Quick Sizing & Sourcing Snapshot
- Manufacturer: GE Fanuc (Emerson Machine Automation)
- Part Number: IC670GBI002
- System Platform: GE Fanuc Field Control / Genius I/O System
- Hardware Type: Bus Interface Unit (BUI – Head Module)
- Architectural Role: Acts as the “Head” of a Field Control I/O station, mounting on a Terminal Block to link up to 8 I/O modules to the Genius Bus and distributing 6.5V DC power to the backplane.
- Key Specifications: 24V DC Power (18-30V Range), 8 I/O Module Capacity, 128 Bytes I/O Data.
System Architecture & Operational Principle
The is the “Brain” and power hub of a GE Fanuc Field Control (Genius I/O) remote station, sitting at Purdue Level 1 (Field I/O). It does not occupy a standard rack slot; instead, it plugs vertically onto a specific Terminal Block (Base) (e.g., IC670TBM002) which is DIN-rail mounted.
Upstream, it connects to the Genius Bus (via Twinaxial cable, 50 Ohm) from a Host Controller (Series 90-30, 90-70, RX3i, or LM90). It speaks the Genius Bus Protocol (153.6 kbps, deterministic).
Internal Processing, it manages the scan list for the station. It exchanges 128 Bytes of Input (from field to PLC) and 128 Bytes of Output (from PLC to field) per bus sweep. It also handles Genius Datagrams (peer-to-peer messages) and diagnostics.
Downstream, it is the power boss. It takes the external 24V DC (landed on the Terminal Block) and regulates it down to 6.5V DC (max 1.4A) which it distributes via the backplane pins to the 8 I/O modules (e.g., IC670MDLxxx, IC670ALGxxx) plugged in beside it. It monitors the health of these modules; if one is pulled (hot-swap), it notifies the host without crashing the scan. It supports Hot Standby CPU redundancy—if the primary PLC fails, the BUI maintains I/O state until the backup syncs.
Core Technical Specifications
- Power Input: 24V DC (Range: 18-30V DC), 16.8W Max Consumption
- Output Power: 6.5V DC @ 1.4A (To I/O Modules via Backplane)
- Module Capacity: 8 Field I/O Modules (Max per Station)
- Data Capacity: 128 Bytes Input / 128 Bytes Output (Per Bus Scan)
- Communication: Genius Bus (153.6 kbps, Shielded Twinaxial, 50 Ohm)
- Isolation: 1500V AC (Bus to Logic/Backplane)
- Indicators: PWR (24V Present), OK (Self-Test Pass), RUN (Bus Active), FAULT (I/O Issue), I/O ENBL (Data Valid), FORCE (Forced I/O)
- Hot-Swap: Yes (Module Removal/Insertion supported with compatible firmware)
- Config Storage: Non-Volatile (Stored in Terminal Block Memory)
- Operating Temp: 0°C to +55°C (Non-Condensing)
