Despatch PROTOCOL MANAGER Installation Manual

E-100
P. N. 208711
REVISION G

8/2006

DESPATCH PROTOCOL MANAGER

NETWORK UTILITY SOFTWARE

INSTALLATION AND OPERATION MANUAL

Prepared by:
Despatch Industries
8860 207th St. West
Lakeville, MN 55044
Customer Service 800-473-7373

Thank you for choosing Despatch Industries. We appreciate
the opportunity to work with you and to meet your heat
processing needs. We believe that you have selected the
finest equipment available in the heat processing industry.

At Despatch, our service does not end after the purchase
and delivery of our equipment. For this reason we have
created the Service Products Group within Despatch. The
Service Products Group features our Response Center for
customer service. The Response Center will direct and track
your service call to ensure satisfaction.

Whenever you need service or replacement parts, contact
the Response Center at 1-800-473-7373: FAX 952-469-

8193.
Sincerely,

Despatch Industries

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................1

INSTALLATION...............................................................................................................2

Host Computer Requirements..............................................................................2

Installing the Software ..........................................................................................2

Software Setup.....................................................................................................6

Configuring the Controllers........................................................................6

Startup and Login ......................................................................................7

Setup ......................................................................................................... 9

Network Setup .........................................................................................12

Configuring a Recipe ...............................................................................21

Recipe Selection Setup ........................................................................... 27

Datalog Functions....................................................................................28

STARTING THE CONTROLLER ..................................................................................33

Run Time Window..............................................................................................34

Manual Mode...........................................................................................34

Timer Mode..............................................................................................35

Profile Mode.............................................................................................36

COMMUNICATION CARD INSTALLATION AND JUMPER SETTINGS ......................38

Wiring Diagrams.................................................................................................38

Communication Card Installation........................................................................39

Communication Card Jumper Settings...............................................................41

Connecting Protocol Plus Controller(s) to a Communications Host PC .............42

Single Oven.............................................................................................42

Multiple Ovens.........................................................................................42

TROUBLESHOOTING THE COMMUNICATIONS OPTION.........................................46

Controller Parameters..............................................................................46

Protocol Manager Parameters.................................................................46

Controller Hardware and Cabling.............................................................48

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INTRODUCTION

The Despatch Protocol Manager network utility software enables the operation of
multiple Protocol Plus controllers from a remote PC. As many as 32 Protocol Plus units
may be operated.

The software performs the following functions:

• Remote access and operation of one or more Protocol Plus controllers

• Allows use of a centralized PC to store and edit profiles

• Allows the same profiles to be downloaded to multiple controllers

• Allows a profile to be uploaded from a particular controller to the central PC,

so it can be passed to the other controllers

• Allows centralized data logging from all controllers connected to the central
PC

NOTE: Use this document in conjunction with Despatch publication E98 (p.n.

143895), Protocol Plus Control Instruction Manual.

1

INSTALLATION

Host Computer Requirements

The host computer must be Pentium-class or equivalent, running Windows 95,
Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

An RS-232 serial port, COM1 – COM4, must be available.

Installing the Software

NOTE: Close all open applications before installing Protocol Manager software.

1. Insert the Protocol Manager software CD-ROM into the CD drive of the
control computer.

2. Click on the start button in the lower left corner of the screen.

3. Click on the "Run" button from the menu that appears.

4. Click on the Browse button. Change the Look In box at the top of the window
to the drive letter for your CD drive.

5. Double-click on the Setup.exe file. The following screen will appear:

Figure 1 Protocol Manager Installer

2

6. Click on the Next button. The following screen will appear:

Figure 2 License Agreement

7. Scroll the window to read the license agreement, then click on the "I accept
the terms" button and click Next to continue. The following screen will appear.

Figure 3 Initial Setup Parameters ReadMe

3

8. Scroll the window to read all the information, then click Next. The following
screen will appear.

Figure 4 Destination Folder Selection

9. Either accept the directory shown and click Next, or select a new directory
using the Change button, then click Next. The following screen will appear.

Figure 5 Install Screen

4

10. If all is in order, click the Install button to install the software. When the
installation is complete, the following screen will appear.

Figure 6 Completion Screen

11. If the “Show the readme file” box is checked, the ReadMe file displayed in
Figure 3 above will be opened for reading again, if necessary. Uncheck the
box to skip reading the file again. Click on Finish to complete the installation.

5

Software Setup

Configuring the Controllers

1. Use the keys on the faceplate of each Protocol Plus controller to set these
parameters. Consult Despatch Manual E98 for information on this process.

2. On each of the controllers, the following parameters must be defined in order
for the new control software to communicate with the controllers. Normal
conditions use the settings listed in parentheses in the Communication
Page in the Setup Mode of the controller.

• Address (1 - 247) - A unique address must be assigned to each controller.

Make certain that controller addresses are known when setting up the
software.

• NOTE that each of the multiple controllers must have a different address.

• Communication mode (MUST be Modbus)

• Baud rate (19.2 K)

• Parity (none)

6

Startup and Login

1. Start the application by clicking the Windows taskbar's Start button, then
clicking Programs from the menu that appears, then clicking the Protocol
Manager option from the list that appears.

a. NOTE: The very first time this is done, a prompt may appear that there is

no setup information yet, and that the password is despatch.

2. From the main screen that appears, select Login from the pulldown menu (or
double-click where it says (logged out) to log in. Note that an Operator ID
must be typed in, to log into the software. Type despatch into the Password
space. See Figure 7. NOTE that the Operator ID can be up to 16 characters
long.

Figure 7 ID and Password Entry

When login is successful, the User ID will appear in the upper left corner of the
screen. NOTE that different operator levels have different colors behind the User
ID: Level 2 is black, Level 3 is green, and Level 4 is red. See Figure 8.

7

Figure 8 User ID After Login

8

Setup

1. At this point the system must be set up. Move the cursor to the top of the
screen and click on the Window prompt to reach the Setup pulldown. See
Figure 9.

Figure 9 Setup Pulldown

2. Click on the Setup prompt, and the Software Setup window will pop up. See
Figure 10.

Figure 10 Software Setup Window

9

Comm Setup

The first tab on the left is the Comm Setup tab. Use the cursor to make selections to
allow the computer and Protocol Plus controllers to communicate.

Figure 11 Protocol Manager Setup: Comm Setup Tab

1. Port Selection

• COM 1

• COM 2

• COM 3

• COM 4

Select the communication port that matches your host computer hardware.

2. Baud Rate

• 2400

• 4800

• 9600

• 19.2 K

• 38.4 K

10

Select the baud rate that corresponds to the rate programmed into the Protocol Plus
controller(s). 38.4 K provides fastest communication. If the controller(s) will not go
on line, try a lower speed.

3. Parity Option

• None

• Odd

• Even

Select the parity that corresponds to that which is programmed into the Protocol
Plus controller(s).

4. Use Long Timeout Delay checkbox

The software uses a timer to check Protocol controller response time. The software
calculates acceptable response time - especially critical when using multiple
controllers. If an unexpected communication failure occurs, checking this box will
increase the communication timeout period. NOTE: For normal operation, leave this
box unchecked: don't check this box unless a communication failure occurs.

5. Press the Accept button to save the selected parameters. Press the Restore
button to return to the previously saved parameters.

NOTE that changes will not take effect until the Accept button is pressed.

6. Click on the OK button to save settings.

11

Network Setup

1. The second tab from the left on the Software Setup window is the Network
tab. Select this tab to add controllers to the system. See Figure 12. Note that
if all the buttons are not active, click on the space below the Name to activate
the insert button.

Figure 12 Protocol Manager Setup: Network Tab

2. Use this screen to add as many controllers as are connected to the host PC.
Click on the first blank line to select it, then click the Insert button and press it
to add a new controller to the software. The Controller Setup window will
pop up. See Figure 13.

Figure 13 Controller Setup Window

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Name Field: Designate and type in the name of the oven or controller, up to 24
characters long, maximum.

Address Field: Type the address or move the slide bar of the Address field to
enter the address of the controller. (This field must correspond with the address
programmed into the controller on the Communication Page; see Manual E-98
for directions.) Values 1 through 247 are accepted.

Password Field: Type the password or move the slide bar of the Password
field to enter the password Level 2 of the controller. (This field must correspond
with the Level 2 password programmed into the controller on the Enable Page;
see Manual E-98 for directions.) Values from 1 to 1000 are accepted. Default is

2.
Enable Communication Checkbox: Use the cursor to check this box to add it

to the list of controllers working under the software. If the status for the controller
shows DISABLED in the Status column of the Network tab of the Software
Setup window (see Figure 12), this box must be rechecked.

A controller can be disabled by leaving this box unchecked. Communication will
not be attempted with disabled controllers, which may be desirable if an oven is
shut off (not used) for a long period of time.

3. When the chosen parameters have been entered, press the Set button on
the popup. A question box will pop up (see Figure 14).

Figure 14 Controller Question Popup

4. Click Yes to add the controller to the network.

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