Fl-Net - Omron CS1W-FLN22 Operation Manual

FL-net

2-1 FL-net
FL-net Concept
1,2,3...
Computers
Controllers
Devices
16
FL-net is an Ethernet-based FA control network.
FL-net supports both cyclic transmission and message transmission func-
tions.
The basic concepts of FL-net are as follows:
1. To use Ethernet as the medium for communications between FA control-
lers.
2. To offer UDP/IP, which are widely used protocols in Ethernet communica-
tions, as the basic means for data communications.
3. To manage and control access of each node in the network to the commu-
nications media (to avoid collisions) and to ensure transmission within a
fixed time period, while using the above-mentioned basic means for data
communications.
FL-net is an FA control network enabling the exchange of data between con-
trol devices in manufacturing systems, such as programmable controllers
(PLCs), robot controllers (RCs), and computerized numeric controllers
(CNCs), and personal computers used for controlling them.
The following diagram shows the location of devices in an FL-net system.
Personal
Personal
Personal
computer
computer
computer
Host LAN Ethernet (TCP/IP, UDP)
FL-net Ethernet-based Control Network
PLC PLC
DeviceNet or other network
Server
EWS
PLC
Personal
computer
Sensors
Actuators
OMRON CX-FLnet or
FL-net Unit Support Software
Section 2-1
WAN
RC
CNC