How do I set up/connect to a Network Time Server?

jacobgk2

I am looking to set up my ABB IRB 120 with IRC5 controller cabinet to a network time for time synchronization purposes. I have a Windows PC hooked up to the IRC5 via the yellow X2 service port. I have tried inputting the various IPv4 and IPv6 addresses listed in my Windows PC settings into the network server IP address box on the FlexPendant and have so far had no luck getting the controller to connect to a network (the connection keeps timing out). I have not yet found any helpful information in the technical reference manuals. That being said, I have a few questions:

1. Is there something I need to set up on the Windows side first before I can hook up the controller to a network time?

2. Would the process of setting up the network time and connecting the controller to the network time be similar if connecting to a Linux PC?

3. When I do get the system connected to a network time, if the connection between the controller cabinet and the PC were to become disconnected, would the controller continue with that time using its own clock or would it revert back to previously used settings (i.e., the manual time set before connecting to the network time)?

SomeTekk

RW 5.XX or 6.XX ?

jacobgk2

SomeTekk said:

RW 5.XX or 6.XX ?

Currently using RW 6.XX

SomeTekk

I have had little contact with RW 6.XX in the past few years so there may be some inadvertently incorrect guidance in this reply.

With RobotStudio (RS) if you right click on your controller and select properties one of your choices should be Date and Time. You should be able to set your NTP server's IP and sync them up.



The clock continues working until it's changed, however the robot control is not an atomic clock so don't expect faultless time keeping.

If you have the licensed version of RS you can run a job to set the time. Further, you can use Task Scheduler in Windows to run the job on a fixed schedule to update the clock as you wish. Look up Jobs in RS for details. *Warning*: The scripting instructions are wrong. A good IT-type helped me figure out what the script really needs to be to work.

jacobgk2

SomeTekk said:

With RobotStudio (RS) if you right click on your controller and select properties one of your choices should be Date and Time. You should be able to set your NTP server's IP and sync them up.

I found this settings menu on the FlexPendant. My issue is more the setup of an NTP server on an external device (more specifically, a Windows or Linux PC).

jacobgk2

I have attempted to connect to a number of different public NTP servers, but when I go to test the time server, there is a short delay and then the following message: "Time server test failed with error 'SYS_CTRL_E_FAIL'".

SomeTekk

There is a limited explanation for use of a time server in the IRC5 Integrators Guide:

jacobgk2

SomeTekk said:

There is a limited explanation for use of a time server in the IRC5 Integrators Guide:

Do you happen to know if there is a way to edit this file? I have tried finding the directory to this file in RobotStudio but have had no luck so far. I assume this file is populated with changes made in the FlexPendant settings.

SomeTekk

Sorry for the delay AND for the fact I do not have an answer for you.

My best suggestion at this time is try the Integrator's Guide AND your local ABB Support team.

jacobgk2

I figured it out!

Turns out my system was not configured to a public network so I went into the network settings in RobotStudio and set that up on my controller and then the network time connection worked as one would expect.

SomeTekk

jacobgk2 said:

I figured it out! — Well done.

Turns out my system was not configured to a public network so I went into the network settings in RobotStudio and set that up on my controller and then the network time connection worked as one would expect.