Using Bit-Packed Radios with a DXM Controller

This tech note will explain how to use the Bit Packing and Unpacking files with the DXM controller. The required equipment is a DXM700, DXM1000, or DXM1200 controller and up to 47 of P8 or P7 nodes.

P7 and P8 radios are Performance radios that have 12 configurable I/O. They are bit-packed radios, which means that all inputs are packed into a single register for each radio, and all outputs are packed into a separate register. It is possible to mix and match the IO so that you can have any combination of inputs and outputs that add up to 12 (7 in and 5 out, 3 in and 9 out, etc.). The Bit Packing and Unpacking files will unpack the single bit-packed input register into individual registers on the DXM that will just show a simple on/off value (1 or 0). The files will also handle the bit packing to control the outputs on the P7 or P8 radios. This allows the user to simply change a register from a “0” to a “1”, or vice versa, to turn on and off outputs on the P7 and P8 radios.

Lastly, these files are pre-configured to be compatible with ProfNet (up to 47 nodes) and Ethernet/IP (up to 17 nodes).