DriveWindow basics

ABB industrial drives

ACS800
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 1

Welcome to the DriveWindow basics training module.

Objectives
Explain how to use DriveWindow for basic operations, e.g.
Browsing and setting parameters
Monitoring signals
Datalogger settings
Backup and restore functions
Saving and downloading parameters

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 2

Upon the completion of this module, you will be able to explain how to use DriveWindow for
basic operations, such as setting parameters, monitoring signals, making settings for the
datalogger, backing up and restoring functions, and saving and downloading parameters.

DriveWindow operations
A powerful PC tool for commissioning and maintenance of
ABB drives
Control operations (start, stop, references, etc.)
Monitoring (signals and parameters)
Handle parameters
Data Logger (controls, display)
Fault Logger (display faults, controls)
All functions over network (control, monitoring, etc.)

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 3

DriveWindow is a powerful PC tool for commissioning and maintenance of ABB drives.

It lets you start and stop the drive, change the motors rotating direction, monitor signals, and
handle parameters, as well as use several logger functions.
You can also use DriveWindow to connect to drives via a local network.

Hardware and software requirements

OR

PCMCIA-adapter (PCI)
+ NDPA-02 (PCMCIA)
+ NDPC-12 (10Mb)
+ RUSB-02 (10Mb)

NDPA-02 (PCMCIA)
+ NDPC-12 (10Mb)
+ RUSB-02 (10Mb)

IBM compatible PC
Windows NT, 2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7 (2.30)
1 free PCMCIA or PCI slot (with a PCI/PCMCIA adapter) or RUSB-02
DDCS communication kit
NDPA-02 PCMCIA-card (needs an NDPC adapter between the drive
and the PCMCIA board)
DDCS cabling
Network adapter (when using a remote connection)
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 4

DriveWindow is compatible with Windows NT, 2000, XP, VISTA and Windows 7.
The PC needs a free card slot for a DDCS adapter card or USB connector for RUSB-02.
Desktop PCs that only have PCI slots need an additional PCMCIA adapter.
The drive also needs to have a DDCS adapter, RDCO, for communication.
(If a PCMCIA card is used, an optic fiber connection adapter, NDPC, is required between the
drive system and the PCMCIA board.)

Connections

Drive communication links

Network

Remote PC

PC

Drive communication links

Local
Direct connection
Through an optical distributor

Ring
connection

Ring
Remote
Network server

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 5

There are four possible ways to connect drives to DriveWindow.

A direct connection means that one drive is connected to the PC (as described in the previous
slide). On the other hand, multiple drives can be connected via an optical branching unit (NDBU)
or by linking the drives into a ring network.
There is also the possibility to connect drives and DriveWindow in a remote network. In that
case, a remote PC acts as the server through which DriveWindow has full access to the drives.

Local connections
GOF =
Glass
Optic
Fibre,
HCS =
Hard Clad
Silica
Fibre

CH 3

CH 3

DDCS
CH 3

CH 3

GOF, HCS or POF

2
MSTR

POF =
Plastic
Optical
Fibre

HCS or POF

NDBU-95/85

CH 3
or 4

...

MSTR
8

NDBU-95/85
7

...

CH 3
or 4
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 6

A direct connection, or a point-to-point connection, is used between the PC and the drive if there
is only one drive in the system. Several drives can be connected through optical distributors or
by connecting them in a ring.
The drive and the PC, or the PC and the distributor can be connected using glass optical fiber,
hard clad silica fiber or plastic optical fiber. When the drives are connected through optical
distributors, a DDCS protocol is used.
Grid-side converter has DW connection to CH3 at RDCO-xx option board and generator-side
converter to CH4 on AMC-33.

Local connections
GOF =
Glass Optic
Fibre, Max
1000m
(NOCR-01
required)
HCS = Hard
Clad Silica
Fibre, Max
200m
POF =
Plastic
Optical
Fibre, Max
30m

CH 3

CH 3

Ring
DDCS
CH 3

GOF, HCS or POF

CH 3

Constant power supply

Optical
distributor
HCS or POF

MSTR
8

NDBU-95/85

CH 3
or 4

Set up unique drive

addresses in group 70
1 = reserved for spare part
use

...

MSTR
8

NDBU-95/85
7

76127 = reserved for

optical distributors

...

CH 3
or 4
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 7

An optical distributor has 9 channels for chaining and connecting the drives. An NDBU-95
distributor has nine 10 Mb optical channels and an NDBU-85 one 10 Mb channel for chaining
and eight 5 Mb channels for connecting drives. Plastic optical fibers or hard clad silica fibers are
used in connections. The distributors can be connected using different connection methods, for
example in series, enabling connection for tens of inverters.
A unique address has to be set in parameter group 70 for every drive in the link for
communication. Note that address number 1 cannot be used if several drives are in a network
as it is reserved for spare part use. The addresses from 76127 are reserved for optical
distributors. NDBU boards have a hardware switch for address setting.
When the drives are connected in a ring, all the drives in the ring should have constant power
supply, otherwise the ring will break.
With plastic cables the maximum distance is 20 meters for 5 Mb optical components, and 30
meters for 10 Mb optical components. For longer distances a hard clad silica fiber must be used
and then the maximum distance is 200 meters.

Getting started

Select a server and click OK.

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 8

In the remainder of this module, we give an overview of Drive Window's user interface and basic
functions.
When DriveWindow is started, it first prompts to select which server to use. The ABB SMP
server is the usual selection for working with a local drive. Other options include not connecting
to any drive or connecting to a remote server.

Getting started

Item Sets
Browse Tree

Trend Display
Trend Settings

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 9

The main parts of the DriveWindow work area are the Browse Tree and Item Sets panes at the
top, and the Trend Settings and Trend Display panes at the bottom.
The Browse Tree pane is where you can see all the devices and parameter files that are
available. Opening the various items, such as drives, in the Browse Tree lets you explore their
parameters. By double-clicking the drive in the list, it will expand to show all the available tools
of the unit.
The Item Sets pane has various tabs which display parameters and signals. For instance, the
Browsed tab contains parameters and signals of whatever is selected in the Browse Tree pane.
In the Trend Settings pane, you can configure which signals are monitored, when they are
monitored, and how.
Monitored signals are displayed in the Trend Display pane to the right. The Trend Display
actually consists of two displays depending on which tab is selected in the Trend Settings. The
other is the Datalogger display of the currently selected datalogger.
You can adjust the size of all the panes to fit whatever information is in them, but if the size is
not big enough, then scrollbars will appear at the edges of the pane.

The toolbars and status bar

Title bar
Standard
toolbar

Monitor toolbar

Logger toolbar

Drive Panel toolbar

DriveWindow Users manual (large pdf-file)

Status bar

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 10

The other parts of the work area include the title bar, the various toolbars and the status bar.
The title bar displays the names of the current server and the item selected in the Browse Tree.
The status bar displays information on the state of the currently selected drive.
You can access the most common commands for browsing, monitoring and logging from the
three toolbars shown at the top.
The Drive Panel toolbar, which is used to take control of the drive, is normally right above the
status bar.
The toolbars and status bar can individually be hidden or moved to different locations, but the
appearance shown here is commonly used.
You can find more detailed information on the buttons and menus in the DriveWindow Users
manual.

10

Item sets

Parameters
in a drive
Parameters
in a file

Fault logs

Event logs

Monitored
items

Datalogger
items
Copy to
clipboard

Monitored
drive

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 11

The item sets pane is the upper right pane within the window area. It consists of several item
sets, one of which is visible at a time.
You can use the pane for several purposes, such as

To view and change item values in a drive or in an open parameter file.

To view the contents of fault and event loggers in a user friendly way.

To add items to and remove items from the monitor or datalogger.

To change the drive of monitored items, and

To copy items to the clipboard.

Although there are several types of item sets, they can be divided into two main categories:

Those that list items, and

Those that list faults or events.

11

Adding item sets

Context
menu

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 12

Instead of having fixed item sets, DriveWindow allows you to add, remove, and arrange item
sets as well as change their properties.
Adding an item set is done by selecting the Add New command from the Item Set submenu of
the Desktop menu.
The same submenu is included in the context menu, which you can access by right-clicking on
the item sets pane outside the name of an item.
You can add the following types of item sets:
All parameters, which contains all un-protected parameters of the source drive.
User items, which contains user-defined parameters and signals.
Faults, which is used to view the contents of the source drive fault logger. By default, there is a
predefined item set of this kind.
Events, which is used to view the contents of the source drive event logger.
All faults, which is used to view the combined contents of the fault loggers for all connected
drives.
All events, which is used to view the combined contents of the event loggers for all connected
drives.
The added item set is on the far right in the item sets pane and its tab is selected. You can
rearrange the item sets, and you can also remove any item sets youve added.

12

Item set properties

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 13

Item set properties are shown and changed in dialog boxes. Each type of item set has properties
of its own. So, contents of the dialog boxes depend on the type of the item set.
To view and change properties of the currently shown item set, select the Properties command
from the Item Set submenu of the Desktop menu or from the context menu.

13

Item set properties

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 14

Item set types of browsed, user defined, and all parameters have a Format tab in their Item Set
Properties dialog box. This tab defines the format to be used in displaying the values of items in
the item set.
All types of item sets have the same General tab in their Item Set Properties dialog box. This tab
contains general properties common to all types of item sets.
Only user item sets have the Items tab in their Item Set Properties dialog box. This tab defines
how the names of items are formed and what is displayed in case an item is not available.

14

Item set properties

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 15

The User defined item set, the All parameters item set, and the Faults, and Events sets all have
the same Source tab in their Item Set Properties dialog box. This tab defines the drive whose
values are displayed.
The Faults, Events, All faults, and All events item sets have the Show tab in their Item Set
Properties dialog box. In the show tab, you can filter which values are shown in these item sets.

15

Drive panel toolbar

Panel toolbar in remote mode,

take control action stops normal operation

1.

Name and address of the selected drive

2.

Take/release control (Local/Remote)

3.

Clear faultlogger

4.

Reference edit field and reference value (DW 2.1)

5.

Set reference

6.

Step button (DW 2.1)

7.

Reset

8.

Start

9.

Stop

10.

Direction of rotation

11.

Coast stop

10

11

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 16

Warning: Selecting Local control stops normal operation immediately, without any
warnings. Automation system cant effect in Local control.
The full drive panel toolbar (local control) is available only when the drive is in remote
control mode (Local control is not selected from control panel or other computer).
In the toolbar you can see the name and address of the selected drive.
With the drive panel toolbar you can, for example, take and release control of the drive,
clear faultlogger, edit and set the reference value, start and stop the drive, and change
the direction of rotation.

16

Desktop preferences
Specifying
default settings
(for all Item
Sets):

Specifying
custom settings
(for individual
Item Sets):

Right-click

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 17

The default behavior of how DriveWindow displays item sets is controlled by the Desktop
Preferences. They are accessed from Preferences in the Desktop menu.
First, it is good to check the Item Update setting, which specifies the default for how
DriveWindow refreshes the values shown in the Item Sets pane.
There are three options: from device, from cache and put on-line.
From Device means that the item values are always fetched from the drives.
From Cache means that the item values are fetched from a cache.
The Put On-Line command means that item values are updated at regular intervals.
Note, that the Desktop Preferences are default selections that an item set may or may not use.
You can choose whether an item set really uses these defaults, or if it simply overrides them
with its own settings. The defaults provide a quick way to make changes that apply to many
places at once.
To change the preferences for a specific item set, right click its tab in the item sets pane and
select properties.

17

Editing parameters

(double-click)

(double-click)

(double-click)

Write-protection
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 18

Parameter values are edited in the Items Sets pane.

For example, to change the constant speed selection, open parameter group 12 in the Browse
Tree, and double-click parameter 12.01 in the Browsed set.
Some items, such as signals, are write-protected. You can tell if the item is write-protected if the
Change Value button in the toolbar is grayed out, or the computer beeps when you double-click
it.

(If the drive is running when you double-click a parameter group, editing some parameters is not
possible. This so called READ ONLY-status remains even after the drive has been stopped. In
that case, to make parameter editing possible:
First, choose the option Disconnect the Server from the Network menu.
Then, select the option Network Servers from the Network menu.
An item list is displayed, that also includes a list of all parameters.)

18

Reading actual signals

Open group1
Activate/Deactivate

Lock

Activate signals
Online signals are shown in
yellow
Lock signals

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 19

To read the actual signal values of the drive, open one of the Actual signal parameter groups,
such as group 1, in the Browse Tree.
Now you can see the signal values in that group in the Browsed set. However, signal values
usually change continuously, so you may want to put some signals online by clicking the
Activate button in the toolbar. For example, you could select the first signal in the list and put it
online to make DriveWindow periodically refresh the value. Online signals are shown in yellow.
Furthermore, you might also want to browse other parameters while still keeping the online
signal visible in the Browsed set. You can lock the signal by clicking the Lock button in the
toolbar.
Note that many of the operations you do in DriveWindow apply to all currently selected items.
So, you could, for instance, select all the signals that you want to observe by holding down the
Control (or Shift) key while selecting them in the Item Sets pane, and then activate and lock
them all with just a few mouse clicks.

19

Monitoring signals
Monitor
settings
Graph
preferences

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 20

In the next few slides we take a look at monitoring signals.

To monitor signals make appropriate settings in the monitor tab and configure the graph
preferences.

20

Selecting monitored items

Add monitored items

Typical situation: monitor 5-6 channels

Select signals, add Monitored Items
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 21

There are usually 5-6 channels to monitor.

Select the signals to be monitored from the Item Sets Pane and assign them to the
channels by clicking the Add Monitored Items button in the toolbar.

21

Settings and scaling

Monitor modes

Normal (min. sampling interval

10ms)

Fast (min. 1ms)

Monitoring interval (ms)

History buffer (in seconds)
Coordinate lengths (s)
Scaling of each channel
= Can be set at any time
= Can be set when monitoring is cleared
= Can be set when monitoring is stopped or paused
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 22

There are two modes of monitoring: normal and fast.

Normal is the mode you will almost always use.
Fast mode is for monitoring real or integer type signals.
The monitoring interval is the x-axis resolution.
The data the monitor collects goes into a history buffer. The history buffer makes it possible to
collect more data than fits on the screen.
When the monitor is paused or stopped, you can browse the data in the history buffer. You can
set the size of the buffer in seconds.
The next three settings define the coordinate lengths.

22

Graph preferences

Graph appearance and settings

How points are connected
Graph scaling
Are values shown with the graph cursor
Show scaled/unscaled cursor values
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 23

Graph preferences controls the trend display graph appearance and settings. It is accessed from
the file menu. It has settings for printing, line colors and so on.
The miscellaneous tab allows you to change how points in a graph are connected to each other,
graph scaling and whether or not to show scaled or unscaled values with the graph cursor.
The scaling method defines how the coordinate axes are scaled. The options are coefficient and
offset and values at 100 and 0.

23

Operating the monitor

Use the monitor toolbar to
1.

Add/remove item

2.

Start/continue monitoring

3.

Stop monitoring

4.

Pause monitoring

5.

Clear monitoring

From the file menu

Open or save the graph
Comment or print the graph
Export data
Copy graph into the clipboard
Set graph preferences
ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 24

The monitor toolbar is where you also start and stop monitoring the signals you have selected.
You can also pause the monitor temporarily to take a closer look at a signal.
From the File menu, you can save a graph to a file, or export the data to Excel, for instance.

24

Workspace

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 25

Workspaces allow you to save your preferences and pane arrangements such as the items
shown in the browsed item set and their status.
By doing this you can quickly setup DriveWindow to show the signals and parameters you
desire.
You can interrupt your work and then easily continue from the point you left off by restoring your
saved workspace settings.
You can create different personalized workspace sets.

25

Fault logger
Browsing the
fault history
Opening the
Fault logger
Log 00 =
most recent
log
Updating
values

DRIVE STATUS
OFF-LINE or COMM. BREAK
NOT RUNNING
RUNNING (forward)
FAULT
WARNING

Clearing the
fault logger

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 26

DriveWindow allows you to browse the fault history of the drive.

The icon at the top of the browse tree shows the status of the drive, if the feature has not been
turned off. If the drive has tripped on a fault the drive icon has an exclamation mark on it.
You can view the contents of the fault logger in the drive by opening the fault logger item in the
browse tree or by selecting the fault tab in the item sets pane.
The fault set contains the description, time, status, etc.
Log 00 is the most recent fault log.
If the fault items are offline the values may be very old so you have to update them manually by
clicking the UPDATE ITEMS button in the toolbar.
You can clear the fault logger by clicking the Clear Faultlogger button in the Drive panel toolbar.

26

Saving a parameter file

1.Saving

parameter
files (with
comments)
2.Download
into a drive
3.Compare to

other files

4.Export to
other
applications

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 27

With DriveWindow it is possible to save user and ID run result parameters into a file.
You can use the saved parameters to download them into a drive or to compare them with
current parameters of a drive and other parameter files. And you can export the parameter files
for use in other applications.

27

Restoring parameters
Open the file
and select the
drive

Select
Download
command and
then the
Restore type

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 28

To download a parameter file to the drive, open the file and select Download from the File
menu. DriveWindow checks the software version differences between the file and the drive. If
differences are found, a warning is presented.
Then you select whether to download the user data or ID run result, or both.
Restore ID run results is usually selected if the file includes specifications of the motor
connected to the drive. The parameters are downloaded to the drives RAM. If the drive is
restarted, they will disappear, unless you force them into the Flash memory.
The parameters are downloaded to the drives RAM and into the Flash memory.
After the download is complete, DriveWindow prompts you to restart the drive.
You should check using the Compare-function that there are no differences between the drive
and the file.

28

Creating a backup of the motor control board

System
Software >
New >
Backup
Package
System
Software >
Backup
System
Software >
Save As

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 29

To create a backup of the motor control board, create a new backup folder by selecting New >
Backup package.
Next, select Backup under System software which opens the Select drives dialog box.
Select the drives you want to back up and click Backup to confirm.
Once the backup is completed you will need to save the Backup package.
Note that when this function is used, DriveWindow has to be updated with the service pack
which can be found from the internet.

29

Restoring the motor control board

System
Software >
Open
System
Software >
Restore
System
Software >
Close

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 30

Then, to restore a backup package, first open the package file by selecting Open from the
System Software menu.
Then, select Restore, and choose which drive to restore and from which backup to restore it.
Finally, close the backup package.

30

Overview of the Datalogger

DriveWindow
Location
Of The
Datalogger

Control Of The Datalogger

Channel 1

Channel 2

Channel 3

Channel 4

Value 1

Value 1

Value 1

Value 1

Value 2

Value 2

Value 2

Value 2

Value n

Value n

Value n

Value n

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 31

The data logger is a digital oscilloscope inside the drive, which lets you record data from the
drive in the most accurate way. You can control it with DriveWindow, and display the recorded
data as a graph or save it to a file.
A drive can have several dataloggers depending on the control board.
The data logger can record data in four different channels and can contain up to 1024 samples.
Each channel can record 256 samples (ACS600, ACS800), so it gives the possibility to record
512 samples per signal using two channels. For example, channel 1 can be set to record the
actual speed. The speed can be used as a triggering variable, with the rising or falling edge as
the trigger, and with a selectable level.

31

Datalogger settings

Status of the drive and the reason why

the datalogger was triggered are shown
Interval and pre-trigger time (ms)
Trigger conditions, variable, level and
hysteresis

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 32

The Datalogger settings pane shows the status of the logger, and the reason why the logger
was triggered.
Here you can change the dataloggers sample interval, pre-trigger time, trigger conditions and so
on.
The pre-trigger time sets how many samples the logger keeps before the triggering point.
The condition sets the event that triggers the logging, for instance a fault or a rising edge of a
signal.
The trigger variable tells the datalogger, which of the drive signals or parameters to use as the
trigger when using level triggering.
The Level tells the datalogger at what signal level to trigger.

32

Datalogger example
1.

Delete signals

2.

Select the new signal

3.

Add the signal to the datalogger

4.

Make your datalogger settings

5.

Start the datalogger

6.

Upload the data from the datalogger

7.

View the recorded data

1
2

4
5

ABB Group
April 4, 2011 | Slide 33

Here is an example of how the Datalogger is used.

Data read into DriveWindow must be cleared before new data can be downloaded.
Delete the existing signal from the Datalogger and select the new signal as shown.
By clicking the add symbol in the toolbar, add the signal to the datalogger.
Next, make your datalogger settings. Scaling, such as the x-axis length can be done after the
upload.
Then start the datalogger.
Once the Status value shows that the datalogger has been filled, you can upload the data from
the datalogger.
The recorded data can be viewed in the trend display.
When you are finished viewing uploaded data, you can clear the datalogger graph. Clearing the
graph enables you to change datalogger settings, if the datalogger is not running.

33

34