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Features
The NX-series EtherNet/IP Unit has the EtherNet/IP function when mounted on the X Bus.
The EtherNet/IP and NX-series EtherNet/IP Unit have the following features.
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EtherNet/IP Features
EtherNet/IP is an industrial multi-vendor network that uses Ethernet.
The EtherNet/IP specifications are open standards managed by the ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendor
Association), just like DeviceNet.
EtherNet/IP is not just a network between Controllers. It is also used as a field network. Because
EtherNet/IP uses standard Ethernet technology, various general-purpose Ethernet devices can be
used in the network.
POWER
PORT2
POWER
PORT2
EtherNet/IP port on
NX-series EtherNet/IP Unit
EtherNet/IP System Configuration Example
Ethernet (LAN) port
Twisted
-pair cable
Ethernet switch
Sysmac Studio
(Support Software)
100 m
max.
Built-in EtherNet/IP
p
ort on NX502
CPU Unit
l
High-speed, High-capacity Data Exchange through Tag Data Links
The EtherNet/IP protocol supports implicit communications, which allows cyclic communications
(called tag data links in this manual) with EtherNet/IP devices.
l
Tag Data Link (Cyclic Communications) Cycle Time
Tag data links (cyclic communications) operate at the cyclic period specified for each application,
regardless of the number of nodes. Data is exchanged over the network at the refresh cycle set for
each connection, so the communications refresh cycle will not increase even if the number of no-
des is increased, i.e., the concurrency of the connection's data is maintained.
Because the refresh cycle can be set for each connection, each application can communicate at its
ideal refresh cycle. For example, interprocess interlocks can be transferred at high speed, while the
production commands and the status monitor information are transferred at low speed.
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Features of NX-series EtherNet/IP Units
The features of the NX-series EtherNet/IP Units are described below.
1 Features and System Configuration
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NX-series EtherNet/IP Unit User's Manual (W627)