Sterlco M2B+ Controller User Manual
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SPI Protocol
The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) communication protocol specifies a connection 
management Protocol, a packetized communication format, and communication error 
mechanisms passing commands and data between a host computer and a slave. A host 
computer initiates all communications. The protocol used corresponds to the 3.01 version of 
the SPI communication protocol specification dated October 1990. The data is transmitted via 
a multi-drop EIA485 (half-duplex) hookup. The controller will support a number of commands 
that will allow the host computer to retrieve status and assign setpoints. The commands 
correspond to a mold temperature controller device. 
Commands Descriptions
(20H)
Echo poll-Controller integrity command. Return the 4 bytes of ASCII assigned
by the Echo Select command in an open format.
(21H)
Echo Select -Controller integrity command. Supplies 4 bytes of ASCII in an open
format that is to be returned when an Echo Poll command is received.
(22H)
Version poll-Returns a version number (MBB =0101) as 4 bytes of ASCII in an
open format where: AA = SPI assigned version level, BB = Vendor assigned 
version level 
(30H) Setpoint poll - Returns the current process setpoint value in numeric format.
(31H) Setpoint select -Assigns a value to the process setpoint in numeric format.
(32H) Alarm, high temperature deviation poll -Return the high temperature deviation
setpoint value in numeric format. This value when added to the process setpoint 
gives the temperature at which a high alarm will occur. 
(33H)
Alarm, high temperature deviation select -Assigns a value to the high
temperature deviation setpoint in numeric format.
(34H)
Alarm, low temperature deviation poll -Returns the low temperature deviation 
setpoint value in numeric format. This value when subtracted from the process 
setpoint gives the temperature at which a low alarm will occur. 
(40H)
Status process poll -Returns the status of the process as 16 flag bits in open
format. The following bits are supported. The rest are set to 0.
Bit 0 - Processing 
Bit 1 -Alarm, System 
Bit 2 -Alarm, Process 
Bit 3 -Alarm, Machine 
Bit 4 -Alarm, High Temperature 
Bit 5 -Alarm, Low Temperature 
Bit 7 -Alarm, Low Pressure 
Bit 9- Alarm, Low Flow 
(42H)
Status, machine 1 poll - Returns the status of the machine as 16 flag bits in open
format. The following bits are supported. The rest are set to 0.
Bit 0 - Processing 
Bit 1 -Alarm, System 
Bit 2 -Alarm, Process 
Bit 3 -Alarm, Machine 
Bit 4 -Alarm, High Temperature 
