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Disclaimer: This document is written in the hope that you can utilize for your own education to gain knowledge of PLC systems (should you decide to utilize this document). Although I believe the information in this document to be accurate, it is YOUR responsibility to verify this information before implementing it in any way, especially when damage to personnel or equipment could result. By continuing to read this document, you agree to hold no one who writes, modifies, or distributes this document liable in any way (even negligence). Due to the wide variety of plant applications, some of the examples in this document may be prohibited at your location, or could cause damage to equipment, or harm personnel.
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Testing Hookup and Tuning the system


Now that the project has been configured for an axis in RSLogix 5000, you are ready to test the drive's hookup and automatically tune certain parameters of the drive.


  1. The first thing we need to do is download your project to the controller. This can be done through various communication methods such as a serial cable or an ethernet connection. For this example, we will download over ethernet.



  2. From your RSLogix 5000 project, click Communications | Who Active



  3. Drill through the Ethernet Driver, trough the ethernet module, across the backplane, and highlight the processor (usually in slot 0). Then click the download button.


  4. You will get a warning. Be sure to read the warning, then press Download again.


  5. After downloading, change the controller back to run mode:


  6. Ensure there are no faults in your I/O Configuration. If you have faults, right click on the first module generating the fault, and choose properties. The connection tab should display fault information about the module.

  7. Next, let's test the hookup of the module. Double click the axis you created earlier. It can be found under the motion group in the Controller Organizer window.






  1. Click the Hookup tab of the axis configuration properties screen. We will do a test move of .1 mm.

  2. Read the warning on the Hookup tab:


  3. Click 'Test Marker' on th hookup tab of the Axis properties window.


  4. You will get a message that pending edits must be saved to continue. Click Yes.


  5. You must now move the encoder through a range sufficient enough to find the mark.


  6. When the command is complete, press OK.



  7. Next, click 'Test Feedback'


  8. The command should now be executing. Move the axis through the distance specified in the positive direction. (10 revolutions)

  9. When the command is complte, press the OK button.The command should have completed successfully.






  10. In this next action, you will see the servo drive control the motor for the first time. Choose 'Test Command and Feedback.


  11. A warning will ask if you want to execute the command. Choose Yes.

  12. Motion will begin. Since one revolution is 2000 counts, and we stated that one mm is equal to 200000 counts, and we stated that we want to travel .1 mm on the test, the motor should turn 10 revolutions at a slow speed.


  13. When the command is complete, press the OK button.



  14. You are asked if the axis turned in the positive direction. Choose Yes if if the motor rotated clockwise. For this course, we will define clockwise as the positive direction.



  15. Press OK, and you should get a message that the command completed successfully.


  16. The hookup test is finished. Now we will initially tune the system so RSLogix can set up some parameters such as proportional and integral gain for proper operation of the system. Click the Tune tab of the axis properties window.Enter the travel limit of 1 mm and the speed of .75 mm/s In the tuning frame at the bottom of the properties window, you can select some optional parameters to tune during the duning process.


  17. Click 'Start Tuning' This will cause motion for a short period of time, however many calculations have been done from this move. If you look at other tabs such as gains and dynamics, you will see that values have been populated in several fields that were calculated by the tuning process.

  18. You will have various dialog windows appear that you must be acknowledged to finishe the tune test. Acknowledge the dialog windows, then the automatic tuning process will be complete.