Nexto Xpress: Configuring PLC as Ethernet/IP Remote Adapter via the Web Page

In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure a Nexto Xpress series PLC as an Adapter to work as an Ethernet/IP remote device.

Tutorial Components

Hardware: XP315 and XP340

Software: MasterTool 3.75

Tutorial Sections

1. INTRODUCTION

2. CONFIGURING THE REMOTE

3. CONFIGURING THE SCANNER

4. DEMONSTRATING THE OPERATION

1. INTRODUCTION

Starting from firmware version 1.14.77.0, it is possible to configure Nexto Xpress series PLCs as Ethernet/IP Remote via the device's Web page. In this tutorial, we will demonstrate how to perform this configuration and how to communicate with this remote using another XP.

Note: This feature is only available on models XP300, XP315, and XP325.

2. CONFIGURING THE REMOTE

First, let's access the PLC's Web page and make sure our XP is running firmware 1.14.77.0 or higher.

Next, go to the Management tab and log in using the username and password admin.

If your version is lower than 1.14.77.0, update to the latest version on the System page.

If you already have the correct version, go to the Operation mode tab and select Ethernet/IP Adapter.

On this page, you can configure the PLC's inputs. After making the desired configurations, click on Download EDS and then on Apply. Enter the username and password admin again. The PLC will then restart with the new settings applied.

3. CONFIGURING THE SCANNER

Let's add an XP340 PLC as a Scanner to communicate with the remote we configured in section 2,

Create a new project and click to add a device on NET1.

Select Ethernet and click on add device.

Then, click on the added Ethernet device and select the EtherNet/IP Scanner option.

After adding the Scanner, go to Tools -> Device Repository.

Click on Install.

And select the EDS file downloaded in section 2.

After installing the EDS above, let's add the device to the Scanner.

After adding the device, set the IP address to the IP of the PLC that we configured as remote (Adapter).

In EtherNet/IP I/O Mapping, you can view the complete mapping of the inputs and outputs of the added remote.

4. DEMONSTRATING THE OPERATION

After configuring the equipment as described in the sections above, you can load the program into your PLC and check whether the communication was established!

For demonstration purposes, input I03 of the remote (PLC configured as Adapter) was activated, and we received the value in Digital_Inputs on the Scanner PLC.

With this, you are now able to configure a Nexto Xpress series PLC as an Ethernet/IP Adapter remote via the web page.