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Configure octoplant for BECKHOFF TwinCAT V2

To work with BECKHOFF TwinCAT V2 in a octoplant environment, some requirements must be met:

  • You must have access to a licensed BECKHOFF TwinCAT editor and connect it to your system.
  • If you want your octoplant server to perform all uploads, all standard libraries must be installed on the computer on which the server is also installed in the following folder: C:\TwinCAT\Plc\Lib .
  • If you want to create a backup for each IPC -without changing the AMS network configuration, you must install an agent on each of these IPCs. The IPC must be restarted after installation.
  • To configure the AMS Net route of the upload, you need full access rights on the IPC.

TwinCAT V2 can be used with octoplant in two ways:

  • The TwinCAT System Manager can be installed on the octoplant server. The server communicates directly with the IPC.
  • A connection is established via agent to the IPC on which the TwinCAT System Manager is installed.

TwinCAT System Manager on the octoplant server

Check that all requirements are met. The folder C:\TwinCAT\Plc\Lib and its contents should have been created during the installation of TwinCAT on the octoplant server. If this is not the case, copy the data from an IPC and paste it into the aforementioned directory on the computer on on which the server is running.

You must then assign an AMS Net-ID to the server so that it can communicate with the TwinCAT software.

Assigning an AMS Net-ID to your octoplant server

  1. Create a new file with the name AgentStation.ini (if this file does not exist) on the computer on which the octoplant server is running in the folder: vdServerArchive\VD$A\Configuration\Upload.
  2. Create the [TwinCAT] section (if this section does not already exist) and add the key 5370 with your AMS Net-ID (e.g. 10.255.50.142.10.10). This value must be unique for your octoplant server. It is recommended to use the AMS Net-ID of the IPC, but replace the last two blocks of numbers with the .10.10 if this AMS Net-ID is not yet in use.

Example:

[TwinCAT]
5370=10.255.50.142.10.10

Configure the IPC

To configure TwinCAT V2.x with the TwinCAT System Control software on the IPC from which an upload is to be carried out, you need a remote connection between the IPC and the octoplant server:

  1. Start the TwinCAT System Control software.
  2. Open the AMS Router tab.
  3. Make a note of the AMS Net ID of the local computer (you will need this for the job configuration).
  4. Click Add in the Remote Computer dialog.

  5. Fill in the following fields:

    • Name: Select a meaningful name for the connection. (Example: octoplant + device name)
    • AMS Net-ID: Enter the AMS Net-ID here, which you also entered in the AgentStation.ini file in step 2.
    • IP address: Enter the IP address of the computer on which the octoplant server or agent is installed.
    • Transport: Select TCP/IP from the dropdown menu and then select OK.

  6. Exit the application and restart the computer so that the changes are recognized by the TwinCAT runtime.

  7. After the restart, start the TwinCAT PLC Control software.
  8. Navigate to Online and select Choose runtime system.
  9. Check whether the connection to octoplant is listed here.
  10. Make a note of the runtime number (you will need this for job configuration).
  11. Repeat all steps for each TwinCAT device.

Agent Connection to a system with the TwinCAT System Manager

  1. Install the Upload and Compare agents on the IPC.
  2. Start the AdminClient, then name and configure the Upload and Compare agents.

TwinCAT uses AMS Net-IDs for communication between devices. You must therefore assign a virtual AMS Net-ID to your agent.

Assign a virtual AMS Net-ID to your agent

  1. Create an AgentStation.ini file (if it does not already exist) on the computer where the agent is installed (usually the IPC), in the folder: D:\vdAgentArchive\VD$A\Configuration\Upload
  2. In the AgentStation.ini file, create the [TwinCAT] section (if this section does not already exist) and add the 5370 key with your AMS Net-ID (e.g. 10.255.50.142.10.10). This value must be unique for your octoplant server. It is recommended to use the AMS Net-ID of the IPC, but to replace the last two number blocks with .10.10 if this AMS Net-ID is not yet in use.

Example:

[TwinCAT]
5370=10.255.50.142.10.10

Configure TwinCAT V2 with the TwinCAT System Control software on the IPC from which an upload is to be performed.

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