Powerflex AOP in Rslogix5000

Hey there,

I've got a couple of PF700 drives with modbus communication card (20-COMM-M). I've gone through some of the documentation for the AOPs for Rslogix5000 and didn't happen to find anything about this modbus communication cards in it.

I understand that, even though Modbus still uses Ethernet media, their communication protocols are different, yet I was wondering if someone expert enough could assure me that integrating this modbus enabled drives with AOPs is not possible.

Thanks in advanced,
Dante

Welcome to the Forum !

I can assure you that a PowerFlex drive with a 20-COMM-M Modbus/TCP adapter cannot be integrated into a Logix 5000 control system using Add-On Profiles and the Premier Integration features in which the drive becomes a remote I/O object of the controller.

Those features require the 20-COMM-E EtherNet/IP module.

A PowerFlex drive with 20-COMM-M could be connected to a Logix 5000 control system using a Modbus/TCP module like the Prosoft MVI56-MNET, but it would take more effort and provide less speed and fewer features.

How did you end up with a Rockwell controller and Rockwell drives but a non-Rockwell-protocol interface module ?

Thanks Ken, I just wanted to cross check before spending time to try it.
I'm looking into the possibility of retrofitting a Horner based control system integrated with Horner remote Ethernet I/O and PF700 drives. The hardware is rather new but the previous system integrator did a lousy job and the end user lacks confidence in Horner PLC-HMI combo. I've seen that Horner offers some communication modules to integrate their Ethernet I/O through Ethernet IP in Rockwell PLCs via CIP messaging, so maybe the approach will have to consider upgrading drive's communication cards to Ethernet IP as well. Still I'll need to do some homework and study how complex is this CIP integration.

I can't say I've ever used the Modbus modules, but I have set up dozens of PowerFlex 753's with the 20-COMM-E module, and as Ken says, it's a piece of cake. I'd have 20 of those set up before I'd even finished finding all the manuals to make the Modbus system work.

An analogy: I have a PDF file, and need to get it to someone across town. I have a printer, but no internet connection, so I'll just print it out and mail it to them. Then they'll have to buy a scanner so they can scan it back in as a PDF.

Or, I could just connect my computer to the internet and send the thing in an email. Save buying a scanner and a whole lot of effort in going and getting the mail at both ends.

Likewise, you have Allen-Bradley data (PowerFlex) and want to send it to an Allen-Bradley recipient. You can convert it to Modbus (print out the PDF), buy a Modbus Card for the PLC (buy a scanner), and then do all the work involved in re-translating the data (go and get the mail and scan it back in).

Or, you can just swap the COMM-M card for a COMM-E card (connect to the internet) and have the whole thing sorted with what's already in place (email).

thanks ASF, I agree with your point of view, great analogy; will be used when discussing it with the end user, to keep it clear and simple.