Rockwell Automation MD65 EtherNet/IP Communication Module - Manual (Page 66)

8-2 EtherNet/IP Communications Module
Benefits of Multi-Drive mode include:
• Lower hardware costs. Only one MDCOMM-ENET module is
needed for up to five drives. The MD60 can also be used for the
daisy-chained drives instead of MD65 drives.
• Reduces the network node count. For example, in Single mode
30 drives would consume 30 nodes. In Multi-Drive mode, 30
drives can be connected in 6 nodes.
• Provides a means to put MD60 drives on EtherNet/IP (MD60
drives do not have an internal communications module slot).
• Controller can control, monitor, and read/write parameters for all
five drives.
The trade-offs of Multi-Drive mode include:
• If the MD65 drive with the MDCOMM-ENET module is powered
down, then communications with the daisy-chained drives is
disrupted and the drives will take the appropriate communications
loss action set in each drive.
• Communications throughput to the daisy-chained drives will be
slower than if each drive was a separate node on EtherNet/IP
(Single mode). This is because the MDCOMM-ENET module
must take the EtherNet/IP data for the other drives and
sequentially send the respective data to each drive over RS-485.
The approximate additional throughput time for Logic Command/
Reference to be transmitted and received by each drive is:
Figure 8.2 – Multi-Drive Mode Example for Network
EtherNet/IP
up to 5 drives per node
MD65
MDCOMM-ENET
Up to 4 MD65 or MD60 Drives
AK-U0-RJ45-TB2P
Connector with
Terminating Resistor
AK-U0-RJ45-TB2P
Connector with
Terminating Resistor
AK-U0-RJ45-TB2P RS-485