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The Blog Begins!

For some time now XML Control - Software & Automation has been around to promote bespoke software created for the interfacing and control of Mitsubishi Programmable Logic Controllers, Electrical Computer Aided Design and other related applications. 

Having built up a reasonably large assortment of guides, tutorials, real world use cases and more, the time has come to share some of this knowledge and hopefully some useful insights. And so, the blog begins! 👍

Popular posts from this blog

Mitsubishi FX5U, SLMP & Desktop.Dash

In a previous post we introduced the FX5U Web Server, now we'll look at using the SLMP pre-defined protocol over Ethernet and the Desktop.Dash app to monitor a value. XML Control - Desktop.Dash  is a simple, multi-purpose Windows app built around Mitsubishi and open protocols, for example MODBUS, that can be used to create an interface to your PLC or similar device with data values, lamps, buttons and more for HMI and ANDON like functionality... 7 Station Pie Machine & Desktop.Dash ( click image to enlarge ) The SLMP (Seamless Messaging Protocol) aka MC Protocol Frame 1E, is built-in to the FX5U, and it just needs configured... 🔧 FX5U SLMP Setup Start GX Works3 with a new or existing project and ensure the device IP Address is set from node Project > Parameter > FXCPU > Module Parameter > Ethernet Port , then choose Basic Settings > Own Node Settings... Set your required IP Address (and Subnet default of 255.255.255.0 unless you require otherwise)... And importa
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Mitsubishi GS2107 HMI & VNC Server

The new generation Mitsubishi GS Series HMI's now support the VNC Server function previously only found in the much higher end GT2000 Series. Specifically, you'll need the GS21**-W-N (N for New!) version. We'll look at configuring the HMI with GT Designer 3, the VNC License Key and using the free UltraVNC client viewer... UltraVNC in remote control of a GS2107 Scope In this post we're going "broad strokes", so not too much nitty gritty on how to configure your HMI screens, as in our example we have a button that alternates a M store in the PLC, and this store is used in turn to alternate an image between "Pie" and "Pasty" and illuminating the associated "mode" lamps as shown above. We will though look in detail at the VNC server settings and installing the VNC License Key, talking of which, here's the part number and details:-  GT25-VNCSKEY-1 VNC licence key for GT2107-WTSD & GT25/27 series HMIs - 1 licence* £27.50 (as a
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Create an OpenVPN link to Mitsubishi PLC, HMI & more

Preamble OpenVPN is an open source project to provide Virtual Private Networking connections between clients and remote networks via the Internet (as an example). There are many use cases for VPN, today though we'll look at using VPN to connect a remote engineers laptop/PC to a site LAN for the specific purpose of remote monitoring and control using Mitsubishi tools such as GX Works and GT Designer, which is a mode I refer to as "device mode". An example of a VPN in “ device mode ”… Devices on both ends of the tunnel will be as though on the same network. Note! If OpenVPN is built into your device, as in this case a TP-Link ER605 VPN Router, then it can be used for free, and in conjunction with the remote client also using the free OpenVPN Connect app. Requirements There are three aspects to creating a VPN solution… Establish a VPN Server (whether home with hardware or a cloud service) Download and install a VPN Client for the required operating system/device Utilise a
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