Description Advant Controller 41/450 *1.2, Task List" without any luck. I will continue to look further and investigate this but in the meantime I might as well also post the information you asked for.

Control task information:
Name - CXAX01ab (a=1 & b=1 ~ CXAX0111)
Descrp - Ext. MVI data set comm.
Module - BAS21
In Chan - MVRCDx , MVRSPx, MVUPSx, CXAMMS

Error log:
MType: 30
Code: 26
Address: 0000EAD0 (Hex)
Data1: 5
Data2: 0001000B (Hex)
Descrp: System message from "MasterBase": Context in signal error.

Control task information:
Name - DCWA010
Descrp - System Status Handler
Module: OPF21
In Chan - DCWC10, DCWC11, DCWC13

System message log:
MType: 26
Code: 0
Address: 12450521(Hex)
Data1: 0
Data2: 51
Descrp: None!

Hope you can use these information. ABB doesn't supply any pdf or online documentation concerning this so i only have a hardcopy with a task list. Furthermore we only have 2 or perhaps 3 ppl in Denmark which still have to knowledge of these tasks left.

Thanks
Jesper

 

The CXAX error is Coming from a Multi Vendor Interface (MVI) so this is a PLC interface error. I think you should be able to find more information in the programming guide for your PLC interface. The most common problems to check are

a) Are your PLC's communicating correctly?

b) Is the AC450 trying to send too much information causing an overflow? The solution here is to slow down the rate of send requests in the PC program that controls the interface.

The DCWA error I think is related to displaying System Status Information on your HMI. Probably your operator diagnostic displays are asking for some data that the controller does not have. Do you have a new 800xA or later Advant OS revision than your controller firmware ? This is probably not a serious error.

Rob
www[.]lymac.co.nz

 

We are using the Advant OS but are going to convert to 800xA later this year. So I want to clear our error logs before the changes happen.

Currently I am undergoing every node on the NW to gather a list of errors, and for how the 2 most common errors are the 2 described above!

The errors are not that important and only a level 5 error out of 15 in ABB terms and our system has probably run smoothly with these errors for ages.

 

Jasper,

May I please ask why you are converting over to 800xa when it is completely unnecessary to do so, saving you many thousands of dollars by simply upgrading your unix hmi's?

thanks
Bob

 

Hi Bob

There are multiple issues why we are converting to PCs and Windows. One of them is that our Unix machines are obsolete and we have no support from ABB nor HP on our products. Our own engineering department also lack the knowledge to maintain the OS (UNIX).

Also our system which register and supervise our environment parameters are out of date and needed to have a heavy makeover in order to fulfill the new demands from the government. ABB has created such system as an addon for 800xA.

Another good reason is the reliability of our system. Yes I know UNIX is one of the most reliable systems you can find on earth but windows and 800xA gives us so many new opportunities and control of the user. We are going to upgrade our server environment to VMware to run it redundant and in a so called green cloud. Another reason is that the new PLCs from ABB (AC800M ect.) is based on ControlM Builder which is an integrated part of 800xA. I am aware of the standalone ControlM Builder. In the future the

On the UNIX based OS you either have Minimum control or Maximum control. And our plant is running in max all the time. With 800xA we can define the security levels as we wish.

Hope you could use the answers, I must admit I myself are not familiar with the UNIX system other than I can run some task and commands, so the benefits with UNIX vs. MS and 800xA isn't something I would start a war about!

-Jesper

 

Very interesting. Do not loose your focus to understand how vastly complex that new system is going to be compared to Advant. IT is laced fully with much ad on software from many sources and engineering centers. The AC450 controller database will have to be done over and comes out of India.

You must buy Sentinel maintenance agreement which never expires and continues to cost each year.

This is a closed web based system, viewed thru Internet Explorer.

As far as Unix goes, we are a world wide supplier and upgrader of OS500s for all industries using Advant. We can easily support all versions of UNIX for many years to come with our extensive warehouse and parts supplies, including parts for AC450 controllers.

I strongly recommend you keep an upgraded unix station or 2 connected over mb300 to your controllers in tandem with the new system. Upgrades will interrupt your system for many hours and if the servers loose licensing subscriptions, all clients ( operator stations ) will not be visable.

Put some unix stations around the edges to have a fall back plan. Write me off forum at [email protected] to further discuss.

Today, UNIX if fully supported with machines and parts by us.

 

> The AC450 controller database will have to be done over and comes out of India. <

* This is not correct - The AC450 database does not have to be rebuilt. Operator graphics can be converted using a conversion tool and ABB sometimes use india as a cheaper alternative for the labour involved in this conversion.

> You must buy Sentinel maintenance agreement which never expires and continues to cost each year. <

* 1 year of Sentinel is included in the first purchase of an 800xA system. It is an optional purchase in subsequent years.

I won't disagree with Bob that 800xA is a complex system and for some customers extending the life of a Unix based Advant system is a very viable option though.

Rob
www[.]lymac.co.nx

 

Regarding the DB issue on the AC450 controllers. Those will be intact and does not needed to be modified. The connection from 800xA to AC450 will be done via AC400 Connect.

Also regarding the graphic modification will be done in operation with our plant and the supplier of the DCS whether it will be ABB or another. It is true that they have used the Indian department for these kind of projects but I know for fact that the end customer has rejected the outcome of the product. But that was mainly an issue with PG1 based on VB and not PG2.

Yes 800xA is a complex system if you measure it with Advant OS. But the possibilities in 800xA is so far more advanced and you don't hit the wall as often as you will be on the Advant OS system. But all these issues has to be found and weighten in the first steps of your project. If you skip those steps then you will run your head into the wall because you dont know what you have bought and you end up with either selling the system or having a ABB engineer located onsite for the rest of your lifetime. You can still run the plant with the old system but you have to make so many shortcuts and 1 of a kind software solution that you end up with being dependent of some external SW engineer and in the long run this will not be cost benefit.