Rockware Corp Rockbox SPS-100 Installation guide

ROCKWARECORP
IndustrialBarCodeLabelPrintingSystem


SerialPrintServer

TECHNICALTRAININGGUIDE













Overview .............................................................................................................................. 2
A)Configuration ...................................................................................................................3
B)Installation ....................................................................................................................... 6
C)MissionControl................................................................................................................ 7
D)Studio............................................................................................................................... 9
E)PrintOnDemand............................................................................................................ 12
F)ViewandConfigurefromaRemoteComputer.............................................................. 13
G)SystemBackupandRestoration .................................................................................... 14
H)SystemTroubleshooting ................................................................................................ 15

ROCKBOX™

TechnicalTrainingGuide
Overview
TheSPS‐100SerialPrintServerisacombinationofindustrialhardwareandsoftwaretoprovidedynamic
barcodelabelprintingthatcanbetriggeredbyanin‐processPLC(ProgrammableLogicController).This
guideisintendedtoaidinconfiguration,installation,labeldesign,andtroubleshootingoftheRockbox.
TheSPS‐100ispoweredby110VACandisequippedtohandleupto4independentindustrialprinters
viaRS‐232Serialinterface.Thisguideisintendedtoaidintheconfiguration,installation,labeldesign,
andtroubleshootingoftheRockbox.Belowliststerminologyanddefinitionsusedthroughoutthisguide.

TermDefinition
RockboxReferstotheSPS‐100hardwareandoverallsystem.
PLCReferstothePLCprovidingtheprinttriggerbitandlabelnumberregister.
NetworkReferstothecommonEthernetnetworkthePLCandtheRockboxareconnected
to.
StudioReferstotheapplicationintendedforlabelandtemplatecreationand
modification.TheexecutablefileforthisapplicationisSPS100_Studioandisstored
intheC:\RockwaredirectoryoftheRockbox.
MissionControlReferstotheapplicationintendedforreadingvaluesfromPLCandforprinting
labelsautomaticallyandmanually.Theexecutablefileforthisapplicationis
SerialPrint.exeandisstoredintheC:\RockwaredirectoryoftheRockbox.
RemoteComputerReferstoadesktoporlaptopcomputerthatispermanentlyortemporarily
connectedtotheNetworkandconnectstoRockboxviaRemoteDesktopandthe
Studioapplication.
Magic.StickUSBFlashDriveusedforsystemfilebackup
DatabaseMSSQLServerExpressdatabaseusedforstoringconfigurationsettingandlabel
formatting.Back‐upFiles(.bak)areusedtobackupandrestoredata.

SeeNetworkdiagrambelowforgeneralsystemlayout.

Revision1.0‐2of15
RemoteCom
p
uter
USBtoRS232Converter(OnePerChannel)












PLC
Network
Rockbox
IndustrialPrinter


TechnicalTrainingGuide
A)Configuration
RockboxSPS‐100scanbeorderedcompletelypreconfigured.Belowareinstructionsformanually
configuring.
1. ConnectkeyboardandmousetoavailabletwoavailableUSBportsandconnectamonitortothe
VGAportonbackontheRockbox.
2. PressPowerButtononfrontoftheRockbox.
Fi
g
ure 1
3. SetIPAddressandsubnetmasktoauniqueaddresscompatiblewiththe
triggeringPLC.
oDoubleclickNetworkConnectionsshortcutonthedesktop.(SeeFigure1)
oRightclickonLocalAreaConnectionandleftclickProperties.(SeeFigure2)
oLeftclickonInternetProtocol(TCP/IP)andleftclickProperties.(SeeFigure3)
oManuallysetIPAddressandSubnetMasktoallowEthernetcommunicationtoPLCand
computersonthelocalnetwork.(SeeFigure4)
Fi
g
ure2
Revision1.0‐3of15
Fi
g
ure4Fi
g
ure3




Fi
g
ure5








4. ConfigureOPCServersoftwareKepserverExtoallowreadingofprinttriggerbitand
labelnumberregisterfromPLC.
oDoubleclickKepserverExshortcutondesktop.(SeeFigure5)
oApreconfiguredKepserverChannelandDeviceshouldbepresent.The
Channel’snameisSPS100andtheDevice’snameisSPS1.TheSPS‐100system
requirestheChannelandDevicenametobeSPS100andSPS1respectivelyorOPC
communicationwillnotworkproperly.(SeeFigure6)
oTheKepserverChannelpropertiescanbeaccessedbyrightclickingtheChannel(SPS100)and
leftclickingProperties.ThedevicedriverneedstobecorrectforthemakeandmodelofPLC.
IfthissettingisnotcorrectdeleteChannelandcreateanewChannelnamedSPS100along
withanewDevicenamedSPS1.SelectthecorrectDeviceDriver.Usedefaultvaluesforall
othersettings.(SeeFigure7)
oTheKepserverDevicepropertiescanbeaccessedbyrightclickingtheDevice(SPS1)andleft
clickingProperties.ChangetheIPAddressoftheDevicetotheaddressofthePLC.(See
Figure8)




TechnicalTrainingGuide

Fi
g
ure6Figure7Figure8




Channel
Device








5. ConfigureSPS‐100ComportChannelsandMaintenanceFunctions.
oLeftClickonMissionControltabintaskbar(SeeFigure9).ClickonSettingsButtonin
MissionControl(SeeFigure10).
Figure10
Figure9






oEnterPassword(spsisdefault)(SeeFigure11).Makemodificationswhereneeded.Click
SAVEDATAwhenfinishedwithmodifications(SeeFigure12).
Figure11


Revision1.0‐4of15

TechnicalTrainingGuide
Figure12SaveModifications
ClicktomodifyPLC
AddressesforTriggerand
LabelNumber

FrequencyofAuto
Backups
BackupFileLocation
and Name
NumberofDaystoStore
Error Log Messages
ComportNumber.IfChannelnot
used enter N/A
.
PasswordusedSystem
Wide.Defaultissps.



ComportSetting.Makesure
PrinterdipswitchesmatchSPS‐100
settingsforeachChannel.


ChannelIDthatcanbeused toidentifywhat
Channelwasusedtoprinteachspecificlabel

NormallyCOM8
NormallyCOM7




6. ClickPLCAddressestoconfigurePrintTriggerandLabelNumberAddresses(SeeFigure13).
Figure13





LabelNumberfor
Each Channel




PrintTriggerfor
Each Channel




EnterPLC
Addresses
ClicktoMake
Activeor
Inactive
ClicktoSave
Modifications






Revision1.0‐5of15

TechnicalTrainingGuide
B)Installation
TheRockboxcanbeinstalledinsideawellventilatedelectricalcabinetormountedexternally(See
Figure14c).A110VACpowersourceisrequired.Cleanpowerandsurgeprotectionis
recommendedtopreventdevicefailuresduetoinconsistentpowerquality.TherearefourUSBto
RS‐232SerialconvertersthatarepluggedintothebackoftheRockbox.PredefinedUSBportshave
correspondingCOMnumberlabelstoidentifywhichComporteachUSBportconnectsto(SeeFigure
14a).ConnectserialcablesfromcorrespondingprinterstoapplicableUSBtoRS‐232Serial
converters(SeeFigure14b).Keyboard,mouse,andmonitorareoptionalanddonotneedtobe
connectedfortheRockboxtobeoperational.RemoteDesktopcanbesetuponanothercomputer
connectedtothenetworktoallowmonitoringandtroubleshootingofthesystem.SeeSectionF)
ViewandConfigurefromaRemoteComputerformoredetailonusingRemoteDesktop
Revision1.0‐6of15
Figure14a
Figure14b







Com
p
ortLabels

Figure14c

TechnicalTrainingGuide
C)MissionControl
Figure15
MissionControlistheapplicationthatmonitorschangesinprinttriggerandlabelnumbersfromthe
PLCandsendsapplicablelabelstringstoeachprinterwhentriggered.Thisapplicationmustbe
runningatalltimes.AnytimeaconfigurationorPLCAddresschangeismade,MissionControlwill
needtoberestarted.IfMissionControlisinadvertentlyorpurposelyshutdownitcanberestarted
bydoubleclickingthedesktopiconshowninFigure15.



Figure16




















StartandStopOPC
Readingand
Writing
NumberofTimes
RanandSuccessful
Executions
Enable/Disable
WindowsTask
Manager
ClicktoView
PLCValues
TotalHourly
OPCReads
OPCErrorLastValue
Read
OPCReads
PerSecond
Status
Errorduring
Execution
Lastattempted
TimeStamp
FunctionButtons
LastPrintedLabel
Status
TheStatustextboxdisplayswhetherMissionControlisrunningornot.Green“Running”text
displayswhenPLCscanningisoccurringandred“Stopped”textdisplayswhenPLCscanningisnot
occurring.LeftclicktheStopButtontostopPLCscanningandleftclicktheStart‐ReloadButtonto
startorrestartPLCscanning.LeftclicktheShutdownButtontoshutdownMissionControl.Labels
willnotautomaticallyprintunlessMissionControlisstartedandPLCScanningis“Running”.Shutting
downMissionControland/orstoppingPLCscanningrequiresthesystempasswordtobeentered.
(SeeFigure16)

PLCTagValues
PLCtagvaluescanbemonitoredandviewedfortroubleshootingpurposes.Anychangesinvaluesof
theprintTriggerorLabelNumbervalueisrecordedintheR/W(Read/Write)andtheR/WperS
(Read/WriteperSecond)textboxes.TheactualvaluerecordedisshownintheValuestextboxand
anyPLCaddressingerrorswillbedisplayedbyred“Error”textintheErrortextbox.Usethesevalues
forquicktroubleshooting.Ifallvaluesarezero,novaluesaredisplayedorthereisred“Error”textin
Revision1.0‐7of15

TechnicalTrainingGuide
theErrortextboxtheremaybeaconfigurationissuethatwillpreventautomaticprinting.(See
Figure16)

ToviewActualPLCvaluesforeachChannel,leftclicktheViewButton.Ifthereisanetworkrelated
error,aKepserverconfigurationerror,oraPLCAddresserror,theQualityofthespecificvaluewill
display“BAD”.IfthevalueisbeingreadproperlythentheQualitywilldisplay“GOOD”.Ifdisplayed
valuesmatchactualvaluesinthePLC,thenallnetworkingandOPCconfigurationhasbeen
completedsuccessfully.(SeeFigure17)

Figure17



Maintenance–DatabaseBackupandDeletionofErrorLog
Maintenancefunctionsincludedatabasebackupanddeletionoferrorlog.ThenumberofScans
(plannedexecutions),thenumberofExecutions(successfulexecutions),andtheTimeStampofthe
lastMaintenanceeventoccurrenceisdisplayedintheMaintenancetextboxes.Ifthereisanerror
therewillbeared“Error”messageintheErrortextbox.Errorsusuallyarearesultofdatabase
backuplocationsbeingsettodirectoriesthatdon’texist.TheBack‐upFileLocationcanbechanged
inSettingsalongwiththefrequencyofBack‐upexecutionandthelengthoftimetosaveErrorLog
Messages.(SeeFigure16andFigure12)

LastPrintedLabel
TheLastPrintedLabelforeachChannelisdisplayedatthebottomoftheMissionControlPage.This
canbeusedasatroubleshootingtooltoviewexactlywhatgetssenttotheprinterincludingTime
Stampsanddynamictextthatmaychangefromonelabeltothenext.(SeeFigure16)

TaskManagerEnable/Disable
TheWindowsTaskManagerisdisabledonstartuptopreventMissionControlfrombeingshutdown
withoutknowledgeofthepasswordthroughWindows.TheWindowsTaskManagercanbeenabled
byclickingtheTaskManagerButtonandenteringthecorrectsystempassword.TheWindowsTask
Managercanbedisabledagainbydoingthesame.(SeeFigure16)
Revision1.0‐8of15

TechnicalTrainingGuide
D)Studio
TheRockwareSPS‐100X4Studioisastandaloneapplicationtoprovideaninterfaceforcreatinglabels
andlabeltemplates.LeftclicktheStudioButton(SeeFigure16)toopenordoubleclickonthedesktop
iconshowninFigure18.Thesystempasswordisrequiredtoopenthisapplication.SPS100_Studio.exe
istheexecutablefilefortheStudioapplicationfoundintheC:\RockwaredirectoryontheRockbox.This
filecanrunonanycomputerconnectedtothesamenetworkwithawindowsoperatingsystemand.NET
Framework3.5orhigher.SeeSectionF)ViewandConfigurefromaRemoteComputerformoredetail.
Figure18

Revision1.0‐9of15
SelectTemplate
to use for label.
Clicktostart
N
ew
L
abel
ClicktoSAVEDATAafter
creatinganewlabelor
modifyinganexisting
label
View,Delete
ErrorLog
Exportall
labelformats
toatextfile
DeleteLabel
View,Add,
Modify,
Delete
Templates

Figure19





SelectLabeltomodify,
delete, o
rview
PLCLabel
Register
value
LabelNamefor
Identification
LabelPreviewusing
Templateand
DynamicTextvalues
ChoosewhethertoprintAdd‐Hocor
Templateversionoflabelwhen
triggeredtoprint.
Ad‐Hocraw
formattingandtext.





Dynamic
Text 1
‐
10


LabelFormatting
LabelformattingcanbeperformedusingeitherTemplateorAd‐Hocformattingmethodsforeach
individuallabel.Templatescanbeusedtoutilizethesameformattingcodetoproducethesamelabel
formultipleproducts.TheTemplatemethodutilizesDynamicTexttochangeonlyapplicable
informationfromoneproducttoanother.Templatesprovidealesstimeconsumingmethodformaking
modificationssincechangesonlyhavetobemadetoonetemplateinsteadofmultiplelabels.Ad‐Hoc
allowsforunlimitedcustomizationforeachlabel;however,iflabelsusesimilarformatting,modifications
willrequirechangestoeachindividuallabel.Theformattingcodesyntaxwilldependonwhattypeof
IndustrialPrinterisbeingused(I.E.Intermec’sIPL®,Zebra’sZPL®).


TechnicalTrainingGuide
Revision1.0‐10of15
Thereare12reservedbracketedwordsthatcanbeusedtocreatedynamiclabels.Thefollowing10
DynamicTextreservedwordsarelabelspecificandcanonlybeusedwithTemplatelabels.

[TEXT1]
[TEXT2]
[TEXT3]
[TEXT4]
[TEXT5]
[TEXT6]
[TEXT7]
[TEXT8]
[TEXT9]
[TEXT10]

Placinganyofthesereservedwordsinalabeltemplatewillreplace“[TEXT#]”withthetextstoredfor
eachDynamicTextfieldforeachlabelintothetemplatewheneachlabelisprinted.

ThefollowingtworeservedbracketedwordscanbeusedforTemplateorAd‐Hoclabels.

[ID]
[TIMESTAMP]

Placing[ID]intoaTemplateorAd‐Hoclabelreplaces“[ID]”withtheChannelIDthatisenteredin
SettingsforeachChannelwhenthelabelisprinted.ThiswordisintendedtoidentifywhichChannel
printedeachspecificlabelinmulti‐channelsystems.Placing[TIMESTAMP]replaces[TIMESTAMP]with
thecurrentTimeStampoftheRockboxwheneachlabelisprinted.TheRockboxTimecanbemodified
bydoubleclickingthetimedisplayedinthebottomrighthandcornerofthetaskbarandmakingthe
requiredadjustments.TheTimeStampisprintedonthelabeland/orbarcodeinthefollowingformat:

ddmmyyhhnnss

d=day
m=month
y=year
h=hour
n=minutes
s=seconds

Labelsandtemplatescanbeaddedorchangedanytimeandchangeswillimmediatelytakeplacethe
nexttimeaprinttriggereventoccurs.

ThePLC#fieldisthelinkbetweenthePLCandtheSPS‐100database.ThevalueoftheassignedPLC
LabelNumberregisterforeachchannelwilldeterminewhichlabelwillautomaticallybeprintedwhen
printingistriggered.ItisimperativethatthenumbersenteredinthisfieldmatchthePLCforeachlabel.
(SeeFigure19)