Using Control Builder “M” with an AC800M

The following is a step by step set of instructions for connecting to an AC800M controller
using Control Builder “M” software. It is assumed that you have successfully installed
Control Builder and are connected to the AC800M controller via the Ethernet network.
Note that your laptop network configuration must be set to an address that will connect to
the shovel network. Depending upon the system, you may be able to connect using a
DHCP connection where you will be assigned an I.P. address by the system. If unable to
connect via DHCP a static I.P. should be configured on your laptop in the address range
between 192.168.1.100 and 192.168.1.150.

***

In order to connect to the AC800M, you

should have the machine program on your
laptop. The program is distributed in
“zipped” file format. In this example, the
zipped file is able to fit on a 3-1/2” floppy
disk.

The file may be unzipped to any location,

however when the Control Builder “M”
application was installed, a subdirectory in
the structure tree called “Projects” should
have been created. For consistency and
commonality, it is suggested you unzip your
projects to the “Projects” directory.

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 This example shows PKZip being the
application used to unzip the files. Your
laptop may use WinZip or another
application to decompress the ‘’zipped”
file.

Note that the “Projects” subdirectory in the

Control Builder directory tree has been selected
as the location for extraction of the files.

After pressing the Extract button the process

will begin to decompress or extract all the
necessary files required by the Control Builder
Software for communication to the AC800M
controller.

When the process is complete, exit or close all

open windows.

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Once the files have been extracted,
a file structure similar to that shown
at the right will be in the directory
chosen for extraction. In this
example, the files are viewable in the
preferred “Project” directory location.
In this example, all the files were
placed directly in the “Project”
directory. Most likely, for better
organization, the files will be
unzipped into their own subdirectory
under the “Projects” directory.

Starting Control Builder……

From the Windows Start button, select Programs and near the top of the selection Window
you will find “ABB Industrial IT”. Open its’ cascading windows until reaching the
application “Control Builder M Professional 3.2”.

The Control Builder Splash screen will appear

followed by the actual application.

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 The initial screen will be blank until a project is
selected. Like most Windows applications, multiple
methods can be used to open a file. In this example,
we have selected “Open Project” from the “File”
pulldown.

This will open up a window from which you can migrate to where the Control Builder
project was “unzipped”. Either “double-click” the project file or highlight it and click on the
“Open” button.

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 Once the Project is opened, You will see
the structure tree of the application
indicated in the Control Builder Header. In
this example, the tree has been reduced to
show only the main headings. Additional
windows may also open depending upon
the view when the program was saved. The
other windows may be closed.

To Connect to the AC800, there

are two choices… one will first
download the project on your
laptop and Go Online, the other,
more common would be simply to
Go Online.

This example will download a new

application… the more common
selection for troubleshooting would
be the icon to the left of this one, which is simply to go Online.

In either case, a window will first

open which should confirm that the
project you have on your laptop
(from the zipped file), matches what
is loaded in the AC800 Controller.
Here you can see that there are No
mismatches found in the project.

Click the “Continue” button.

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After clicking “Continue” the final
connections will be made between
Control Builder and the AC800. The
final note under the Message tab at
the bottom of the Control Builder
window will indicate that you are
“online”.

If this were a new project download,

you must first select or confirm the
proper Motor Selections.

This is done by “Right-Clicking” on

the Motor_Select1 Control Module
located in the “Applications” tree:
Applications folder >
MachineConstants >
Control_Modules

When “Right-Clicking”, you will open

an additional selection option…

Click on the Interaction Window

selection to open the Motor Selection
Screen.

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Motor Selection Screen

From this screen, the specific

motors must be selected. This
will only be required when a new
application is initially loaded or
instructions are provided to do
so when an updated project is
supplied.

Press the “Done” button when

complete.

NOTE: If this is the initial setting of the Motors, you should close Control Builder and cycle
power to the AC800 controller.

*** Additionally if this is an initial loading of a project, you should calibrate the joysticks
prior to starting the machine and once started, set and confirm the motion limits… these
processes are all done from the GUI screen.

BASIC LOGIC TROUBLESHOOTING

One of the most common troubleshooting

efforts will involve starting the machine… or
determining why it will not start.

When Online with the controller, open the

Applications tree as shown to the left.

Double-Click on “START_STOP" to open the

logic associated with starting the machine.

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Notice the selection tabs at the bottom of the above window… StartStop is selected. The
logic for starting the machine is shown in the center section of the window. This screen
presently indicates that all signals are proper for starting the shovel. You will note that the
signals that are “true” are shown in blue and those that are false are black. Exiting the
Start_ON_OFF_1 logic block is a “false” condition. This simply indicates that the machine
is now stopped.

The other tabs at the bottom of the window will bring up additional screens helpful for
troubleshooting. The below pictures show sections of the delayed and instantaneous
shutdown logic.

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BASIC I/O TROUBLESHOOTING

Opening the “Controllers” section of the Control

Builder tree you can drill down to individual
Input/Output (I/O) cards installed in the system.

The adjacent view shows a system with no

reported hardware problems. A red mark on any
of the sections would indicate a problem with
hardware in that section… drilling down the tree of
a “red” marked icon will further define the source
of the problem.

This view shows not a red mark but rather

yellow exclamation marks. This mark
indicates that there is a “forced” input or
output in the program. The next several
sections will show further migration into the
hardware and how this may be
accomplished.

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 In the following example, we will select input
module #6 of I/O rack 28, which is connected to
the second CI854 Profibus interface module.
This module (CI854) is physically connected
directly to the AC800 bus. It communicates via
Profibus (either directly or through wire to fiber-
optic adapters) out to the various I/O racks.

Double-Clicking on the #6 I/O module in the above example will open up the below screen.
In the view shown (note the cursor pointing to the connections tab), you will note that the
Channel is IX2 (second Profibus adapter), rack 28, card 6. Highlighted is the Suppression
Circuit Breaker that is input #1 on the card.

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 From the prior screen /
window, we have selected
the Status tab. This view
now shows the status of
the input. Note that the
Channel Value is “true”
indicating that the actual
physical input to the
module is true or “ON”.

In this view, we have

“checked” the box in the
Forced column for the
Suppression Breaker
input. Note that the
Variable Value has now
changed in color to
yellow. Reference the
earlier screen with a
yellow exclamation mark
associated with this input
card.

In this example, the

Suppression Circuit
Breaker has been
opened. Note that the
Channel Value is now
false. Due to the force,
the Variable Value to the
program is true. Simply
entering a “t” or “f” in the
highlighted yellow box will
change the true or false
force. Alternately, a 1 or 0 may be entered. NOTE: This force will be maintained upon
disconnection from the AC800 controller. To insure no inadvertent forces are in the
system, make sure there are no yellow exclamation marks on any of the hardware I/O of
the hardware tree prior to exiting the software/system.

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Exiting Control Builder….

To go Offline with the AC800 Controller, the

Icon shown at the right should be clicked.

Exiting the Control Builder application is

accomplished as with any Windows
application… one method is to simply click
the “Exit” selection from the “File” pulldown
menu.

You will be asked for final confirmation prior

to closing the Control Builder “M” application.

This concludes this Basic Guideline for using Control Builder M with an AC800 Controller.

***

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