GM10 Support
Table of contents
- Overview
- Channel Descriptions
- Setting Up the Unit
- Operation
- Driver Initialization
- gm10_probe Utility
- Database Loading
- Display Files
- EPICS Databases
- Records
- Commands
Overview
This module provides support for the Yokogawa GM10 Digital Acquisition System. The GM10 communicates over Ethernet using a proprietary TCP protocol and has a modular design that allows mixing DAC, ADC, relay, TTL, and other I/O modules.
The driver is written for Linux IOCs where dynamic memory allocation is not a problem. Other platforms may work but are not tested. The /E1 Ethernet option is mandatory. The /MT math option is highly recommended and the /MC communication input option is recommended as it allows the GM10 to connect to Modbus devices.
The amount of available channels for certain channel types depends on the memory option (GM10-1 or GM10-2). Support for chaining expansion units is not included in this driver.
The GM10 is an industrial device primarily used for monitoring, so its design is not optimized for high-performance operation. The system supports reading Modbus channels over serial and network, performing calculations on measurements, setting alarms, logging data, and controlling relays. This driver exposes a subset of the full device functionality. The GM10 can be simultaneously controlled by vendor software or its built-in web server, as it supports multiple simultaneous and independent connections.
The support has been tested with the following modules: GX90XA-10-U2, GX90YA-04-C1, and GX90WD-0806-01. All modules are supported except the PID module GX90UT-02-11.
Channel Descriptions
As chaining expansion units is not supported, the GM10 has a measurement channel address space of 0001-0999, supporting up to 100 channels. The /MT math option adds either 100 or 200 computation channels: A001-A100 for GM10-1 and A001-A200 for GM10-2. The /MC communications option adds either 300 or 500 communication input channels: C001-C300 for GM10-1 and C001-C500 for GM10-2. There are 100 channels for constants (K001-K100) and 100 channels for variable constants (W001-W100).
The module bus can have up to 10 modules on it. Each of the possible ten modules has an address slice like 0X01-0X99 (where X is 0 to 9). The modules are numbered, starting at 0, in the order they are attached to the GM10 module.
Setting Up the Unit
Due to the complexity of the GM10, the configuration of the unit currently needs to be done through its web interface. This includes not only service configuration, but also channel configuration.
Configuration must be done while the “Recording” and “Computing” modes are disabled. Measuring the channels does not stop configuration. The modes can be toggled from EPICS or through the native web server.
Upon getting the unit, get it on your network as described in the manual. Plug your modules into the module bus, noting that each module location to the left of the main module has an address starting at 0, and the address increases as you go left.
Operation
Once the unit is configured and running on the network, the EPICS support in this module constantly reads data and computes calculations when math is enabled.
The default way measurements are done is that there is a record that triggers reading all of the channel values on the device: input, output, math, and communication. By default, the records use a time value in their SCAN fields to periodically poll values and put them into a cache. The records for channel values are set to I/O Intr, which allows them to be updated by an interrupt call.
If a measurement record is decoupled from the master poll rates by setting its SCAN field to a time value, the measurement data associated with that record will be retrieved with all the associated information (status and alarms) put into the cache, and the new value will be returned. However, the associated status and alarm records for the measurement will return cached values only. This means that to read an independent channel is to read the measurement value, then forward link to all the associated records to grab the cached values from that read. A similar polling record is used for reading the constants and variable constants.
The calculations (which need to be defined through the web interface) allow the transformation of measurements with the communication input values and predefined constants. The calculation channels allow for expression strings of 120 characters.
When an error happens, the error string is displayed, split into three 40-character string records. The error can be cleared, which also clears it from the unit’s LED display.
Modules
The GX90XA analog input modules are of the typical voltage/current measuring type. They have many configuration options, such as being configured as a thermocouple reader, giving a result through EPICS as a temperature value and units.
The GX90YA analog output modules are only directly controlled by EPICS if they are put into manual mode. If a channel is put into retransmit mode, it is controlled by other GM10 channels, although the value can still be read by EPICS. These channels do not provide a voltage, but either a 0-20 mA or 4-20 mA current. To provide a voltage, use a resistor of known resistance and use the voltage that occurs across the resistor for a given current.
The GX90XD and GX90WD binary digital input modules can be used to sense a circuit closure or a voltage level.
The GX90YD and GX90WD digital output modules act as relays and are typically used in one of two modes: direct control from EPICS (“Manual”) or controlled by a GM10 alarm (“Alarm”).
Driver Initialization
The EPICS driver for the GM10 is loaded using the gm10Init command:
gm10Init(instrument_handle, IP_address)
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| instrument_handle | string | A user-defined string used by records to refer to this GM10 instance. Each GM10 must have a unique handle. |
| IP_address | string | The IP address of the GM10. |
Example:
gm10Init("hdl", "164.54.52.228")
gm10_probe Utility
Included with the module is the gm10_probe utility, built alongside the module. This program queries a connected GM10 and automatically generates a substitutions file (auto_gm10.substitutions) and an autosave request file (auto_gm10.req). The substitutions file can be loaded at boot time or flattened by msi into a database file.
To use it, the following values are needed: the IP address of the instrument; the desired IOC PV prefix (P); the desired IOC PV name (DAU); and the handle that will be given to the driver for this instrument (HANDLE). Run gm10_probe with no arguments to see usage help.
The generated substitutions file will have entries for all hardware channels, as well as 100 each of the constant, variable constant, calculation, and communication channels.
Database Loading
The simplest way to load databases for a populated GM10 is by using the autogenerated substitutions file from gm10_probe.
The substitutions file references database files using a relative path based on the YOKOGAWA_DAS environment variable, which must be set to the top of this module’s installed directory. The synApps distribution sets this automatically, but it can be set manually in the startup script before loading the substitutions file:
epicsEnvSet("YOKOGAWA_DAS", "/my/path/to/YOKOGAWA_DAS")
To load the substitutions file in the startup script:
dbLoadTemplate("auto_gm10.substitutions")
Display Files
Autoconverted .bob display files are included with the module for use with Phoebus. Legacy .adl files for MEDM may also be available.
EPICS Databases
The following database files are provided in yokogawaDasApp/Db/ for use with the GM10. All database files use the macros P (PV prefix), DAU (instrument name), ADDRESS (channel address), and HANDLE (driver handle).
| Database File | Description |
|---|---|
GM10_system.db | System-level records: IP address, module information, errors, alarms, polling triggers, recording mode, and computation control. |
GM10_analog_input_channel.db | Analog input channel (GX90XA modules). |
GM10_analog_output_channel.db | Analog output channel (GX90YA modules) with mode and tweak support. |
GM10_digital_input_channel.db | Digital input channel (GX90XD/GX90WD modules). |
GM10_digital_output_channel.db | Digital output channel (GX90YD/GX90WD modules) with mode support. |
GM10_pulse_input_channel.db | Pulse/counter input channel. |
GM10_calculation_channel.db | Calculation channel with expression and alarm support. |
GM10_communication_channel.db | Communication channel with alarm support. |
GM10_constant_channel.db | Constant channel. |
GM10_varconstant_channel.db | Variable constant channel. |
Records
There are currently 7 record types supported: ai, ao, bi, bo, mbbi, mbbo, and stringin. Record commands determine the record function, and for commands that can refer to multiple items or locations, addressing is used. A few commands also require sub-addressing.
DTYP
When using the supported records with the commands, DTYP must be set to “Yokogawa GM10”.
INP and OUT Format
For each GM10, the handle provided to the driver is used with record device support. The general format of the INP or OUT field is one of the following:
@handle command
@handle command:address
@handle command:address.sub_address
Interrupts
The input records support interrupt scan mode (I/O Intr). There are several interrupts used. The first four interrupts can be indirectly invoked after causing a read with their TRIG commands, although only the first three are typically necessary, as an information read is called when the status read notices a mode change into measurements mode.
| Interrupt | Description |
|---|---|
| Channels | Called after reading all channels. |
| Miscellaneous | Called after reading all constants and variable constants. |
| Status | Called after reading the operational statuses of the GM10. |
| Information | Called after reading GM10 and channel information that cannot be changed during measurement mode. |
| Error | Called after the error state of the GM10 occurs. |
Addresses
The type of address needed depends on the record. The format of the addresses comes directly from the GM10.
| Address Type | Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Module | 0-9 | Module slot position. |
| Hardware channel | 0001-0999 | Each of the ten possible modules uses at most 99 addresses. Module 3 with ten channels uses 0301-0310, etc. |
| Calculation channel | A001-A100 or A001-A200 | Computation channels (depends on memory option). |
| Communication channel | C001-C300 or C001-C500 | Communication input channels (depends on memory option). |
| Constant channel | K001-K100 | Constant channels. |
| Variable constant channel | W001-W100 | Variable constant channels. |
Commands
MODULE_STRING
Shows the module identification string for a location, or “empty” if no module exists. Linked to information interrupt.
- stringin record: Uses module address.
MODULE_PRESENCE
Shows whether a module is at a location. Linked to information interrupt.
- bi record: Uses module address.
- 0 – Not present
- 1 – Present
VAL
Sends or reads a numeric value for a channel. Input records are linked to either the input interrupt (input channels) or the output interrupt (output channels).
This command is associated with several record types:
- bi record: Uses hardware addresses for binary digital input and output modules.
- bo record: Uses hardware addresses for binary digital output modules.
- longin record: Uses hardware addresses for integer digital input modules.
- ai record: Uses hardware addresses for analog input and output modules, as well as calculation, communication, and constant addresses.
- ao record: Uses hardware addresses for analog output modules, as well as calculation, communication, and constant addresses.
VAL_STATUS
Shows any special status for a value read from a channel. Records are linked to either the input interrupt (input channels) or the output interrupt (output channels).
- mbbi record: Uses any hardware, calculation, or communication addresses.
- 0 – Normal
- 1 – Skip
- 2 – Positive Overrange
- 3 – Negative Overrange
- 4 – Positive Burnout
- 5 – Negative Burnout
- 6 – A/D Conversion Error
- 7 – Invalid Data
- 16 – Math Result NAN
- 17 – Communication Error
- 32 – Unknown
ALARMS
Shows the alarms set for an input channel. Records are linked to the channel interrupt.
- mbbi record: Uses any hardware or calculation addresses. Each bit of the 4-bit value corresponds to the status of an alarm, as multiple alarms can occur simultaneously. Bit 0 is the least significant bit.
- bit 0 – Alarm 1
- bit 1 – Alarm 2
- bit 2 – Alarm 3
- bit 3 – Alarm 4
Bit values:
- 0 – Alarm off
- 1 – Alarm on
ALARM
Shows the status for a particular alarm on an input channel. Records are linked to the channel interrupt.
- mbbi record: Uses any hardware, calculation, or communication addresses, with sub-address of 1-4. The possible values for a record are determined by the module and channel mode.
- 0 – No Alarm
- 1 – High Limit
- 2 – Low Limit
- 3 – Differential High Limit
- 4 – Differential Low Limit
- 5 – Rate-of-Change High Limit
- 6 – Rate-of-Change Low Limit
- 7 – Delay High Limit
- 8 – Delay Low Limit
ALARM_FLAG
Shows if an alarm for any channel is set. Linked to channel interrupt.
- bi record: No address used.
ALARM_ACK
Tells the GM10 to acknowledge alarms. This record just needs to be processed to work.
- bo record: No address used.
CH_STATUS
Shows the configuration for a channel. Linked to information interrupt.
- mbbi record: Uses any hardware, calculation, or communication addresses.
- 0 – Skip
- 1 – Normal
- 2 – Differential Input
CH_MODE
Shows the operational mode for a channel, which differs by channel type. Linked to information interrupt.
-
mbbi record: Uses hardware addresses for supported modules.
Analog Output Channel:
- 0 – Skip
- 1 – Retransmit
- 2 – Manual
Digital Output Channel:
- 0 – Alarm
- 1 – Manual
- 2 – Failure
UNIT
Shows the engineering unit string for a channel. Linked to information interrupt.
- stringin record: Uses any hardware, calculation, or communication addresses.
EXPR
Shows the expression used for a calculation channel. Linked to information interrupt.
- stringin record: Uses any calculation addresses.
IP_ADDR
Shows the IP address for the GM10. Linked to information interrupt.
- stringin record: No address used.
SETTINGS
Shows the status of the GM10 settings. Linked to status interrupt.
- bi record: No address used.
- 0 – Frozen
- 1 – Unfrozen
RECORDING_MODE
Shows or sets whether the GM10 is in recording mode. Linked to status interrupt.
- bi record: No address used.
- 0 – Running
- 1 – Stopped
- bo record: No address used.
- 0 – Start
- 1 – Stop
COMPUTE_MODE
Shows whether the GM10 has computations running. Linked to status interrupt.
- bi record: No address used.
- 0 – Running
- 1 – Stopped
COMPUTE_CMD
Sends a command regarding the computational mode of the GM10.
- mbbo record: No address used.
- 0 – Start
- 1 – Stop
- 2 – Reset
- 3 – Clear
CHAN_TRIG
Triggers reading the channel records for the GM10, which then triggers the channel interrupt. This record just needs to be processed to work. Typically the SCAN field is set to a time interval.
- bo record: No address used.
CONST_TRIG
Triggers reading the constant records for the GM10, which then triggers the constant interrupt. This record just needs to be processed to work. Typically the SCAN field is set to a time interval.
- bo record: No address used.
STAT_TRIG
Triggers reading the GM10 status, which then triggers the status interrupt. If an operational mode change to measurements is seen, it causes an information read which then triggers the information interrupt. This record just needs to be processed to work. Typically the SCAN field is set to a time interval.
- bo record: No address used.
INFO_TRIG
Triggers reading the information for channels and the GM10 that cannot be changed during measurement mode. This command does not need to be used if the STAT_TRIG command is called periodically. This record just needs to be processed to work.
- bo record: No address used.
ERROR_FLAG
Shows if an error has happened. Linked to error interrupt.
- bi record: No address used.
ERROR
Retrieves one of the three error strings used to return vendor-supplied error messages (broken into 40-character lengths). Linked to error interrupt.
- stringin record: Uses an address of 1-3.
ERROR_CLEAR
Clears the GM10 error. This record just needs to be processed to work.
- bo record: No address used.