Communications play a vital role in most industrial automation solutions, and Rockwell Automation's Integrated Architecture offers a variety of options. I have classified these options as primary network technologies (those that are actively used in modern implementations of a Logix system) and legacy network technologies (those that have been used frequently in the past but are not being installed in the new Logix control systems).

Rockwell Automation has provided a tool called EtherNet/IP Capacity Tool that has been designed to help you calculate the resources required to support a control network. The tool takes a conservative approach to estimating the requirements of your network usage based on a few data points you provide it.

The EtherNet/IP Capacity Tool is used to measure the networking capacity of a single Scanner Processor. A Scanner Processor is either an EtherNet/IP module, such as the ControlLogix ENBT, or a Logix controller with a built-in EtherNet/IP port, such as the CompactLogix L32E. If a Scanner Processor is at maximum capacity, in most cases, an additional EtherNet/IP module or controller can be added to the control solution. A separate EtherNet/IP Capacity Tool report can be created for each Scanner Processor network.

When you calculate your capacity, the tool provides you with the available CIP connections, TCP connections, I/O packets per second (PPS), and HMI PPS. The...

RSLinx is a communication server application in the Rockwell Automation product line. There are two types of RSLinx today:

RSLinx Enterprise is typically packaged with FactoryTalk HMI software. RSLinx Enterprise is an HMI communications gateway that also provides the following properties:

For more information on RSLinx Enterprise, refer to the links in the appendix.

RSLinx Classic is typically packaged with RSLogix 5000 and Studio 5000 and is a communication gateway that also provides the following properties:

In this chapter, we will be working with RSLinx Classic to create the communications gateway between our computer and our controller. Before we start to work with RSLinx Classic, we will define some key terms regarding controller communications:

In this exercise, we will be connecting to an L7x controller using RSLinx and the USB 2.0 connection on the front of the controller. Setting up communication to a device on the Logix platform requires three separate tools:

You will need to have a version of RSLogix 5000 / Studio 5000 installed that supports the L7x platform (Version 18.11 and higher). If you are using an older ControlLogix or a CompactLogix, review the following exercise and then navigate to RSLinx Help | Quick Start to find the detailed procedures for your controller:

The Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture Builder (IAB) mobile app provides an iPad-based tool for creating industrial control network designs. The IAB app allows you to architect a simple Logix network using all of Rockwell Automation's major hardware platforms and EtherNet/IP. Using the IAB app, you can drag and drop your Logix solution together, analyze the EtherNet/IP performance data, generate a bill of materials, and send it to the nearest distributor/sales office. In addition, you can export your IAB app network to the IAB desktop application version for system validation. The IAB app is available for free in the Apple App Store and appears to be a replacement for the Rockwell Automation Small System Sketcher. The following screenshot is of the IAB app running on an iPad: