How to determine which SAFEX safe data exchange method should be used

Content

In this How-To we will show you three safe data exchange methods and help determine which one may be best for your application

Things to consider

• Is there an EtherCAT network?

• Are SAFEX-C.1x controls in the same EtherCAT network or different EtherCAT networks?

• Is there more than one ctrlX CORE?

• Is there a SAFEX-C.12 or a SAFEX-C.15?

• Number of SAFEX-C.1x controllers?

• Amount of safe data exchange needed?

• Project management, is there one or more ctrlX SAFETY Engineering projects?

SAFEX-C.12-to-SAFEX-C.12 two safe data exchange methods

1. Safety over EtherCAT (FSoE) on Ethernet Interface 1 XF28/XF29 (Primary), same EtherCAT network

2. Safe MainInstance-to-MainInstance Communication (SMMC) over EtherCAT Automation Protocol (EAP) on Ethernet Interface 1 XF28/XF29 (Primary), different EtherCAT networks

SAFEX-C.15-to-SAFEX-C.15 three safe data exchange methods

1. Safety over EtherCAT (FSoE) on Ethernet Interface 1 XF28/XF29 (Primary), same EtherCAT network

2. Safe MainInstance-to-MainInstance Communication (SMMC) over EtherCAT Automation Protocol (EAP) on Ethernet Interface 1 XF28/XF29 (Primary), different EtherCAT networks

3. Safe MainInstance-to-MainInstance Communication (SMMC) over TCP/IP Ethernet Interface 2 XF30/XF31 (Secondary), no EtherCAT network needed

SAFEX-to-SAFEX safe data communication methods:

1. Method #1 FSoE (SAFEX-C.12/SAFEX-C.15)

• Up to 9* ctrlX SAFETY controllers via Safety over EtherCAT FSoE (maximum 256 bytes per direction)

• Allows connection within single EtherCAT network (ctrlX CORE/EtherCAT MInstance)

• 96 input/output bits per controller

• SubInstance-to-SubInstance data must pass through master controller

• Separate ctrlX SAFETY Engineering Projects for each SAFEX controller

• FSoE between ctrlX SAFETY controllers extends and scales capacity

  • in CPU power and

  • Number of I/O

2. Method #2 SMMC over EAP on Ethernet Interface 1 XF28/XF29 (SAFEX-C.12/SAFEX-C.15<->SAFEX-C.12/SAFEX-C.15)

• Up to 4 ctrlX SAFETY controllers via Safe-MInstance-to-MInstance-Communication (SMMC) over EtherCAT Automation Protocol (EAP)

• Allows connection between different EtherCAT networks (ctrlX CORE/EtherCAT MInstance)

• 32 output bits per controller

• Participants can read all controller output bits (no passing of data through an EtherCAT controller)

• SMMC participant status can monitored

• Single ctrlX SAFETY Engineering Project for all SAFEX controllers

• SMMC between ctrlX SAFETY controllers extends and scales capacity

  • in CPU power and

  • Number of I/O

3. Method #3 SMMC over TCP/IP on Ethernet Interface 2 XF30/XF31 (Secondary), SAFEX-C.15 only

• Up to 8 ctrlX SAFETY controllers via Safe-MInstance-to-MInstance-Communication (SMMC) over TCP/IP

• Allows a standalone connection between SAFEX-C.15 controllers without an EtherCAT network or independent of the EtherCAT network

• 32 output bits per controller

• Participants can read all controller output bits (no passing of data through an EtherCAT controller)

• SMMC participant status can be monitored

• Single ctrlX SAFETY Engineering Project for all SAFEX controllers

• SMMC between ctrlX SAFETY controllers extends and scales capacity

  • in CPU power and

  • Number of I/O

Summary

* Maximum FSoE data is 256 bytes. If other FSoE devices are used in the network this value is reduced

Additional Resources

• Bosch Rexroth ctrlX SAFETY Part1: SMMC Safety Master Master Communication

• Bosch Rexroth How-to: ctrlX AUTOMATION – SAFEX Functional exchange (FSoE) Part 2