Tips & practical notes

Tips and practical notes for operating the ODAC Connector.

This page collects tips and practical notes for operating the ODAC Connector with Zumbach ODAC measuring heads. It explains common observations and how best to handle them.

Variable naming differs by protocol

Symptom

After Variable Discovery, the variables carry cryptic numeric codes (e.g. a925) and are hard to map to the measured values you are looking for.

Cause

An ODAC measuring head can communicate via two protocols: the native ODAC protocol and the ANSI Host protocol. The variable set is identical in both protocols. It depends solely on the capabilities of the device. A measuring head with two measuring positions, for example, leaves the variables for positions 3 and 4 empty regardless of the protocol.

Only the naming of the variables differs:

• In the native ODAC protocol, all variables carry systematic two-letter codes (e.g. DL or UG) and can be identified directly.

• In the ANSI Host protocol, the variables are encoded purely numerically (e.g. a925). There is no consistent scheme, so the values are hard to identify.

ENLYZE detects the active protocol automatically when the connection is established.

Resolution options

• The codes listed under commonly recorded measured values refer to the ODAC protocol.

• If the variables appear with numeric codes, the measuring head is running in the ANSI Host protocol. So that the variables are named systematically and easier to map, ENLYZE can switch the device to the ODAC protocol. Switching the protocol is a persistent write. It is port-specific and therefore only affects the connection to the Edge Device, not other devices or HMIs on the measuring head. The switch is done in coordination with ENLYZE. Contact us at [email protected].

During normal operation, the ODAC Connector only reads measured values and does not change the configuration of the measuring head.

Measured values are only valid with a product in the measuring field

Symptom

The recorded diameter shows implausible values (e.g. 0 or an error code), even though the connection is established.

Cause

An ODAC measures the product in its measuring field without contact. If no product is in the measuring field (e.g. when the line is stopped or during threading), the device cannot provide a valid diameter and instead reports an error code or a value outside the measuring range.

Resolution options

• This behavior is expected and not a connection error. As soon as a product is back in the measuring field, the measuring head provides valid values again.

• The EB variable (error code) can be recorded alongside to make such phases traceable afterward.