Accurately diagnosing faults and alarms as quickly and specifically as possible help achieve optimal performance and helps avoid mechanical failures. When the integrity of your automation system is monitored inefficiently it impacts all the components and can negatively influence performance and alter cost efficiency for overall building operation. Whether you are a project engineer, commissioning engineer, machine operator, or service/maintenance personnel, adopting fault detection in building management is a key strategy to cut costs, save energy, and better use resources.

Understanding Siemens diagnostics

We will be covering Siemens alarms and messages from the NC area, HMI, and SINAMICS. This article will aid in three areas.

· Assess special machine operation situations.

· Ascertain the reaction of the system.

· Use applicable possibilities for continued operation.

Alarms and faults and two different signals, but they are more complementary than adversarial. An alarm brings notice to the building automation system when the critical status is reached within the system. It does not alter the performance but allows the operator to know when a specific threshold has been breached. A boiler exceeding the max temperature is an example of a unique variable changing triggering an alarm. This alerts the operator that something is not right while all the components continue to operate as usual. Putting the operator in the defensive is not most advantageous.

Faults are system detections that are intended to prevent these situations. How do they do this? Faults connect to the building automation system and data points allowing them to identify faulty equipment or mechanical failure. Before an alarm is triggered, the fault allows the operator to be proactive, effectively handling disturbances within the complex system.

Armed with this knowledge, let’s delve into evaluating errors and fault indications to better learn how to respond. We will look at various diagnostic options and diagnostic tools available.

The structure of the NC, HMI, drive and I/O alarms are all the same. Each alarm is uniquely identified. Identification is unique using an alarm number and an alarm text. The alarm description is administered in one of four categories: Explanation, Response, Corrective, Program continuation.

The SINAMIC alarms are detected by the individual components within the drive system. These are categorized as faults and alarms. The alarms are identified by alarm number and alarm text with an optional location data display.

NC ALARMS

1030 System error in the link module

An internal error has occurred in the software of the link module. Two parameters are output with this error for debugging purposes.

1031 Link module generated an unspecified error

– 1. If NCU== 0 -> A parameter not equal to zero was not found – 2. If NCU not equal to zero -> An error which the NC was not able to interpret in the connection to this NCU.

2000 PLC sign-of-life monitoring

The PLC must give a sign of life within a defined time, or the alarm is triggered.

2001 PLC has not started up

The PLC must give at least 1 sign of life within a time

2100 NCK battery warning threshold reached

The Undervoltage monitor of the NCK battery has reached the prewarning threshold.

2101 NCK battery alarm

The Undervoltage monitoring of the NCK battery has responded during cyclic operation.

2102 NCK battery alarm

The Undervoltage monitoring of the NCK battery was detected during system power-up.

2110 NCK temperature alarm

The temperature sensor has reached the response threshold.

2120 NCK fan alarm type %1

The fan speed monitoring at the NC module has responded.

2130 5V/24V encoder or 15V D/A converter undervoltage

A failure has occurred in the power supply to the encoder (5V/24V) or D/A converter (+/-15V).

2140 The actual service switch position forces the SRAM to be cleared at the next Power On

The initialization switch is currently set to overall reset. This means that the module’s SRAM is deleted with the next module reset.

2192 No NCU link module exists, MD %1 reset

The initialization switch is currently set to overall reset. This means that the module’s SRAM is deleted with the next module reset. The NC data memory is cleared during this operation.

2192 No NCU link module exists, MD %1 reset

An attempt was made to activate the NCU link functionality but the hardware is not available.

3000 Emergency stop

The EMERGENCY STOP request is applied to the NCK/PLC interface DB10 DBX56.1

4010 Invalid identifier used in machine data %1[%2]

When determining a name in the NCK tables (arrays) for machine axes, Euler angles, direction vectors, normal vectors, interpolation parameters, and intermediate point coordinates, one of the following syntax rules for the identifier to be entered has been violated.

4024 Invalid axis configuration due to missing axis container machine data

The axis configuration could not be generated due to missing axis container machine data. This error can only occur as a result of a communication error. The communication failure will be indicated separately by further alarms.

Cycle Alarms

61000 No tool offset active

61001 Thread pitch incorrectly defined-correction must be programmed before the cycle call.

Check parameter for the thread size or setting for the pitch

61003 No feed programmed in cycle

Modify feed parameter

61004 Incorrect configuration of geometry axes

Clear alarm with the RESET key. Restart part program

61006 Tool radius too large

Select a smaller tool.

61007 Tool radius too small

Select a larger tool.

61010 Finishing allowance too large

The finishing allowance for the base is greater than the total depth.

61012 Different scaling in planes

Clear alarm with the RESET key. Restart part program

61013 Basic settings were changed, the program cannot be executed.

The basic settings are not compatible with the generated program.

61015 Contour is not defined

Clear alarm with the RESET key. Restart part program

61017 Function %4 not present in NCK

Clear alarm with the RESET key. Restart part program.

61019 Parameter %4 incorrectly defined

Parameter (S_MVAR: dec4) defined incorrectly The value of the 4th decimal place (dec4 -> THOUSANDS digit) of the transfer parameter S_MVAR is defined incorrectly.

HMI alarms

120200 Image preparation suppressed. Wait.

The control is so heavily loaded by the processing of a subroutine, that it cannot keep all the display values up-to-date.

120400 The settings for the acyclic links with the drive devices are not yet effective.

A file transfer from/to a drive device has failed as the settings for acyclic links with the drive devices become effective only after an HMI reboot.

120401 SINAMICS: Write job for parameter %1, value %2, area %3: %4s timeout!

As long as the timeout specified in the alarm is less than 130 seconds, acknowledge the alarm, otherwise, switch off/on control, drive system, and HMI, and then repeat the process leading to the alarm.

120402 First commissioning of SINAMICS required!

Execute first commissioning for the affected drive device.

120403 Check/acknowledge topology!

The drive device with the bus number and slave address specified in the alarm has detected an illegal difference between target topology and actual topology during the ramp-up when checking the DRIVE-CLiQ topology.

120404 Setting up acyclic link %1 failed. %nSwitch off/on control, drives, and HMI

Setting up an acyclic link with a drive device for file transfer from/to this drive device has failed. The file could not be transferred from/to this drive device.

120405 SINAMICS: Firmware update for DRIVE-CLiQ components is running.%nPlease wait for the firmware update to be completed!

The firmware update is being executed for at least one DRIVE-CLiQ component.

120406 SINAMICS: Firmware update of DRIVE-CLiQ components completed.%nSwitch off/on drive system!

Switch off/on drive system including all DRIVE-CLiQ components.

120407 SINAMICS: Read job for parameter %1, area %2: %3 s timeout!

It is taking too long to read a SINAMICS parameter. This can slow down the operation of a connected HMI significantly

SINAMICS alarms

201000 Internal software error

– evaluate fault buffer (r0945). – carry out a POWER ON (power off/on) for all components. – if required, check the data on the non-volatile memory (e.g. memory card). – upgrade firmware to a later version. – contact the Hotline. – replace the Control Unit.

201001 FloatingPoint exception

– carry out a POWER ON (power off/on) for all components. – check the configuration and signals of the blocks in FBLOCKS. – check configuration and signals of DCC charts. – upgrade firmware to a later version.

201002 Internal software error

– carry out a POWER ON (power off/on) for all components. – upgrade firmware to a later version.

201003 Acknowledgement delay when accessing the memory

– carry out a POWER ON (power off/on) for all components.

201004 Internal software error

– read out diagnostics parameter (r9999).

201005 Firmware download for DRIVE-CLiQ component unsuccessful

– check the selected component number. – check the DRIVE-CLiQ wiring. – save suitable firmware file for download in the directory “/siemens/sinamics/code/sac/”. – use a component with a suitable hardware version

201006 Firmware update for DRIVE-CLiQ component required

The firmware of a DRIVE-CLiQ component must be updated as there is no suitable firmware or firmware version in the component for operation with the Control Unit.

201007 POWER ON for DRIVE-CLiQ component required

– Switch off the power supply of the specified DRIVE-CLiQ component and switch it on again. – For SINUMERIK, auto commissioning is prevented. In this case, a POWER ON is required for all components and the auto commissioning must be restarted.

201009 CU: Control module overtemperature

– check the air intake for the Control Unit. – check the Control Unit fan.

201010 Drive type unknown

– replace Power Module. – carry out a POWER ON (power off/on) for all components. – upgrade firmware to a later version.

201011 Download interrupted

– check the communication cable. – download the project again. – boot from previously saved files (power-down/power-up or p0976). – when loading into the file system (download from memory card), use the matching version.

201012 Project conversion error

Check the parameter indicated in the fault value and correctly adjust it accordingly.

201013 CU: Fan operating time reached or exceeded

Replace the fan in the Control Unit and reset the operating hours counter to 0 (p3961 = 0).

Drive and I/O alarms

300402 System error in drive link. Error codes %1, %2

An internal software error or serious error condition has occurred, which could be rectified by a hardware reset.

300406 Problem in the non-cyclic communication for basic address %1, additional information %2, %3, %4

A problem occurred during the non-cyclic communication with the logical start address. The additional information defines the location of the problem. If the logical start address 0 is output, only the additional information is relevant.

300410 Axis %1 drive %2 error when storing a file (%3, %4)

An attempt to save a data block, e. g. the result of a measuring function, in the file system has failed.

300412 Error when storing a file (%1, %2)

An attempt to save a data block, e.g. the result of a measuring function, in the file system has failed.

300423 Measuring result could not be read (%1)

An attempt to read a measurement result has failed.

380001 PROFIBUS/PROFINET: Startup error, reason %1 parameter %2 %3 %4.

An error occurred during the startup of the PROFIBUS/PROFINET master.

380003 PROFIBUS/PROFINET: Operating error, reason %1 parameter %2 %3 %4.

An operating error occurred on the PROFIBUS/PROFINET in a cyclic mode.

380005 PROFIBUS/PROFINET: Bus %3 access conflict, type %1, counter %2

An access conflict occurred on the PROFIBUS/PROFINET in a cyclic mode. An attempt has been made in the NCK to write data to the bus or to read from the bus while cyclic data transfer was active which may lead to inconsistent data.

For technical support with alarm messaging, you can contact MRO Electric here.