Hi guys

We have some machines that have a PLC logix 5561 connected and communicating with kinetix 6000 drive system. All the machines work the same and i guess they must have the exact same program. If there's a new machine which has to have the same program as others do i just need to upload the program from one of the machines and download it to the new machine's controller? Would drives also be programmed this way or do they need to be programmed some other way? Does the PLC program uploaded using RS Logix5000 contain all the data? drive's data too?

 

It would have been easier to answer your 2 points in one thread instead of spreading over 2.
Identical machines will probably have the same program, but invariably identical machines can be slightly different which is reflected in software; and drive configurations.
You have not mentioned networking - if they are then comms. parameters will be different.

 

In general, you can...but there are some gotchas if you don't already have a valid project. I've never uploaded from a PLC that had Kinetix servos before, so take this with a grain of salt...

I would connect to the PLC and upload into a new project. That will get you all of the programs, tags, and I/O configuration including drives. Most of the motion control parameters and such are stored in the Axis under Motion Groups, which should upload into the project automatically. I'm pretty sure the -L61 only goes up to v20, but if your PLC is at v24 or newer, and the original programmer was kind, you'll also get comments and documentation. If it's older or there wasn't enough memory in the PLC to download them, you won't.

If you have any Powerflex VFDs, you'll want to individually open them from the I/O configuration while online and upload their parameters into your project. You'll also need to download individually into the new machine's drives.
Basically, open each drive in the I/O configuration one at a time while online and click every tab to make sure everything populated correctly. On each drive's "Drive" tab, click "Upload" to get the drive's programming into the project.

There may be other devices that you'll also need to connect to individually. For example, if your machine uses a 440C_CR30x programmable safety controller that's integrated into the project, it won't upload with the PLC but you can connect to it while online like the drives. I only mention the CR30 because I have some experience with them.

As @oneye14 said, though, "identical" machines seldom (almost never) really are, especially if there's any complexity to them at all. We have some smaller machines here that started off pretty identical but they never seem to stay that way. Be prepared for some commissioning time to iron out the differences that exist. And, also as @oneye14 said, if they're all on the same physical network (or ever could be in the future), you'll have to change the addresses of all of the new devices to avoid conflicts. In fact, I would plan on changing them just in case. You won't be able to do that while the machine is running, and you *know* that production will want to get stuff from them eventually. It's best to plan for that eventuality now instead of later.

You should also connect to each of the existing machines and upload all of the programs so you can use the compare tool in the software to identify differences. Then you'll be better able to choose which source to use for the new machine. And you'll now at least have backups of what's out there for when something goes wrong.