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AL1x2x IO-Link module with RSLogix 5000/Designer

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Table of Contents:

Installing AL1x2x EDS file………………………………………… 3-4

Configure Ethernet Module……………………………………..5-7
Configure IO Link Ports…………………………………………….8-9
Input Data Block………………………………………………………10-11
Generic IO-Link Device Add_On Instructions……………12-20
ifm specific IO-Link Device Add_On Instructions........21-22
Viewing IO-Link Device Input Data from AL1x2x………23-28
 Installing AL1x2x EDS file
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1. Find the appropriate EDS file in the folder named “EDS files” in the
AL1x2x Startup Package.

Note: The EDS files can also be downloaded directly from the ifm global website.
a. Enter “<article_number> eds” in the text search and click the button

b. Click the button and use the prompts to save a zip file to the PC.

Example: The AL1122 IO-Link

module’s eds file is searched.
 Installing AL1x2x EDS file
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2. Add the .EDS file to RS Linx by navigating to Tools->EDS Hardware Installation Tool
3. Follow the prompts to add the EDS.
 Configure Ethernet module
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1. Right click on the “Ethernet” in the I/O configuration folder and choose “New module”

2. Search the article number of the IO-Link master (i.e. AL1122), Select the found module
and Click “Create” button
 Configure Ethernet module
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3. Provide a unique Name and IP address for the Ethernet Module.

4. Click “Change” button
 Configure Ethernet module
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5. Under Connections select Exclusive Owner with IO-Link I/O + Status + Events
6. Change the Size type to INT
7. Verify the default size.
a. 8 port Modules Input=223 Output=151
b. 4 port Modules Input=123 Output=87
8. Click “OK” to complete the Module Setup

8 port Module Definition 4 port Module Definition

The default for the Data Type
is SINT. Change to INT.
 Configure IO Link Ports
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The installation of the EDS file results in the Controller Tags being populated with options for configuring the
AL1x2x module. The configuration settings can be found under the Controller Tags: <ModuleName>:C.

1. Double click on Controller Tags and expand the controller tag registered to the AL1x2x.
<ModuleName>:C
2. Configure each port’s function. By default all ports are designated to be IO-Link ports. See the
configuration of the port type at <ModuleName>:C.Port_Mode_Port_n (n=port number)
From section 8.4.4 of the AL1x2x
operating instructions

Note: See folder 7 of the AL1x2x Startup Package

for instructions on using the AL1x2x ports in digital
input or digital output mode

Example: Port 1-4 are configured to be IO link

devices. Continue to scroll down to view or
change the settings for ports 5-8 if necessary.
 Configure IO Link Ports
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3. Download program
 Input Data block
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1. Expand the Controller Input Tag <ModuleName>.I:Data to view the input data.
2. Verify communication to the IO-Link module with the <ModuleName>:I.ConnectionFaulted bit
a.<ModuleName>:I.ConnectionFaulted = 0 Module Connection OK
b.<ModuleName>:I.ConnectionFaulted = 1 Module Connection not OK
3. Optional: Import the Tag Descriptions.
a. In the AL1x2x Allen Bradley folder open the folder named “6. AL1x2x Sample Program.” Find the CSV
file containing the tag descriptions by opening the folder named “Tag and Logic Comments.”
 Input Data block
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4. Connect an IO-Link device(s) to the IO-Link configured port(s).

5. Getting the Process Input Data is possible by three methods:
a. Generic Input Process Data Add_On Instruction; go to step 6. Use for any IO-Link device.
b. ifm specific Add_On Instructions; go to step 19 on page 21. Use for ifm IO-Link devices.
c. View raw data in the Input Controller Tag <ModuleName:I.Data>; go to step 1A on page 25. Use
for any IO-Link device.
6. Open Folder 3 in the AL1x2x PLC Allen Bradley folder to find the Add_On Instructions.
a. Unzip the “AL1x2x AddOn Instruction.<date>.zip”
b. Open the folder named “1. Add_On Instruction-Generic Input Process Data” to find the
4 port and 8 port generic .L5X Add_On files.
 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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7. Import the Add_On Instruction to the PLC.

8. Select the appropriate .L5X for the application; 4 port or 8 port

 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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9. Click and drag the Add_On Instruction onto a rung of logic.

10. Enter a unique name for the Generic_nPORT_IOL, then right click on the name to
declare the new tag.
 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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11. Click Create in the New Tag window

12. In the Add_On Instruction fill the PLC_Input and PLC_Output with the
Input Data and Output Data of the AL1x2x Ethernet Module.
 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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13. Download the logic rung to the PLC and put the PLC in Run Mode
 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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14. Configure the Generic_nPort_IOL by entering the Port_Process_Data_Size and Port_Number values
a. By eds default the Port_Process_Data_Size = 4 indicating 32 bytes

From section 8.4.3 of the AL1x2x

operating instructions

b. Connect an IO-Link Device to a port on the AL1x2x and enter the port number in the
Add_On Instruction.
c. IOL_Mode is True
15. Find the values coming from the IO-Link device.
a. IN_Data1
b. Vendor_ID
c. Device ID

Example: The ifm TD2837

is connected to Port 1 of
the AL1x2x
 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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16. To interpret the input process data from a connected IO-Link device
use the “IO Device Description.”
a. For ifm devices go to the ifm global website, text search the IO-Link device’s article
number and click the button.
b. Click the article number in the search results to go to the datasheet.

Example: TD2837 search

 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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c. From the datasheet click Downloads

d. Scroll down through the downloads to find and download the IO Device Description PDF
 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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17. View the TD2837’s IO Device Description File. The highlighted areas show the cyclic data
needed to interpret the Input Process Data.
 Generic IO-Link Add_On Instructions
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18. Reference previous page’s IO Device Description color codes to interpret the input data
Input Process Data from TD2837 is a 16 bit value

24.1⁰ C is the real process value interpreted from

the given Gradient and Unit of measure from the
TD2837’s IO Device Description
 ifm specific Add_On Instructions
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Interpreting the real process data from IO-Link devices will vary from device to device.
For ifm devices specific Add-On instruction have been created for the AL1x2x modules.

19. Open Folder 3 in the AL1x2x PLC Allen Bradley folder to find the Add_On Instructions.
a. Unzip the “AL1x2x AddOn Instruction.<date>.zip”
b. Open the Folder named “2. AddOn Instruction-ifm IOLink Devices” to find the
ifm specific 4 port and 8 port .L5X Add_On files.
 ifm specific Add_On Instructions
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20. Import the ifm specific Add_On Instruction.

Note: If needed reference steps 7-11 for help with steps 20-24.
21. Select the appropriate 4 Port or 8 Port ifm specific Add_On Instruction
22. Click and drag the Add_On Instruction onto a rung of logic.
23. Enter a unique name to the Add_On Instruction
24. Create the new tag.
25. Fill the PLC_Input with the Input data of the AL1x2x Ethernet Module.
26. Enter the Port’s Process Data Size from the Controller Tags
26. Enter the Port Number and Gradient. The Gradient is from the IO Device Description.
Note: See Pages 17 – 19 for instructions to get the IO Device Description for ifm devices
27. View the pre-interpreted real process data.

From section 8.4.3 of the AL1x2x

operating instructions
 Viewing IO-Link Device Input Data from AL1x2x
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Cyclic data can be viewed without Add_On Instructions in the Input Controller Tag of the AL1x2x Module.

1A. An IO-Link device is connected to port 1. The Device communication status and
information is mapped to <ModuleName>I.Data
IO-Link device Communication Status – Shown by expanding Data[23] for Port 1
IO-Link device Information – Reference the IO-Link device description of the connected IO-Link device
Example for ifm IO-Link device TD2837 connected to Port 1.
 Viewing IO-Link Device Input Data from AL1x2x
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2A. The IO-Link device’s process input data is mapped to <ModuleName>I.Data and
has a size of 32 bytes by default via the eds file.
8 port IO-Link modules
Process input data starts at Data[95] for Port 1
4 Port IO-Link modules
Process input data starts at Data[59] for Port 1
Example for ifm IO-Link device TD2837 connected to Port 1 on an 8 port IO-Link module.

Note: The process Data is 16 words (32 bytes). This is configured by the Process Data Size configuration tag.
From section 8.4.3
of the AL1x2x
operating
instructions
 Viewing IO-Link Device Input Data from AL1x2x
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3A. To interpret the input process data from a connected IO-Link device
use the “IO Device Description.”
a. For ifm devices go to the ifm global website, text search the IO-Link device’s article
number and click the button.
b. Click the article number in the search results to go to the datasheet.

Example: TD2837 search

 Viewing IO-Link Device Input Data from AL1x2x
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c. From the datasheet click Downloads

d. Scroll down through the downloads to find and download the IO Device Description PDF
 Viewing IO-Link Device Input Data from AL1x2x
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4A. View the TD2837 IO Device Description File. The highlighted areas show the cyclic data
needed to interpret the Input Process Data.
 Viewing IO-Link Device Input Data from AL1x2x
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5A. Reference previous page’s IO Device Description color codes to interpret the input data

23.0⁰ C is the real process value interpreted

from the given Gradient and Unit of measure
from the TD2837’s IO Device Description
Note: Data [95] for 8-port block
Data [59] for 4-port block

Input Process Data from TD2837 is a 16 bit value