FANUC 120iBe robot to SLC500 via Ethernet

I have a FANUC 120iBe robot and am trying to map the digital IO so that I can communicate with a SLC 5/05 controller over the ethernet network.

Does anyone have any suggestions about the best way to set this up?

It appears that since everything is ethernet ready, but I haven't found a good way to make everything talk.

I am using RSLogix500 to write the PLC Program, but am not sure how to map the IO.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks: Steve
Steve

I am only familiar with doing that with EtherNet/IP and it requires a ControlLogix. Not real sure this can be accomplished with a SLC over ethernet. You may need to add DeviceNet or ControlNet to the robot.

Darren

Camcom said:

I have a FANUC 120iBe robot and am trying to map the digital IO so that I can communicate with a SLC 5/05 controller over the ethernet network.

Does anyone have any suggestions about the best way to set this up?

It appears that since everything is ethernet ready, but I haven't found a good way to make everything talk.

I am using RSLogix500 to write the PLC Program, but am not sure how to map the IO.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks: Steve
Steve

Click to expand...

Steve:

I don't think you can control anything by the Ethernet Port unless you can use the MSG or EEM Instruction.

Have a look at this post by Ken Roach. He is very knowledgeable in AB Communications issues. Hopefully he will chime in later if he has time.

http://www.plctalk.com/qanda/showpost.php?p=5390&postcount=7

If you use the Search Function here, you will probably find other threads on the same subject.

Stu....

Yep, the link to Ken's rant is my sentiments exactly. I am also not to happy with Rockwell choosing to name the Ethernet flavor of CIP, EtherNet/IP. I feel it is misleading to someone who has not done I/O control with an A-B ControlLogix. I think it gives the wrong impression to the uninitiated that since there is an Ethernet port it can be controlled from any A-B PLC with an Ethernet port.

Anyway, the only ethernet protocols that I am aware the Fanuc supports for interfacing at the controller level is EtherNet/IP (the CIP type), Modbus/TCP and they have an OPC server that uses their proprietary protocol. Of course by now I am sure they have added ProfiNet.

So, unless you go Modbus/TCP using a Prosoft module the next options are to go to DeviceNet or ControlNet. Also, for the Modbus/TCP option you may need to pay a "fee" to enable that protocol, same for the EtherNet/IP. So if it is not already on the controller you may have to pay up anyway.

Darren