WLS27 

Pro Process Data Function 
5/31/2019 

 
This document covers the installation and use of a function for Siemen’s TIA Portal software package. This 
function handles cyclic IO‐Link Process Data Out to a Banner WLS27 Pro light via an IO‐Link Master from a 
Siemens PLC. The function covers parsing and display of the WLS27 Pro sensor Process Data Out. 
 
Components NOTE: The WLS27 Pro, depending
on length, can draw more current
Banner IO‐Link Library.zal14 than a typical IO‐Link Master can
provide. A splitter arrangement
may be necessary, where the light
Installation Instructions is powered from a different source.

1. Open a project.
2. Go to Options > Global Libraries > Retrieve Library.

3. Select the Banner IO‐Link Library. Click Open.

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4. The Banner IO‐Link Library will now be in the Global Library
List. Expand the Master copies section. The WLS27 Pro folder
contains elements for both Process Data and Parameter Data
connections to a WLS27 Pro device. As Process Data is the
focus of this paper, we will concern ourselves with these
items: Banner_WLS27Pro_CC, Banner_WLS27Pro_oRaw,
Banner_WLS27Pro_PD, Banner_WLS27Pro_PD_Seg, and
Banner_WLS27Pro_PDO.

5. Drag Banner_WLS27Pro_PD to the Program Blocks area under
your PLC.

6. Drag the other four items listed above to the PLC Data Types
area under your PLC.









7. Go to Devices and networks to configure the system as necessary. Below is an example of
what a configuration might look like. This example shows 5 different IO‐Link Masters
connected to the same PLC.

8. Click on the relevant device and configure the IO‐Link Master as necessary. Refer to the
documentation for the IO‐Link Master. Recall that a WLS27 Pro requires 32 bytes of space for
the Process Data.

9. Record the “Q” address where this WLS27 Pro Process Data is to be stored, as the address
will be required in the next step. In this example, 32 bytes of Process Data Out for port 1 on
the IO‐Link Master will be stored in addresses starting at Q64.
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10. Go to PLC Tags. Add a new tag table, then create a new tag to represent the raw Process Data
Out to be sent to the IO‐Link Master. In this example, Tag table_1 was created, then the tag
“WLS27 Pro IOLM5 01 PD” was created using a Data Type of “Banner_WLS27Pro_oRaw”. This
naming convention calls out the type of sensor in question as well as the specific IO‐Link
Master and port number where the sensor is connected. A different IO‐Link Master might be
named IOLM1 or IOLM2, for instance, and other specific sensors may be connected to
different port numbers. The “Q” address found in step 9 is tied to this new tag.

11. Go to Program blocks. Add a new Data block if necesary. In this example the new data block is
named “Banner IO‐Link Data”.

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12. In the new data block, create a new tag to represent the parsed Process Data In for our
WLS27 Pro. The tag name again calls out the type of sensor, the IO‐Link Master, and the port
number. Use the data type “Banner_WLS27Pro_PDO” for the new tag.

Add the “Banner_WLS27_Pro_PD” function to an OB ladder. Link the “ProcessData” to the raw
Process Data variable from step 10. Link “WLS27Pro PDO” to the parsed Process Data
variable from step 12.

The last variable, “Operating Mode”, allows the function to correctly interpret the Process
Data Out. In the case of the WLS27 Pro, there are seven user‐selected modes for the Process
Data Out. This function needs to know what choice has been made in the WLS27 Pro for this
Operating Mode variable.

There are two ways to achieve this goal. We can simply type in the correct number for
Operating Mode (see Fig. 1), or we can link this WLS27 Pro Process Data Function to the
WLS27 Pro Parameter Data Function Block (see Fig. 2). See Appendix A for more information
about WLS27 Pro Process Data Out.

Figure 1: Hand type correct number for Operating Mode

NOTE: if you type in the incorrect number (i.e. it does not match the light’s current Operating
Mode configuration) you will get incorrectly displayed Process Data Out information.

Operating Mode: the options here are “0” (Segment Mode), “1” (Run Mode), “2” (Level Mode),
and “3” (Variable Color Mode), “4” (Position Mode), “5” (LED Mode), “6” (Demo Mode). The
default is “0”.

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Figure 2: Linking Operating Mode variable to WLS27 Pro Parameter Data Function Block

13. Process Data setup is complete.


14. Compile and download the configuration to the PLC, then go online. Open the “Banner IO‐
Link Data” data block and click Monitor all. You should see parsed WLS27 Pro Process Data
Out, like that shown below. This example shows Mode 0 (Segment Mode).

 
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Appendix A      WLS27 Pro Process Data Out 

The WLS27 Pro has 32 bytes of Process Data Out, mapped into 7 different modes, as shown below.

This Process Data is mapped to a specific group of PROFINET addresses. The 256‐bits of Process Data
actually encode many separate pieces of information, as shown below.

This function intelligently parses this Process Data into its component pieces.


First is the Segment mode (mode 0). This controls the basic on/off/flash/animation state of each segment.

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Here is the information for Run mode (mode 1).

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Here is Level mode (mode 2).

Here is Variable Color mode (mode 3).

Here is Position mode (mode 4).

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Here is a small portion of the data included in LED mode (mode 5). This mode allows the user full control
over every LED in the WLS27.

Demo mode (mode 6), has no defined Process Data Out.