Whitepaper

Data Exchange Test of MODBUS Serial Connectivity February 2003Page 1

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Data Exchange Test of MODBUS Serial Connectivity

This whitepaper describes testing of a specific PLC and serial card setup to determine the data exchange.

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. 19962003 All rights reserved. DeltaV, the DeltaV design, SureService, the SureService design, SureNet, the SureNet design, and PlantWeb are marks of one of the Emerson Process Management group of companies. All other marks are property of their respective owners. The contents of this publication are presented for informational purposes only, and while every effort has been made to ensure their accuracy, they are not to be construed as warrantees or guarantees, express or implied, regarding the products or services described herein or their use or applicability. All sales are governed by our terms and conditions, which are available on request. We reserve the right to modify or improve the design or specification of such products at any time without notice.

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Contents
Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 Summary -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 Test System Equipment Setup ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6 Data Model and Test Setup ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Data Model.............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Test Setup ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 Test Conditions and Results------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Test 1 Conditions ................................................................................................................................................... 11 Test 2 Condition ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Test 3 Condition ..................................................................................................................................................... 13

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Figures
Figure 1 Test System Layout -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6 Figure 2 Data Communication Path---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

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Tables
Summary of Test Results----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 PLC and DeltaV Serial Card Configuration Design--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 Data Type Design Details ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9 mimic Data Group Setup----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Test 1 Results per mimic Data Group -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Test 1 Average Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 Test 2 Results per mimic Data Group ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 Test 2 Average Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Test 3 Results per mimic Group --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Test 3 Average Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

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Introduction
The testing documented in this paper demonstrated the data transfer between a DeltaV controller with a serial card and a Modicon (Schneider Electric) Quantum PLC. The serial communication was via MODBUS Protocol at 19.2 kbaud. Results discussed in this whitepaper are valid only for the test equipment and setup used in the test scenarios described.

Summary
Three test conditions were performed on the same test system equipment. The three tests performed are: Test 1 contained 120 DeltaV control modules all having scans rates of 500 ms Test 2 contained 120 DeltaV control modules with all of the analog modules and 36 of the discrete modules having a 500 ms scan rate and the remaining 36 discrete modules with a scan rate of 200 ms. Test 3 combined the 48 analog control modules into 24, each containing 8 analog input function blocks writing to 8 analog output function blocks, the discrete control modules remaining configured the same as test 1 & 2. All control modules scan rate was 500 ms.

All three tests demonstrated little variation in the overall average input-to-output time and the average port scan rates of the serial card. The main difference was the additional loading on the DeltaV controller due to changing the scan rate from 500 ms to 200 ms for 36 of the discrete control modules. Table 1 shows a summary of the results from the three test scenarios. Details of each test condition and the test result is shown under Test Conditions and Results. Overall Average Input to Output Time, seconds 1.795 1.687 1.876

TEST 1 2 3

Serial Card Average Port Scan Rate, seconds 0.876 0.899 0.748

Average DeltaV Controller Free Time, % 55.45 31.70 57.60

Table 1 Summary of Test Results

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Test System Equipment Setup

Figure 1 shows a graphical layout of the test system used for the three test conditions. The test system comprises the following: 1) DeltaV digital automation system: 1DeltaV ProfessionalPLUS Station 1DeltaV MD controller 1DeltaV serial card with MODBUS 2) Quantum PLC system: 1140 CPU 113 02 controller 1140 CRP 932 00 remote I/O head 1PC with configuration software 3) mimic simulation of Quantum remote I/O 1PC with mimic software 1SSTech 5136 MODCARD (remote quantum I/O interface card)

Figure 1 Test System Layout

Data Model and Test Setup

The data model used for the tests is representative of a PLC configuration in the field. The purpose of the test was to document the average time required to: write data changes from the remote I/O input channels to the PLC, communicate those changes to the DeltaV serial card via MODBUS, and have modules in the DeltaV system read the change and write it back to the PLC remote I/O output channels.

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Figure 2 shows a block representation of the data communication path.

Figure 2 Data Communication Path Data Model The DeltaV control modules configured for the tests contained: Analog input control modules where each module contains 8 AI function blocks Analog output control modules where each module contains 8 AO function blocks written to/from the corresponding AI blocks Discrete input control modules where each module contains 96 DI function blocks Discrete output control modules where each module contains 96 DO function blocks written to/from the corresponding AI blocks Module scan rates were set to maintain 100% module execution. Note: Variable scan rates were investigated but test results of any scan rate that did not result in 100% block execution were not reported. The PLC data model developed included: Analog inputs registers: 189 Analog outputs registers: 189 Discrete inputs registers: 576 Discrete outputs registers: 576 Total number of registers: 1530 The DeltaV serial card, port 1 properties included: Enabled Protocol type: RTU Mode: Master Retry count: 1 Message timeout (ms): 1000 Transmit delay (ms): 0

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The port 1 dataset properties are detailed in Table 2.

DeltaV SERIAL CARD DATA SET #
1

DATA DIRECTION
INPUT

OUTPUT MODE
N/A COMPLETE BLOCK N/A COMPLETE BLOCK N/A COMPLETE BLOCK N/A COMPLETE BLOCK N/A COMPLETE BLOCK N/A COMPLETE BLOCK N/A COMPLETE BLOCK N/A COMPLETE BLOCK

DeltaV DATA TYPE

16 BIT INTEGER W/STATUS 16 BIT INTEGER W/STATUS 16 BIT INTEGER W/STATUS 16 BIT INTEGER W/STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS BOOLEAN WITH STATUS

PLC DATA TYPE

INPUT REGISTERS HOLDING REGISTERS INPUT REGISTERS HOLDING REGISTERS INPUT STATUS

PLC BASE REGISTER ADDRESS

30003

NUMBER OF VALUES
93

OUTPUT

40003

93

INPUT

30201

96

OUTPUT

40101

96

INPUT

10001

96

OUTPUT

COILS

00001

96

INPUT

INPUT STATUS

10101

96

OUTPUT

COILS

00101

96

INPUT

INPUT STATUS

10201

96

10

OUTPUT

COILS

00201

96

11

INPUT

INPUT STATUS

10301

96

12

OUTPUT

COILS

00301

96

13

INPUT

INPUT STATUS

10401

96

14

OUTPUT

COILS

00401

96

15

INPUT

INPUT STATUS

10501

96

16

OUTPUT

COILS

00501

96

Table 2 PLC and DeltaV Serial Card Configuration Design

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The data model configuration design used for the test is detailed in Table 3:
DATA TYPE
AI

MODBUS TYPE
INTERGER REGISTERS HOLDING REGISTERS INTERGER REGISTERS HOLDING REGISTERS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS

PLC Starting ADDRESS

30003

PLC REGISTERS USED

93

DeltaV SERIAL CARD DATA SET NUMBER

1

DeltaV CONTROL MODULES

12

AO

40003

93

12

AI

30201

96

12

AO

40101

96

12

DI

10001

96

DO DI

00001 10101

96 96

6 7

6 6

DO DI

00101 10201

96 96

8 9

6 6

DO DI

00201 10301

96 96

10 11

6 6

DO DI

00301 10401

96 96

12 13

6 6

DO DI

00401 10501

96 96

14 15

6 6

DO Totals

00501

96 1530

16

6 120

Table 3 Data Type Design Details

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Test Setup The test was set up to a) programmatically, via a C program, cause changes to all of the inputs via MIMIC and b) determine the time for all of the output channels to be changed to the new corresponding input values. In MIMIC , channels were assigned to data groups that correspond to the serial card data sets. See Table 4 below for details on data group set-up.
DeltaV SERIAL CARD DATA SET NUMBER
1 1 2 3 2 4 5 6 4 7 8 5 9 10 6 11 12 7 13 14 8 15 16 AO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO AO AI

mimic Data Group

DATA TYPE

MODBUS TYPE
INTERGER REGISTERS HOLDING REGISTERS INTERGER REGISTERS HOLDING REGISTERS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS STATUS REGISTERS COILS

PLC Starting ADDRESS

30003 40003 30201 40101 10001 00001 10101 00101 10201 00201 10301 00301 10401 00401 10501 00501

PLC REGISTERS USED

93 93 96

DeltaV CONTROL MODULES

12

AI

12 12 12 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96

Table 4 mimic Data Group Setup

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The following was the test sequence, via a C program, to determine the time recorded for the three test conditions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Start timer Concurrently change all 8 input mimic data groups Monitor all 8 output mimic data groups until they match the changes in step 2 Stop the timer Record the time for each output data group to change to the input data group Wait 2 seconds Repeat test until test is run 500 times.

Test Conditions and Results

The following three sections show the results of each Test Condition performed on the test system.

Test 1 Conditions
All 120 modules at 500 ms scan rate. Analog input and output function blocks are in separate DeltaV Control Modules:

mimic Data Group 1

DELTAV SERIAL CARD DATA SET NUMBER 1 2

DATA TYPE AI AO AI AO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO

DELTAV CONTROL MODULES 12 12 12 12 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

Control Module Scan Rate, ms 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500

Average Input to Output Time, seconds 1.831

3 4

1.783

5 6

1.847

7 8

1.925

9 10

1.619

11 12

1.853

13 14

1.751

15 16

1.752

Table 5 Test 1 Results per mimic Data Group

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Table 6 provides the test 1 overall average input to output time for all 8 mimic data groups and from the DeltaV diagnostics: the serial cards port 1 average scan time to update all of the datasets and the average controller free time. Overall Average Input to Output Time, seconds 1.759 Serial Card Average Scan Time to Scan all Data Sets, seconds 0.876 Table 6 Test 1 Average Results Average DeltaV Controller Free Time, % 55.45

Test 2 Condition
All analog modules and half of the discrete modules at 500 ms scan rate, with half of the discrete modules at 200 ms scan rate. Analog input and output function blocks are in separate DeltaV control modules
DELTAV SERIAL CARD DATA SET NUMBER 1 2 2 3 4 3 5 6 4 7 8 5 9 10 6 11 12 7 13 14 8 15 16

MIMIC Data Group 1

DATA TYPE AI AO AI AO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO

DELTAV CONTROL MODULES 12 12 12 12 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

Control Module Scan Rate, ms 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 200 200 200 200 200 200

Average Input to Output Time, seconds 1.906

1.719

1.685

1.852

1.806

1.527

1.554

1.446

Table 7 Test 2 Results per mimic Data Group

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Table 8 provides the test 2 overall average input to output time for all 8 mimic data groups and from the DeltaV diagnostics: the serial cards port 1 average scan time to update all of the datasets and the average controller free time. Overall Average Input to Output Time, seconds 1.687 Serial Card Average Scan Time to Scan all Data Sets, seconds 0.899 Table 8 Test 2 Average Results Average DeltaV Controller Free Time, % 31.70

Test 3 Condition
All analog input and output function blocks in the same modules, with 8 AIN and 8 AOUT blocks/module. All 120 modules at 500 ms scan rate: Mimic Data Group
1

DeltaV SERIAL CARD DATA SET NUMBER

1 2

DATA TYPE
AI

DeltaV CONTROL MODULES

12

Control Module Scan Rate, ms

500

Average Input to Output Time, seconds

2.058

AO AI AO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO DI DO 12 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 1.698 1.764 1.873 1.563 1.908 2.234

3 4

5 6

1.908

7 8

9 10

11 12

13 14

15 16

Table 9 Test 3 Results per mimic Group

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Table 10 provides the test 3 overall average input to output time for all 8 mimic data groups and from the DeltaV diagnostics: the serial cards port 1 average scan time to update all of the datasets and the average controller free time. Overall Average Input to Output Time, seconds 1.876 Serial Card Average Scan Time to Scan all Data Sets, seconds 0.748 Table 10 Test 3 Average Results Average DeltaV Controller Free Time, % 57.60