Moving AS/400 data to a PLC Made Easy

Even though Ethernet now the standard there is still an awful lot of raw TCP data out there. There are a ton of perfectly good scales, barcode readers and other devices that generate a TCP string. This is equipment that you've used for a long time. You know how to set it up, how to make it work and that it's reliable.

The problem is that you still have to connect these devices into your PLC. The problem is you still have to receive the data and move it into your PLC registers. That means writing and testing plc logic. Not hard – just another task to do and more code to support. But there is a better way, a much better way. If you could move the data right into the PLCs registers it would save you time, money and a pile of headaches.

That's the device we have developed for you. It quickly and easily moves AS/400 data to Allen Bradely PLCs using EtherNet/IP. The 490NBA gateway moves your AS/400 data to a PLC with little or no delay. Milliseconds after receiving your AS/400 data it is transferred to your user-specified tag in the PLC. Simply configure the input data format, the IP Address of the PLC and a PLC tag using a very simple browser interface and you are ready to run. No standalone or custom software is required. It's that simple.

490 Application Diagram

How it Works

You don't need to use message instructions to move data into a PLC. We have found a simpler way to send the data. You define a tag in the PLC for our unit to monitor. Our unit watches the string length and anytime it sees a non-zero value we send that data and set the string length back to zero. The same goes for outgoing messages to the PLC. Whenever we see a data in our unit from your device we send it out to a tag in the PLC. On the TCP device side we transfer raw TCP data. Our unit can connect to your device by imputing the devices IP address or it can wait for the device to connect to it by leaving the address 0.

Is It Really that Easy to Use?

Yes, these unit are so popular because they are so easy to set up. There is no software to download or code to write. You simply map the tags to monitor and set you devices connection and you are done. This is all done via a built in browser based interface. You pull up the webpage and enter your configuration. The whole thing can be set up in less than ten minutes.

490 Data Path

ENCLOSURE / HARDWARE
Size	4.2” x 3.25” x 1”
Weight	5 oz.
Enclosure Type	Anodized Aluminum
Mounting	Din Rail
Connectors	Port 0: DB-9 (RS232) Port 1: DB-9 (RS232 or RS485) RJ45 10/100 Base-T (Ethernet)
LEDs	Ethernet Link/Speed LED & Ethernet Data LED

ELECTRICAL/ENVIRONMENTAL
Network Interface	10/100 BaseT with RJ-45 Connector
Input Power	9VDC to 30VDC (Bus Powered)
Power	500ma @ 12 VDC
Maximum Baud Rate	300 to 19.2K Baud
Device IP Address Management	RtaDiscovery™ — automatically locates RTA Instant Device Converters
Operating Temperature	0C to +70C
Humidity	5% to 95% RH, non-condensing
Certification	RoHS-Compliant, UL, CUL, CE Approvals

Dimensions

ORDERING INFORMATION
490NBA	Logix1 Raw TCP	Desk Mounted
490NBA-P	Logix Raw TCP	Panel Mounted
490NBA-D	Logix Raw TCP	Din Rail Mounted
490NBP	PLC5 Raw TCP	Desk Mounted
490NBP-P	PLC5 Raw TCP	Panel Mounted
490NBP-D	PLC5 Raw TCP	Din Rail Mounted
490NBS	SLC5/05, MicroLogix Raw TCP	Desk Mounted
490NBS-P	SLC5/05, MicroLogix Raw TCP	Panel Mounted
490NBS-D	SLC5/05, MicroLogix Raw TCP	Din Rail Mounted

¹ Logix refers to both ControlLogix and CompactLogix