Slow down of model working on emulation module

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Trex asked Dec 18, '19 Cole Shirley answered Jul 20, '21

Slow down of model working on emulation module

Hello Folks,

Need your gentle help regarding the functionality of the simulation model, which has slowed down during the usage of emulation module.

I have configured PLC with photoeyes (sensor) through OPC DA Connection (KEP Server Enterprise).

Modelling has been performed for a packaging line which is working fine.

Problem what I am facing is, as soon as the no. Of bottles passes through sensor and sends a tag to PLC, model speed is drastically slow down.

I have cross checked by toggling through the subscribe to change option as well as reduced the update rate.

Can you please suggest me how to overcome this situation

Software Version:

FlexSim 19.0.2

emulation emulation module plc slow run time opc da

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tannerp commented · Dec 18, 2019 at 10:23 PM

Hi @Trex,

It's hard to debug without a model, but in this case, we would need the model and the ability to connect to the PLC, so that's okay for now. My first thought is that if you've got everything connected properly and you have reduced the polling rate on the emulation module, you might be running into problems simply because of the number of flow items in your model. Are you creating a lot of bottles? Sometimes excessive amounts of flow items will slow the model's performance.

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Trex tannerp commented · Dec 27, 2019 at 02:36 PM

emulation-packaging.fsm

@tanner.p

Yes, I am creating a lot of bottles at a time. But when I disconnect PLC, it works very fine.

Enclosed model is for your reference.

Brief about model:

I have created packaging line model, where there is a flow of bottles are confined.

For emulation, I have connected Rockwell PLC, where RSlinx & KEPserver is used as a gateway between PLC & FlexSim.

Each conveyor has been linked to PLC through motor & photo-eye, where motors are used as Controls (PLC outputs) & photo-eyes are used as sensors (PLC inputs).

Model has a meter-sec unit with a bottle rate of 140 BPM, for which all machine process time & conveyor speeds are fed into the model.

Server connection: OPC DC connection

Problem Statement: When model run, as soon as bottles start arriving to photo-eye, model speed gets depreciating. Simultaneously when more photo-eyes gets triggered, speed further gets slower down. I need to understand, why this problem has been arising. Kindly support me to resolve this issue.

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emulation-packaging.fsm (488.1 KiB)

tannerp Trex commented · Dec 27, 2019 at 04:38 PM

Hi @Trex,

Are you running RSLinx & KEPServer on the same machine as FlexSim? Also, maybe we could look at how much data are you sending to and from FlexSim and the PLC. I've never used FlexSim to directly control a PLC, but I imagine that there's a significant decrease in model speed because of the amount of data that is being passed through at such a high rate. If we do the math, running the model at a Run Speed of 4 means that you're going to have 9.3 bottles hitting photo eyes every second of real time. If you're including data for each bottle, that might be creating a lag in the model. Are you using FlexSim to send inputs to a ladder-logic program?

Have you tried decreasing the speed of the conveyor to see if it is the photo eye triggers that are slowing down the model for sure?

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Answer 1 · 2021-07-20T14:14:37Z

Cole Shirley answered Jul 20, '21

Closing outdated question

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Attachments: Up to 12 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 23.8 MiB each and 47.7 MiB total.

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