Device Driver: FINS

FINS - Factory Interface Network Service

The FINS Driver is used to communicate with Omron PLCs. The driver can be used for messages or as I/O polling.

The PLC and Sym3 are connected via FINS/UDP protocol and exchange I/O.

The driver supports DM (Data memory) and EM (Extended memory) where EM is the preferred option. The driver only supports 16 bit WORD read and writes.

For full details of FINS addressing refer to the OMRON FINS protocol and the PLC manual.

As shown below, memory Read command and memory Write command are issued and I/O is exchanged.

Message Configuration

The following is an example of the configuration for a ‘FINS’ type:

Name Description
Name Can be anything. This name will appear in the Sym3 log files.
D Must be the same as ID field and unique across all Sym3 ‘PLCs’.
TCPServerName Server name as used in Sym3 log file. Can be up to 16 ASCII characters.
TCPServerPort Port that Sym3 listens on. Must the same as the TCPClientPort. (see below)
TCPClientName Client name as used in Sym3 log file. Can be up to 16 ASCII characters.
TCPClientID Sym3 constant. Must be Set to 1.
TCPClientIPAddr IP Address of the PLC as set in Sysmac TCP/IP Settings Must match the IP address Field in Sym3 PLC properties.
TCPClientPort Port that the PLC is listening on. Must match the Sysmac FINS/UDP port number in FINS Settings.
NetworkByteOrder Must be 1.
Use Trailer Must be 0 (zero).
WriteAirflowHeader Must be Set to 0 (zero).
FINSSourceNode The FINS Header Source node. Must be the last octet (byte) of the PC (Sym3 Integrator) IP address. In the example set up this is 67. Only required if Omron PLC sends messages. (instruction 090)
FINSSourceNetwork The Network number of the machine running Sym3 Integrator. Typically 0 (zero).
FINSDestinationNode The FINS Header destination node. Must be the last octet (byte) of the PLC IP address. 16 in the sample setup with the PLC IP 172.29.26.16. It must match the FINS send destination Node number.
FINSDestinationNetwork The Network number of IP address of the PLC. Typically 0 (zero).
DMBufferAddress100 The Data Memory I/O address (14000) used for Sym3 PLC Device IO message 100 (PLC input). This issues a FINS Data Memory write command 0x0102 to the PLC. The length field in the command is determined by size of the Sym3 PLC Device IO map.
DMPollAddress101 The Data Memory I/O address (1800) used for Sym3 PLC Device IO message 101 (PLC output). This issues a FINS Data Memory read command (0x0101) to the PLC.
DMPollLength101 The length field in words (656) sent in the Data Memory read command for message 101.
DMPollIntervalMS101 The interval in milliseconds that FINS Data Memory read command is sent to the PLC.
DMBufferIntervalMS100 The interval in milliseconds that FINS Output data is sent to the PLC.
ContinuouslySendingOutput The boolean flag to enable continues sending output data to the PLC, when set to true DMBufferIntervalMS100 will be used as interval to send FINS output data to the PLC. When false Output data will only be send to PLC when updated.

Extended Memory parameters

Name Description
IOMemoryAreaCode100 Specify the FINS I/O Memory Area Code for the message numbers used in Sym3 Device I/O and messaging.
IOMemoryAddress100 The EM Memory I/O address (14000) used for Sym3 PLC Device IO message 100 (PLC input). This issues a FINS Data Memory write command 0x0102 to the PLC. The length field in the command is determined by size of the S3I PLC Device IO map.
IOMemoryPollAddress100 The memory address for the message numbers used in Sym3 Device I/O and messaging.
IOMemoryPollLength100 The Length in WORDs to read from the Memory Area address in the PLC for the message numbers used in Sym3 Device I/O and messaging.
IOMemoryPollIntervalMS100 The time between Memory Area reads in milliseconds for the message numbers used in Sym3 Device I/O and messaging.

When using Extended Memory space the DMBufferAddress and DMPollAddress syntax can still be used with I/O Memory Area Code automatically being set to Data I/O Memory (0x82).

DMBufferAddress123=1000

is equivalent to;

IOMemoryAreaCode123=0x82
    IOMemoryAddress123=1000

Summary of the new EM commands are;

FINS I/O Memory Area Write (0x0102)

IOMemoryAreaCodeXXX=0xMM
    IOMemoryAddressXXX=AAAAA

FINS I/O Memory Area Read (0x0101)

IOMemoryAreaCodeYYY=0xMM
    IOMemoryPollAddressYYY=AAAAA
    IOMemoryPollLengthYYY=L
    IOMemoryPollIntervalMSYYY=T

Where:

XXX and YYY are the message numbers used in Sym3 Device I/O and messaging.

MM is the FINS I/O Memory Area Code. See W342-E1-15.pdf 5-2-2 IO Memory Address Designations. Common values: Data I/O Memory is 0x82, Extended I/O Memory for CS/CJ processors for EM bank 0 to bank F is 0xA0 to 0xAF.

AAAAA is the Memory Area address being written or read.

L is the Length in WORDs to read from the Memory Area address in the PLC.

T is the time between Memory Area reads in milliseconds.

Example:

Name=PLC1
    ID=67
    TCPServerName=S3i
    TCPServerPort=9600
    TCPClientName=PLC-FINS1
    TCPClientID=1
    TCPClientIPAddr=172.29.26.16
    TCPClientPort=9600
    NetworkByteOrder=1
    UseTrailer=0
    WriteAirflowHeader=0
    FINSSourceNode=67
    FINSSourceNetwork=0
    FINSDestinationNode=16
    FINSDestinationNetwork=0
    DMBufferAddress100=14000

Adding the following entries to the configuration changes the communications method from messaging to polling. The driver does not change.

DMPollAddress101=1800
    DMPollLength101=656
    DMPollIntervalMS101=30

With Polling mode, the results are returned in message number 101.

Adding the following entries to the configuration changes the output sending method from on update to continues. The driver does not change.

ContinuouslySendingOutput=True
    DMBufferIntervalMS100=1000

With Continues mode, the data send to PLC will be message number 100.

Configuration screens

Example

Example Sym3 projects using this driver.

These are simple examples including conveyors and PEs to demonstrate the setup and principles of operation