Robot communication methods

    Hi everyone. Long time observer here but now I'm starting work on a project I would like to ask peoples opinions on this subject.


    I have a Fanuc M10-iD robot which we are going to be using for a machine tending application. We have specced it with ethernet Ip (on Fanucs advice). We have a machine tool that has 24V hardwire IO. Fanuc assure us that communicating between the two should be very simple. They have suggested a Wago module. I was wondering if people have any thoughts on the simplest way to go about this? We do not need any HMi at this time so it is purely communicating IO signals.


    Many thanks in advance.


    I have learnt so much in the last few months from this forum. It is a great source of information!

    Does your robot have EIP adapter, or scanner? This is important. If the robot has the Scanner option installed, then it's fairly simple to connect it to an EIP I/O Adapter module that, basically, converts simple hardwired discrete I/O to/from EIP.


    I generally like the Turck TBEN modules, they're nice and simple to set up, but WAGOs aren't bad.


    If your robot only has the EIP Adapter option, then you'll need to upgrade the robot, or use a PLC to act as the Scanner.

    Depending on how much 24VDC I/O you have you can maybe get away with using the EE connector. If you have alot of I/O you may need relays.

    If the I/O from the machine tool is already hardwired, I would just use simple model A I/O cards. It will be much cheaper than either Ethernet/IP adapter or scanner option.


    The biggest advantage to using a field-bus like Ethernet/IP is to reduce wiring time and hence cost. But, if you're forced to deal with hardwired I/O, there is no sense in paying for it, unless you may be hooking up extra devices in the future.


    If you do already have the scanner option, you may as well use it, but if you only have the adapter option model A I/O should be cheaper.

    If you are using Ethernet IP. You need to make sure you have the scanner package, otherwise you wasted money. If you have the EIP scanner package, then you can use the something like an Allen Bradley ArmorBlock 1732E or an Turck TBEN configurable IO device that has M12 ports that you can plug in sensors and actuators to, and map them to the robot. There are quite a few steps to this. It might be easier to purchase a fanuc I/O rack and couple of digital input and output cards and hardwire in.

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