AN-X2-AB-DHRIO: EtherNet/IP to Allen Bradley Remote I/O or Data Highway Plus DH+ Gateway Converter

This operating mode allows users to replace their existing Remote I/O PLC with a ControlLogix or CompactLogix PAC without having to replace existing racks of I/O.

·       Build new controller program without interrupting existing controls, minimizing downtime

·       All Remote I/O baud rates are supported (57.6, 115.2, and 230.4 K baud)

·       Supports all Remote I/O baud rates (57.6, 115.2, and 230.4 K baud), and Remote I/O addressing 0-76 octal

·       Works with both ControlLogix or CompactLogix

·       Auto-Configuration utility discovers baud rate and maps discrete I/O reducing configuration errors

This operating mode supports upgrading legacy Allen Bradley drives on Remote I/O to new EtherNet/IP enabled drives

·       No changes to PLC code required

·       Supports up to 4 EtherNet/IP drives

·       Configurable with 1/4, 1/2 and full rack addressing

·       Supports all PowerFlex drives on EtherNet/IP

This operating mode supports legacy HMI’s on Remote I/O to be upgraded to a PanelView Plus or PanelView Plus 6 on EtherNet/IP.

·       No changes to PLC code required

·       Supports up to 8 PanelViews on the same network

This operating mode acts as a bridge between an EtherNet/IP and a Data Highway Plus network.

·       Programming terminals, and/or processors on an EtherNet/IP network can access legacy processors on a DH+ network

·       Download to a PLC5 or SLC through RSLinx

·       Configured through web browser

·       Supports all DH+ baud rates (57.6, 115.2, and 230.4 K baud)

This operating mode allows PLC’s on Remote I/O to share data with a newer ControlLogix or CompactLogix PAC’s. This mode also allows a ControlLogix processor to monitor Block Transfer and I/O data on an active Remote I/O network without occupying a drop.

·       Supports up to 15 EtherNet/IP I/O connections to a Logix Processor

·       Supports any combination of Remote I/O rack addressing

·       Auto configures rack addressing and baud rate

AN-X2 has a built-in web server. A web browser can view diagnostics, current configuration, upload/download configuration files,
and set operation mode.

The AN-X2-AB-DHRIO module running Data Highway Plus (DH+) firmware connects a computer or other device to an Allen-Bradley Data Highway Plus network, using Ethernet.
The AN-X2-AB-DHRIO (DH+) module:
⦁ can act as any valid Data Highway Plus station number, from 0 to 77 octal
⦁ supports all Data Highway Plus baud rates, 57.6, 115.2 and 230.4 Kbaud
⦁ maintains Data Highway Plus diagnostic counters
⦁ can route messages from Ethernet to Data Highway Plus, using IP aliasing (requires firmware version 4.2.1 or above)
⦁ can route messages from Data Highway Plus to destinations on Ethernet (requires firmware version 4.7.1 or above)
You can use the AN-X2-AB-DHRIO (DH+) module with Rockwell programming software to communicate with PLCs such as the PLC-5 over Data Highway Plus from a computer on Ethernet. Refer to page 21 for details.
You can use a DDE or OPC server, for example RSLinx, on Ethernet to access Data Highway Plus using the AN-X2-AB-DHRIO (DH+). Refer to page 26 for details.
The AN-X2-AB-DHRIO (DH+) module has a web interface for configuration of Data Highway Plus station number and baud rate and for monitoring diagnostic counters and the active station list. You can communicate with the module using any standard web browser.
The AN-X2-AB-DHRIO (DH+) module monitors the Data Highway Plus network and displays usage statistics such as overall network loading, the percentage of network time used for the commands from each station plus the percentage of network time used by responses to those commands, and the amount of network time used by each station in sending responses to other stations. Refer to page 48 for details.
You use the web interface to send various configuration files to the AN-X and to retrieve them, and to update the AN-X firmware.
A watchdog timer is implemented in the module’s hardware. If the firmware does not kick the watchdog within the timeout period the watchdog times out and places the module into a safe fatal failure state.
A jabber inhibit timer is implemented in the module’s hardware. If the network transmitter is on longer than 150% of the longest network frame time, the transmitter is forced off and the module is placed into a safe fatal failure state.

Hardware Features:
The module has:
⦁ LEDs to indicate the status of the connection to the Ethernet, its own internal state, and the connection to the Data Highway Plus network
⦁ an Ethernet connector
⦁ a 3-pin Phoenix connector to connect to the Data Highway Plus network
⦁ a power connector
⦁ a microSD card for storage of configuration data and firmware

Data Highway Plus Configuration
Use the web interface to set the AN-X station number, the baud rate, and how much data the AN-X can send when it gets the Data Highway Plus token.
The baud rate can be one of 57.6, 115.2 or 230.4 kbits/second. The station number can be from 0 to 77 octal.

In firmware versions 4.8 and above, AN-X can send multiple messages when it gets the Data Highway Plus token.

When AN-X gets the Data Highway Plus Token, it always sends at least one message if it has any messages in its queue.

If there any more messages in the queue after it sends the first message, it can send up to a maximum of the number of bytes configured in Token Bytes minus the number of bytes in the first message.

The range of Token Bytes is 0 to 300 bytes. The default is 250. A value of 0 disables sending additional messages.

Setting Token Bytes can improve the performance of AN-X on the Data Highway Plus network but it can also load the destination station if AN-X is sending many messages to the same destination.

Monitor the No Memory NAKs diagnostic counter. If it is incrementing, it indicates that some destination is receiving more messages than it can handle. In that case, reduce the value of Token Bytes to limit how many messages AN-X is sending.

To configure the Data Highway Plus properties of AN-X:
1. Start your web browser and enter the AN-X IP address as the web address.
2. Select Automation Network/Configure DH+ Network.
3. Select the baud rate.
4. Enter the Data Highway Plus station number, in octal.