Do-more BRX PLC has now added the ability to be an EtherNet/IP adapter. Now you can
integrate this affordable control system with your ControlLogix or CompactLogix systems,
allowing you to easily share data between the two control systems
or even better replace your expensive EtherNet/IP Distributed Field I/O with the BRX PLC.
An EtherNet/IP Scanner might be thought of as a Client or Master device.
It is the Originator (or initiator) for the exchange of data. An EtherNet/IP Adapter might
be thought of as a Server or Slave device. It is the Target device for the Scanner. So,
in this example, the BRX would be the Target for the Compact or ControlLogix Originator.
In this implicit Ethernet/IP communication between the BRX Target and the ControlLogix Originator,
the data is handled by passing information in 2 data blocks. The Input data block and the
Output data block. The Input data is what the Originator receives from the target.
The data flow direction is from the Target to the Originator, or T to O.
Then there is the Output data block. That is what is being written
to the Target. The data flow direction is from the Originator to the Target, or O to T.
To set up this EtherNet/IP communication between the BRX PLC, we must first enable the EtherNet/IP
adapter in BRX. To do this have your BRX project open, open your system configuration,
select the CPU configuration, Select this checkbox and then select here to start the configuration.
Here you can have up to 4 separate I/O adapters.
Each has the option for an input block and an output block.
There are occasions where you may want to only read from the BRX,
so you may only enable the Input block. Typically, you will want a 2-way communication.
First, I will enable the Input block. Here, you can enable Reads and Writes
for explicit EIP communication and here you enable this block to be an input word, or as
we discussed earlier a Target to Originator. Here we define the data, in the BRX, that will
be mapped to this Input block. You can define the data to be data registers in the BRX or even use a
heap item in BRX. When selecting your addressing make sure to follow the rules mentioned here.
For this example, I am just going to use the default addressing to simplify things.
Now to enable the output block, or Originator to Target, check this box. Like before,
here you can enable reads and writes for explicit communication. Here you define this block as an
output block. Here you can determine how this data is handled if there is a loss of network
connection. And like before, here you define the data that is mapped to this output word.
Now that you have this setup. You can select here to export the EDS file that you will use to import
this setup into your Controllogix Controller. This will make the setup much easier.
Once you have this saved, back out of this configuration
and send this project to your BRX PLC.
Open up your RS5000 project, go to Tools, select the EDS file tool. This will bring up a wizard
that will validate our EDS file. Hit next, Select to Register an EDS file.
Hit next. Now, browse to the EDS file we created and in the BRX software.
Hit next. This screen will let you know that the EDS verified correctly. Select next.
Hit next. Select next and then hit finish. Now your EDS file is registered to your RS5000
software. Now we need to add the device to the PLC network.
Click here on Ethernet network and select Add new Module. This new device will start with
the part number BX. Use that to search, it will make it a little bit quicker
on you. Right here is the device we added. Give this
new module a name and realize that this name will become the prefix for all your tags.
Now you will need to enter the IP Address of the BRX PLC, hit Change here and select this.
This provides your Implicit EtherNet/IP communication. Select OK.
And now you can see your BRX PLC in your ethernet network.
Nice, quick, and clean setup. With the BRX PLC, you can truly Do-more.
If you have any questions on this setup, please feel free to comment below or call into our Free
Technical Support Department. Select here to see more videos on the BRX platform and make
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