Compatibility inquiry: BMXNOC0401 with BMXP342020 and BMXPRA0100 connectivity

[DanielaCanas]

Subject: Compatibility inquiry: BMXNOC0401 with BMXP342020 and BMXPRA0100 connectivity

Message: Hi everyone,

I am currently working on a project using the Modicon M340 platform and I have some specific technical doubts regarding hardware compatibility.

I have noticed a discrepancy between the M340 catalog and the product website description for the BMXNOC0401 Ethernet module:

• The general catalog states that the BMXNOC0401 is compatible with all M340 CPUs.

• However, the website description specifically mentions compatibility with: BMXP341000, BMXP3420102, BMXP3420302, BMXP3420102CL, and BMXP3420302CL. (https://www.se.com/il/en/product/BMXNOC0401/ethernet-module-m340-4-x-rj45-10-100/)

My questions are:

1. CPU Compatibility: Is the BMXNOC0401 fully compatible with the BMXP342020 CPU, even though it is not explicitly listed in that specific website paragraph?

2. Remote I/O Communication: Can the BMXNOC0401 be used to establish communication with a BMXPRA0100 (Ethernet multi-rack drop adapter) through one of its ports?

I want to confirm if this setup is supported for distributed I/O architectures and if there are any specific firmware requirements or backplane constraints (such as the need for an Ethernet backplane) that I should be aware of for this specific CPU.

Any documentation or technical clarification regarding this configuration would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

[Trinxs1 · Accepted solution]

DanielaCanas
I check the configuration with the latest version of Control Expert for most compatibility issues.  It is unfortunate that the web site has information that can lead to confusion.  I have not heard of a BMXP3420102CL (I am saying it does not exist, I am aware of the conformal coated version BMEP342020C).
I recommend the use the latest firmware versions (V2.11) for the BMXNOC0401 and (V3.70) for the BMX342020 and BMXPRA0100.  

Control Expert Classic V16.2 with HF02 and HF03 confirms the following is a valid configuration.

Please note that the latest version of the module (BMXNOC0401.2) is also selected.  

I would also make sure that the backplane used is an ethernet version i.e. BMEXBP.... as this will ensure that you will have potential future updates to M580, or the future release of the M340 CPU known as the M380.

[DanielaCanas]

Hi Trinxs, thank you very much for the detailed confirmation regarding the CPU and the firmware versions. It's very helpful to know that Control Expert V16.2 validates this setup.

To clarify the second part of my inquiry: In this architecture, I intend to use the BMXNOC0401 as the main communication interface to manage a remote rack and as the Ethernet/IP Scanner for a Mettler Toledo device.

Can the BMXNOC0401 effectively act as the Ethernet Scanner to communicate with the BMXPRA0100 adapter, and if the answer is yes, can it handle both the remote rack and the third-party device (Mettler Toledo) as a scanner at the same time without performance issues?

Thanks again for your support!

[Trinxs1]

The beauty of the Modicon ethernet modules is that they can support both Modbus TCP IP and Ethernet IP as both originator and target for either protocol at the same time.  The PRA is treated as a distributed IO device and in this case uses Modbus TCPIP to communicate.  This can be as a general Modbus device or specifically as a PRA module.  In ECE if you chose the PRA option it will initiate a second instance of ECE to configure the PRA module as it also requires a configuration to map IO and pass data to / from the M340 / M580 CPU.

In general, all that is needed is to configure the NOC via the CPU to IO scan the drop to pass read and write information between the two devices.  If you have multiple PRAs set up a consistent structure so that the exchange is the same for all devices.

[dnordenberg1]

You mean BMEXBP... with Ethernet for the M580, not BMXXBP.., that is without Ethernet but both work for both M340 and M580, BMX.. just without possible future Ethernet usage of the M580 as you say.

[FrancisBreysach]

Hello,

how will you manage the Programmation and deployment of the PRA ?