topic Re: PLC I/O Utilty - Analog Modules in AutoCAD Electrical Forum

PLC I/O Utilty - Analog Modules

howard_leeQSR2G — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 17:54:53 GMT

I'm hoping to use AutoCAD Electrical's PLC I/O Utility to create diagrams for Modicon M340 analog inputs and outputs. Our current standard typically doesn't show these on a ladder but rather as field wires (twisted shielded pairs) going from plc terminals to the positive and negative terminals of ISA symbols (ie FIT, PIT, LIT...). The ACADE M340 Analog modules seem to be intended for use on ladders which isn't conducive for our workflow. Anybody have any ideas?

Re: PLC I/O Utilty - Analog Modules

Thomasbatson — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 12:31:47 GMT

I may not know exactly what you mean but would the stand-alone PLC symbols work from the Icon menu? They just float in the drawing like any other symbols and can have parent/child.

Re: PLC I/O Utilty - Analog Modules

howard_leeQSR2G — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:11:01 GMT

Thanks for your response.
I looked into the PLC symbols under the Icon menu and unfortunately they're fixed. I'm hoping to utilize the PLC I/O Utility to generate I/O drawings from Excel spreadsheets. I've been able to do it with the Digital Inputs because there is a good amount of content online on how to do this, however there really doesn't seem to be anything out there showing how people use the PLC I/O Utility with Analog signals. There are premade parametric M340 analog cards available in ACADE, but I'm not sure how to apply them to show instrumentation or details such as twisted shielded pair wiring and field wiring.
Thanks again!

Re: PLC I/O Utilty - Analog Modules

jseefdrumr — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 18:16:16 GMT

I am not very familiar with the PLC Utility tool, but without even taking a dive into it in help, I'm thinking it won't have any ability at all to draw STP wires. Creating these normally in ACADE is a multi-step process on its own, using one command to make two regular wires into an STP and another command to draw the shield. Further, I seriously doubt that the utility can accommodate your needs to show instrumentation info. In ACADE, instrumentation is a separate thing and basically an afterthought, just like pneumatics. It's actually not even a part of what it does, although there are some really basic P&ID tools available.

Your best solution may be hybrid, meaning, you leverage the PLC utility to do as much work as you can, and then go back to manually draw the things it can't handle, like the STP and field wiring you pointed out.

Re: PLC I/O Utilty - Analog Modules

howard_leeQSR2G — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 18:23:35 GMT

Thanks for your reply. I agree that the Utility is limited in what it can do for Analog modules. Decided it would be best if we try to write a lisp program to at least automate part of the process.
Thanks again.