Position control by block operation using Modbus commands

Before you start

Before operating this product, read the safety instructions in the related Operating Instructions.

This product is for industrial use only.

Electrical connections must be made by qualified electrical personnel.

About this document

Step-by-step instructions will guide you through connecting a PLC to a MINAS servo driver and setting the most important parameters in the PANATERM configuration software.

Available software

The following software is available free of charge.

PANATERM 6

This link will take you to the Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd. Web site.
Control FPWIN Pro7 programming software (basic version)
MC_Modbus Library

This programming library for Modbus communication contains a demo program for block operation.

Functional overview

Position control is a control mode in which the motor moves the load to a specified target position.

The servo driver can be controlled by a pulse train in the frequency range between 1Hz and 8MHz from a host controller such as a PLC or a CNC controller or by block operation. With block operation, the user defines the positioning parameters in block commands. The MINAS A6 servo driver has a block memory capacity of 256 block commands. All block commands are saved in a block operation table in the servo driver.

Block operation table

You can set the block commands using the PANATERM configuration software or by Modbus commands if you are using a PLC with a Modbus RTU port. The block commands are either started by digital signals from a PLC (e.g. STB, B-SEL1 to B-SEL128), a trigger switch, or by Modbus commands.

This Quick Start Guide explains how to wire and configure the servo driver for block operation using Modbus commands.

Example

An FP0H PLC and a MINAS A6SF servo driver are connected to control the driver by Modbus commands.

Data transmission between PLC with Modbus RTU port and servo driver via serial communication cable

Wiring

Recommendations for wiring

It is the customer's responsibility to apply the countermeasures that they consider necessary to comply with current regulations on wiring, safety and reducing EMI.

Do not forget to meet the specifications indicated in the hardware manual for each of the devices being wired. If any specifications in the manual conflict with the information in this document, the manufacturer's manual takes preference.

For detailed information on reducing EMI, please refer to Recommendations for EMC-compliant wiring of servo drivers and motors.

Connectors of the servo driver

XA connector (main power connector)

Connect the power supply cable to the XA connector. For a 1-phase power supply of 230V, connect a 2-wire cable to the servo driver as illustrated. The L2 pin is not used in 1-phase mode.

Wiring of the XA connector for a power supply of 230V

XB connector (motor connector)

Connect the motor cable to the XB connector. The wires are labeled with the letters U, V, and W. Do not change the sequence of the motor phases, e.g. by connecting V to W.

Wiring of the XB connector for the motor power supply

X6 connector (encoder connector)

Connect the encoder cable to the X6 connector.

Wiring of the X6 connector for the encoder connection

X2 connector (serial communication port)

Connect the serial communication cable DV0PM20024CAB to the X2 connector and to COM port 0 (RS232C port) of the FP0H PLC.

Connector X2 for serial communication cable

X1 connector (USB connector for PC connection)

The servo driver is configured using the PANATERM configuration software . Use a commercially available USB A to mini-B cable to connect the PC to the servo driver.

Connector X1 for PC connection

Make parameter settings in PANATERM

Use the PANATERM configuration software to configure the MINAS servo driver.

Connect your PC to the X1 connector and turn on the servo driver.
Start the PANATERM configuration software .
The software automatically detects the type of servo driver connected.
Select OK and confirm the connected series by selecting your type of servo driver.
Select the Parameter tab.
In the Selection of parameter to be read dialog, select Read the default. There is a message if the parameter values in the servo driver are not the default values. To overwrite the parameters in the servo driver, select the Trans icon.
Select the parameter list for your type of servo driver.
To change a parameter setting, select the desired parameter class and enter a value. For parameter descriptions, please refer to the Operating Instructions. You can find each parameter by its unique parameter number. The parameter number is written in the format PrX.YY (X: Class, YY: No.).
Depending on the parameter, select the Trans or the EEP icon to transfer a setting to the servo driver. For yellow parameters, select the EEP icon. These parameters will be saved in the EEPROM of the servo driver. To activate the settings, you need to restart the servo driver.
All other parameters are transferred simply by selecting the Trans icon.

Basic parameters overview

The following table shows the setting range and description of the basic parameters.

Parameter	Range	Description
Pr0.00	0 or 1	Motor rotation direction
Pr0.01	0 to 6	Control mode
Pr0.08	0 to 1048576 [pulse] (MINAS A5) 0 to 8388608 [pulse] (MINAS A6)	Number of pulse signals per motor revolution
Pr4.05	0 to 16777215	Function assignment for pin 29 of X4 connector
Pr5.29	0 to 7	RS232C baud rate
Pr5.30	0 to 7	RS485 baud rate
Pr5.31	0 to 127	Axis number
Pr5.37	0 to 2	Communication protocol
Pr5.38	0 to 5	Modbus parity and stop bit setting
Pr5.39	0 to 10000	Modbus response waiting time
Pr6.28	0 to 2	Block operation mode

Pr0.00 (Motor rotation direction)

PANATERM parameter: Rotational direction setting

Setting range: 0 or 1

The default value is 1: Rotation in CCW direction (counterclockwise direction).

Pr0.01 (Control mode)

PANATERM parameter: Control mode setting

Setting range: 0 to 6

The default value is 0: Position control

Select 0: Position control (block operation mode only supports position control)

Pr0.08 (Number of pulse signals per motor revolution)

PANATERM parameter: Command pulse number per one motor revolution

Setting range: 0 to 1048576 [pulse] (MINAS A5), 0 to 8388608 [pulse] (MINAS A6)

The default value is 10000 pulses per motor revolution.

Pr4.05 (Function assignment for pin 29 of X4 connector)

PANATERM parameter: SI6 input selection

Setting range: 0 to 16777215

The default value is 197379: servo-on input

Select 0 to disable the default pin assignment.

Pr5.29 (RS232C baud rate)

Set this parameter if the servo driver is connected via RS232C.

PANATERM parameter: RS232 communication baud rate setting

Setting range: 0 to 7 (2400 to 230400bit/s)

The default value is 2 (9600bit/s).

Make sure the baud rate setting in the PLC program and in the servo driver are identical. In this example, select 6: 115200bit/s.

Pr5.30 (RS485 baud rate)

Set this parameter if the servo driver is connected via RS485.

PANATERM parameter: RS485 communication baud rate setting

Setting range: 0 to 7 (2400 to 230400bit/s)

The default value is 2 (9600bit/s).

Make sure the baud rate setting in the PLC program and in the servo driver are identical. In this example, select 6: 115200bit/s.

Pr5.31 (Axis number)

PANATERM parameter: Axis number

Setting range: 0 to 127

The default value is 1.

Select a value between 1 and 127. 0 is not accepted with Modbus RTU. Make sure the axis number setting in the PLC program and in the servo driver are identical. In this example, set axis 1.

Pr5.37 (Communication protocol)

PANATERM parameter: Modbus connection setting

Setting range: 0 to 2

The default value is 0 (MINAS standard protocol).

Select 1: Modbus-RTU (RS232 communication) or 2: (RS485 communication), depending on your requirements.

Pr5.38 (Modbus parity and stop bit setting)

PANATERM parameter: Modbus communication setting

Setting range: 0 to 5

The default value is 0: Even/1 bit

Make sure the parity and stop bit setting in the PLC program and in the servo driver are identical.

In this example, select “Odd/1 bit”.

Pr5.39 (Modbus response waiting time)

PANATERM parameter: Modbus response waiting time

Setting range: 0 to 10000

The default value is 0.

Set 5ms for the FP0H. (If you are using a different PLC type, set 0ms for the FP7 and 50ms for the FP-X or FPS).

Pr6.28 (Block operation mode)

PANATERM parameter: Special function selection

Setting range: 0 to 1

The default value is 0.

Select 1: Block operation valid (Modbus)

Function test

To quickly test your settings, use one of the demo programs included in our programming library MC_Modbus_Library


	Conduct trial runs of the servo motor only with the motor shaft disconnected from the machine to avoid any accident.

Connect the PLC to the servo driver as described in this Quick Start Guide.
Install the programming library by executing the setup file.
Select FP0R Example or FP7 Example from the Start menu. Control FPWIN Pro 7 starts and opens the demo program included in the library.
Select Online > PLC and set the connected PLC type.
Check the communication settings of the serial port you are using and make sure the system register settings match the settings in PANATERM.
The Communication mode must be Modbus RTU master/slave.

The baud rate setting in this demo program is 115200 baud, the parity is odd, and the number of stop bits is 1.
Select Online > Online mode. When asked, select Compile all... and Download program code and PLC configuration to PLC to download the demo program to the connected PLC.
Select Online > Change PLC mode or double-click on PROG in the status bar to switch to RUN mode
Double-click the POU _999_Sample_MoveRelative in the navigator.
The POU opens in the programing window:

POU _999_Sample_MoveRelative of MC_Modbus_Library in Control FPWIN Pro 7

This program performs a relative movement on axis 1. Make sure the same axis is set in PANATERM.
Set g_bUseAxis1 of MB_MC_InitializeAxis to TRUE. When data transmission to axis 1 starts, the SD/RD LED of the selected COM port begins to flicker.
Set bEnablePower of MB_MC_Power to TRUE to send a servo ON request signal to the servo driver. When the servo is on, bPower will be TRUE.
Set bEnableRelativePositioning of MB_MC_ConfigBlock_MoveRelative to TRUE to transmit the positioning parameters specified with this function to the block operation table of the servo driver.
Set bRun of MB_MC_StartBlockOperationNumber to TRUE to start the movement.