How to update the firmware of an X20AT4222 module connected behind a BC0063 bus controller (e.g. with an ABB PLC, no B&R CPU)

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1

Hi everyone,

We have a system that uses an ABB PLC as the main controller (not a B&R PLC). On the field side, the ABB PLC communicates with a B&R bus controller BC0063, and behind the BC0063 we have several I/O slices, including temperature input modules X20AT4222.

Now we need to update the firmware of the AT4222 modules to a newer version. However, since there is no B&R PLC / Automation Runtime in the system, we are not sure how the firmware update can be performed in this setup:

  1. Is it possible to update the AT4222 firmware through the BC0063 bus controller, e.g. via the ABB PLC over the fieldbus, without using Automation Studio and a B&R CPU?
  2. If a B&R PLC is strictly required, is there any recommended procedure or temporary setup (e.g. connecting a B&R PLC just for the firmware update) to accomplish this?
  3. Are there any tools, service interfaces, or official documentation that describe the firmware update process for X20 I/O modules in a “foreign controller” (third-party master) configuration?

Any advice or experience on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

2

Hi Shenyang,

there is no way to transfer firmware to modules in this setup.

A firmware download requires always a B&R PLC as “master”. If there is a Powerlink bus controller in the setup with a B&R PLC, of course this works. With all other bus controllers like the BC0063 this will also not work with a B&R PLC.

And no, there is no tool or something that this can be achieved without a B&R PLC.

The simplest way is to use a (small) X20 B&R PLC for this use case. Simply connect the (temperature-)modules to the PLC, make an empty Automation Studio project with only included the relevant hardware with the desired FW versions and download it to the PLC. Once the X20 modules have the firmware, they will not loose it, also when they are connected to a BC0063 or any other bus controller.

BR, Samuel