Remote IO Help

[timk5000]

I am looking for some suggestions on which equipment that will work best for a project.
 
I have tried to attach a image to help describe the layout. What I would like to do is put remote IO at each material supply box. Run wire from each sensor along the supply tubes to the IO. and connect the air valves to the IO. Connect the each remote IO module to the PLC with ethernet cable.

My question, Is this the proper way to do this and what equipment would be best. I prefer to use the DO More for the PLC,

Any suggestions would be very helpful

[Garyhlucas]

I have done similar for the plants I build. I think a BRX used as the remote IO to sense the inputs and operate the valves would make sense. The master PLC wouldn’t actually need much if any IO.

[timk5000]

The online manual for the BRX has a section for Remote IO but all it says is for future release.
https://cdn.automationdirect.com/static/manuals/brxuserm/brxuserm.html Chapter 14

Haven't really found any examples or instruction on how this would work. Can I just connect three BRX with Ethernet using a hub and CAT5 or do I need something else.

Or use a Do-More with ethernet and a hub connected to 2 BRX with the IO for the sensors and valves.

Thanks

[Controls Guy]

There isn't any native BRX remote I/O yet, but they're still Do-Mores, so you can use H2 or Terminator remote racks, or even generic Modbus RTU or TCP or Ethernet IP remote IO. I think BRX remote I/O adapters are supposed to be out this year.

[timk5000]

Does the Ethernet Do-more work as the host controller for the Protos I/O series?

[BobO]

Does the Ethernet Do-more work as the host controller for the Protos I/O series?

I assume the Protos has a Modbus/TCP head, so we could talk to that.

I don't have a formal launch date yet, but the BRX based remote I/O heads (BX-DMIO, BX-EBC100, BX-MBIO) *should* ship in late Q2. The holdup was UL, but we finally got approval. Now it's just getting into the launch queue at ADC. The product management team at ADC is working hard, but launch resources are finite.

[timk5000]

Thanks guys

[Controls Guy]

I assume the Protos has a Modbus/TCP head, so we could talk to that.

They do, and I think they do EIP as well.  Not sure if they can handle explicit messaging from a DM, or if it's implicit I/O only.

[BobO]

...or if it's implicit I/O only.

And that has become a higher priority to us. It's way too early to make promises, but I'd love to see support by DmD 2.4 or so.


And BTW, barring something ugly, DmD 2.2 will go live Monday.

Key features:
1. Support for GS4
2. DNS support in EMAIL
3. TLS support in EMAIL (BRX only)
4. INI (Immediate Input) instruction (BRX only)
5. Installing in "Program Files (x86)"

DmD 2.3 will come fairly soon afterward and will coincide with the next phase hardware release.

[Controls Guy]

Thanks for the DMD 2.2 preview - cool stuff!

[ATU]

1. Support for GS4

Wow, I am getting ready to start programing a BRX with 3 GS4 drives.  How easy is it going to make my life?

[BobO]

Wow, I am getting ready to start programing a BRX with 3 GS4 drives.  How easy is it going to make my life?

It's support for the EDRV100 with GS4 drives. If you use it, real easy, but some are unwilling to spring for the EDRV100.

[ATU]

I bought the Modbus ethernet cards for each of the drives.   GS4-CM-MODTCP

[BobO]

Cheaper, but basically no benefit other than performance. You'll be using MRX/MWX just like you would through the 485 port. With the EDRV100, it's supported through the Ethernet I/O master. All of the relevant make-it-go registers are mapped to a structure, and the GSREGRD/WR instructions make register access painless.

[ATU]

I guess it would be more cost effective to to use the GS-EDRV100 over multi-drop 485 if you had 4 or more drives