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I have an indexing application with a logix processor and an Ultra3000 drive. Which communication option should I use? Discrete, DeviceNet or Sercos?

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If using logix, their is really only one answer in my mind - Sercos - although if it is truly a simple indexing application, you can also use discrete commands to simply tell the drive to go and barely have any feedback at all to the PLC.

Sercos is not much more expensive, especially when it takes less time to startup an axis of motion. Here are my reasons to pick Sercos over Devicenet:

  1. Integrated programming with RSLogix, no messing around with Ultraware
  2. Integrated drive configuration, if a drive has to be replaced, all of the brains reside in the logix processor. Just swap it out
  3. Trending in RSLogix can go a long way in identifying problems during commissioning. You can't trend drive feedback in real-time with Devicenet, and the trending in Ultraware is just confusing and hard to use
  4. Tuning and setup is much easier through RSLogix
  5. Real-time motion feedback
  6. More and easier expansion options
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Sercos for sure. Devicenet is limited in terms of expansion and setup is difficult. I only used DeviceNet once, and that was because CompactLogix didn't have motion cards back then.

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Thanks Darryl, I made my answer above better! – Jeremy Sluyters♦ Nov 13 at 17:34
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My "devil's advocate" arguement(s) for Device Net would be the ability to integrate other 3rd party equipment over device net. For example - in my previous job, we often used Festo valve banks and Balluff LDT's along with Ultra3000's. On small machines, it was extremely cost effective...

Also, if looking for a super low cost yet flexible solution, you could buy a Micro Logix 1500 with DNet card for less about $1,200(CND)... That price is hard to beat given the ML1500 28BXB base gives you 16 inputs and 12 outputs as well.

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