AB remote base

[mlepine 0]

Hi everyone, I'M pretty new with allen bradley and i would like to expend my current I/O rack. I'm presently using a 5/03 PLC. Can somebody help me with that by telling me is the most affordable way. Usely in Siemens i was using a remote base to expand.... I would like to know what i need in hardware and software and if is it possible maybe a tutorial too.... All the help will be greatly appreciated Regards

[Eddie Willers 2]

You can have up to three 1746-series chassis cabled together with a backplane extender. The distance is short (about 3 feet max) but it's easy to do. Get the SLC-500 Modular Hardware Style User Manual. If you need more distance (up to 10,000 feet) you can use a 1747-SN RIO Scanner and 1747-ASB RIO Adapter. Again, the User Manuals (literature.rockwellautomation.com) are the best place to start. How many modules do you need to add, and how far away do they need to be ? Are they analog, digital, or a mixture ?

[paulengr 44]

Once you add that scanner, the world really opens up. Don't limit yourself to rack I/O. You could use FlexIO which has longevity...the communication adapter can easily be changed for any of AB's I/O systems including Ethernet/IP and DeviceNet. You can also use some members of the very inexpensive CompactBlock family. Depending on your layout, DeviceNet may also be the right way to go. If that's the case, the 1747-SDN scanner can also be used. The mapping stuff tends to be a bit confusing but once you get over this, you can add anything available for DeviceNet which is very extensive and not limited to just products from AB. The RIO offerings outside of AB are extremely limited because the RIO electrical and communication specs are a closely guarded secret, and it is definitely NOT recommended for new installations.

[jstolaruk 9]

Paul, I didn't know that there is a Ethernet/IP scanner for the SLC family. Is that something new?

[paulengr 44]

There is not a scanner for Ethernet/IP as such. I was referring to the FlexIO Ethernet/IP scanner. I was saying that in the future should you wish to upgrade your network, you can swap the communication adapter on your Flex IO for an AENT (Ethernet/IP adapter). Using Flex I/O now "future proofs" your I/O should you decide to switch to a ControlLogix or CompactLogix processor later because you can either keep the existing network or upgrade the network and the PLC when the time comes to do so. In fact strangely enough, Flex I/O is also universal across brands. Honeywell uses it (with reprogramming) for their DCS remote I/O. SLC does "support" Ethernet, just not Ethernet/IP, which refers to the CIP protocol. When you attempt to communicate between SLC's and a ControlLogix, you have to use the "PLC-5 map" on the ControlLogix processor and MSG blocks are then acceptable in the normal way. The ControlLogix accepts PCCC Ethernet protocol (the older protocol that both PLC-5 and SLC use) for the MSG blocks. Depending on the device, you can frequently even get it to work with SOME devices such as Powerflex drives which have some PCCC compatibility modes. What you can't do is producer/consumer based communication or I/O.

[jstolaruk 9]

Darn, thought there was something new available that I could use in older installations.