AB 56AMXN/B ControlLogix AutoMax DCSNet and AutoMax Remote I/O Communication Interface Module

AB 56AMXN/B ControlLogix AutoMax DCSNet and AutoMax Remote I/O Communication Interface Module

IMPORTANT NOTE AND COMPLIANCE: Those who use this product need to ensure that the application meets performance and safety requirements and complies with relevant laws, regulations, codes and standards. The CE marking of the product indicates compliance with the relevant EU and EEA directives, including the EMC Directive and the Low Voltage Directive, and is suitable for use in industrial environments. However, the module is not suitable for use in hazardous locations and needs to be installed in a suitable system enclosure in a pollution level 2, overvoltage category II and at an altitude of up to 2000 metres above sea level.

Installation steps

Preliminary preparation: anti-static measures should be done before installation, such as touching grounded objects, wearing a grounded wrist strap, etc.. Set the switch on the top of the module according to the network type and node address. Wrong setting may cause the module to enter the ‘thumbwheel test’ mode. At the same time to install and connect the ControlLogix chassis and power supply, determine the module in the chassis installation position, can be installed in any slot, and the same chassis can be installed more than one module .

Module Installation: Be careful not to force the module during installation to avoid damage to the backplane connectors or the module. Some hardware versions support plugging and unplugging with electricity, but there are risks, such as generating arcs, which may lead to injuries, property damage, equipment failure and so on.

Wiring and Powering Up: Use specific drop cables and passive taps to connect the module to the coaxial network cable, and terminate the network coaxial cable with a 75-ohm termination load at both ends. After completing the wiring and powering on the chassis, it is necessary to check the power supply and module status, such as the power indicator should be green, the module OK LED is red and then green, the alphanumeric display will show the start-up information.

Status Interpretation and Configuration: The module's alphanumeric display and LED status indicators provide diagnostic information. The display shows information such as firmware version, network connectivity issues, etc. Among the LEDs, the NET LED indicates the status of the network connection, the CLX LED indicates the status of communication with the ControlLogix processor, and the OK LED reflects the health of the module. After installation, the module should be configured by referring to the Configuration section of the User's Guide, which is included on the product's shipping CD.

Features and Benefits

Advantage of Functional Features: Intuitive status display function, through the 4-character scrolling display and 3 LEDs (NET, CLX, OK), it can display key information in real time, such as network, connection with ControlLogix processor and its own internal status, etc. 

The green light of the NET LED indicates the good status of the network, while the red light indicates the corresponding fault; the CLX LED reflects the communication status with the processor in different colours; the OK LED indicates the health of the module in red and green, making it convenient for users to quickly determine the operating status of the device and find out the problems in time. 

NET LED green light indicates good network status and red light indicates corresponding faults; CLX LED with different colours reflects the communication status with the processor; OK LED with red and green colours indicates the health status of the module, which makes it convenient for users to quickly judge the operation status of the device and find and solve problems in time. It supports various working modes and can be flexibly set as DCS master, DCS slave or remote I/O master through the switch on the top of the module, and can accurately set the station number and depth. This flexible configuration allows it to adapt to different industrial network architectures, achieving precise communication and efficient control in complex industrial automation systems.

Compatibility and Expandability Advantage: Highly compatible with ControlLogix system, it can be installed in any slot of ControlLogix chassis of any size, and also supports the installation of multiple modules in the same chassis. This feature makes it easy for users to flexibly expand the system according to actual needs and improve the overall performance and functionality of the system to meet the evolving needs of industrial production. In terms of cabling, specific drop cables (612574-36R or 612403-036R) and passive taps can be used to connect to coaxial network cables, and different types of coaxial cables are supported (e.g., RG-59/U or RG-11/U for DCS, RG-59/U for remote I/O). This variety of cabling options enhances the product's adaptability and deployability in different industrial environments.

Advantage of Reliability Guarantee: Although some hardware versions are designed to support power plugging and unplugging, the product clearly indicates the related risks and emphasises the importance of correct operation to reduce the damage to the equipment due to improper operation and to guarantee the stable operation of the equipment. Network coaxial cables need to be terminated with 75-ohm termination loads, and the number of termination loads in the network is specified. This standardised network termination requirement helps to reduce signal reflection and improve the stability and reliability of network communications.

Environmental Adaptation Advantage: The module has an operating temperature range of 0 - 60°C (32 - 140°F), a storage temperature range of - 40 - 85°C (- 40 - 185°F), and a relative humidity of 5 - 95% non-condensing. It can also withstand some shock (30g operational, 50g non-operational) and vibration (2g from 10 - 150Hz). These environmental parameters demonstrate the product's environmental suitability for stable operation in a wide range of industrial environments.