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Greyline 2000 Operator Workstation questions

So, anyone know anything about these? Web info seems *very* sparse. I
found one new. It appears to me to be a generic programmable serial
control panel for large machines. It's got RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485
input and outputs. It's got a four line display and a keypad. It powers
up and appears to work fine.

The web info I found shows a program called "GUS" for programming it, and
I'm gonna download it. But I guess I'm wondering if it can be custom
programmed, or if it only supports some goofy protocols. Anyone used one?

I also can't find any decent documention on programming, so any pointers
would be welcome. I'd be interested in using it for an interface to custom
microcontroller projects perhaps using a PIC or something. Yes, I know
this isn't really metalworking related, but I believe this device *is* used
in large metalworking machinery. I gladly welcome corrections on that,
though, as I'm not completely sure.

--Donnie

--
Donnie Barnes http://www.donniebarnes.com 879. V.

Greyline 2000 Operator Workstation questions

On Sat, 10 Dec, Ned Simmons wrote:
Its intended purpose is as an interface to a PLC (programmable logic
controller) and it does communicate via some sort of ASCII protocol. I'm
not familiar with this unit, but have used several made by Maple
Systems. Maple's stuff is quite flexible and can be configured to talk
to devices other than PLCs - motion controllers, VFDs, etc. This Maple
doc may give you some clues about your device...
http://www.maple-systems.com/1033/10330073.pdf

More docs here...
http://www.maple-systems.com/cntrllrs_ezw.htm

Some of the keywords I'd use to Google for more info would be, in
various combinations: OIT HMI PLC

Thanks. After two hours of digging last night I found out some decent
info. I still am in a bit of a haze about PLC's in general, but I get the
jist. I also get that they are systems built out of lots of building
blocks with communication bus(es) and are generally pretty much for custom
control systems.

Are you sure you can download the software? It's unusual to get
programming software for industrial controls for free. There's usually
at least a nominal charge.

Yeah, he

http://www.geindustrial.com/cwc/gefa...greyline-d.htm

GUS Level 2 appears to be a software loader that will load it with a
commucations protocol from a list (stuff like Allan Bradley protocols,
Mitsubishi, Series 2, Omron, etc). I found a PDF explaining the Series 2
protocol and it looks like it could be used without a *lot* of effort to
make this thing a generic interface to something else. There's a download
for a MicroGreyline (which are part number 1024 and 1025, whereas I have a
2125) that makes it a dumb terminal. I may try putting that on mine to see
if it works...if so, that would be *ideal*.

I can't find any code out there that speaks Series 2 already to poke at,
but then again, googling for "series 2" or "series two" is WAY too generic.
Even adding it to things like PLC didn't seem to help. So either it
doesn't exist or I ain't gonna find it without some help. I don't *need*
it, but my searching turned up several open source projects to speak some
of the other protocols out there, but none seemed to match up with any in
this list I have. And none in the list for the program that supports this
device say "dumb terminal." :( Closest of what I can tell are the Series
2, but there's also a "Series 2 slave" which might be "dumber."

--Donnie

--
Donnie Barnes http://www.donniebarnes.com 879. V.

Greyline 2000 Operator Workstation questions

Donnie Barnes wrote in
main:

I can't find any code out there that speaks Series 2 already to poke
at, but then again, googling for "series 2" or "series two" is WAY too
generic.

Try posting to sci.engr.control I'm pretty sure someone there could help
you out.

--

Dan

Greyline 2000 Operator Workstation questions

On Mon, 12 Dec, D Murphy wrote:
Try posting to sci.engr.control I'm pretty sure someone there could help
you out.

Sweet. Thanks!

--Donnie

--
Donnie Barnes http://www.donniebarnes.com 879. V.