XEM EtherNet/IP General Configuration - LS Electric XGB PLC from AutomationDirect

The XGB PLC offers many ways to communicate over Ethernet. The on-board Ethernet port allows Modbus/TCP and XGT protocols, but to use the EtherNet/IP protocol we must use the XBL-EIPT expansion module. This module will support unconnected server and client and connected server only Explicit Messaging as well as Implicit Messaging. The PLC can act as both an Explicit Client or Server, as well as an Implicit Scanner or Adapter. In this video we will be covering configuring the EIPT module in the XG5000 programming software. We cover physically installing the module, as well as adding it to the XG5000 project, in a separate help topic. Once we have the module installed and added to the project, we are ready to configure it. To begin, we will go to the “Project” window on the left side of the screen and double-click on “I/O Parameter.” This opens the “I/O Parameter” window, and our PLC is displayed. We have added our EIPT module into slot 2. If we double click anywhere on the slot 2 row, the software opens the “Standard Settings” screen for the module. Here we can set the usual IP and DNS settings as well as the “Reception Waiting Time” and the “Use Tag” checkbox. The “Reception Waiting Time” is the time in seconds the CPU waits for a response before it disconnects the EIPT and makes the disconnection flag variable true. The “Use Tag” checkbox, which is selected automatically, allows us to use variables for the EtherNet/IP Input and Output data and is required for proper function of the EIPT module. Now we need to set up a peer-to-peer connection for the EIPT module. To do this we will again go to the “Project” window on the left side of the screen. Under the “Network Configuration” heading we can right click on our XBL-EIPT and go to “Add Item>P2P Communication.” This opens the “Select P2P” pop-up window, and there will be a drop down with a few peer-to-peer connections available for selection. We don’t have a peer-to-peer connection configured yet so we will use connection 3. We could also use connection 4 if connection 3 was taken. Once we select our connection and click “OK,” we see a new peer-to-peer connection added under the XBL-EIPT network subheading. This new connection may now be used for Implicit or Explicit EtherNet/IP messaging. Perfect!