Infi-90 BRC-400 Controller Programming

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Thread Starter

icebreakercan

Hi,

i'm new to the programming world... about a 1 1/2 years, and have a question that i believed was the case for that time. i was under the impression that once you compiled and online configured a block into a module, that there was no way you could add a new block in a space that was between two already programmed in that module. so... ex. block 10,000 has a FC30, block 10,002 has a FC30, and you wanted to add another FC30 in space 10,001.(all within the same segment, redundant controllers, BRC400's) The only way to do so was to do a load to controller, not an online config. Is this true?
 
Answer: TRUE

Yes you are correct - the only way you could add a block in the space (spare blocks) between assigned block numbers is with OFFLINE configuration - where both the primary and backup modules would be paced into configure mode and initialized.

If it absolutely necessary to use those spare blocks, you would most likely need to wait for a plant outage or downtime. If you were to perform offline configuration while the plant is running you would in nearly all cases stop that plant!!

However to add the block to the configuration with the plant ONLINE, is not difficult (providing you have spare blocks in your module), you would simply assign the new block (in your example) to block number: 10003, then do 'Online configuration...' with Composer.
I can only conjecture that your problem is that you do not have any spare blocks, thus need to do offline config?

If so, you would be well advised to re-number all the blocks, so you have plenty of spare blocks for future online config changes and don't get into the same difficulty again...
 
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icebreakercan

Thanks for the reply. I did find out later today that with a brc400, that you are able to put blocks anywhere in the segment, unlike that of a mfp...after the last block used. just in case you have one. plus, i also found out that there is a procedure for removing blocks while online. my boss tried it at the course we were at in feb, and it does work. its done the hard way...at the controller not through composer.
 
Answer: FALSE - which is great news.

With the BRC300 and BRC400 coupled with Composer you can add function codes assigned to block numbers anywhere within the valid range AND download during an online configuration process. You are NOT relegated to block numbers higher than the last one currently used in any segment. I have done this myself. This might also apply to the BRC100, but that I have not tried.

You might be required to be at a newer version of Composer to allow this, I'm not sure.

The limitations you are used to apply to the MFC and MFP controller family.

Regarding re-block numbering a module - that is in my opinion horrible advise. Anything outside of that controller that is looking at loop-pcu-module-block address WILL BREAK. That includes cross module communications, cross loop communications, HMI tag subscriptions, 3rd party historian (i.e. PI) subscriptions, etc.

The only time re-blocking would be "easy" would be in a stand alone controller application with a hardwired (non-HMI based) operator interface.

Again, the good news is that with the ability to use spare block numbers and download online there should be no need to re-block.

Give ABB some credit for continued improvements made to the Harmony system.

John
 
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Chris Jennings

Partially correct. If you have multiple segment blocks in your controller then you can only add new blocks online with block number higher than the highest block number *in that segment*.

In the good old days of Bailey programming you had to carefully design your segments to get the most out of the processors. Multiple segments meant you could specify execution rates & priority for those segments. Multiple segments also allowed you to keep you block numbers in relative order (ie have a segment for all your Analog I/O so if you add a new card you don't end up with block numbers all over the place.

More recently there have been moves to only use one segment per controller because execution times don't need to be micromanaged due to the increased processing power of the BRC controllers. However it would still be worth segregating your I/O from your control logic, just to keep things tidy. Block numbers have become less important now that automatic execution ordering was included with newer controllers.

I hope that helps.

Chris Jennings
 
John,

Thanks for that - I wasn't aware that with the BRC300 / 400 you could ignore that block number limitation for online config.

As for block re-numbering it's not really that difficult if you leave all of the exception reports at the same numbers. Depends on where the original config had those assigned. In most cases, it's still better if you re-number, yet leave all of those block numbers unchanged.

There might still be many unusable blocks (for online config) but in the many instances where I've re-numbered, I still end up with many, many blocks that were unavailable being made available without the renumbering affecting any tags in HMI, or DI/I, AI/I links etc...
However, I'm talking about situations where I've had an MFP with the ONE default SEGCRM block (at blk addr 20) and the last block used at say 9971, but at block numbers 2500 to 8000, all spares!!
(And NO I did not configure the modules like that in the first place):)

Yes things have certainly improved since the MFP was upgraded: great news indeed. Unfortunately I'm still stuck with a plant (quite large) full of MFP02 /03. ABB have been trying to convince us to change to the BRCxxx but never mentioned that new feature!
 
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