Purchase now: Allen-Bradley 1756-L72 ControlLogix Controller
Purchase now: Atlantechdrives provides you the 1756-L72, a robust, high-performance programmable automation controller (PAC) belonging to the elite ControlLogix 5570 family, engineered by the global automation leaders at Rockwell Automation. Designed to serve as the critical intellectual brain of medium-to-large scale industrial manufacturing operations, the 1756-L72 is equipped with 4 Megabytes of dedicated user memory and 0.98 Megabytes of dedicated I/O data memory. This powerful controller seamlessly executes highly complex discrete manufacturing logic, advanced process control PID loops, and high-speed multi-axis CIP Motion instructions simultaneously, ensuring absolute precision without ever missing a critical scan cycle. Capable of supporting up to 500 Ethernet/IP nodes and seamlessly bridging networks via ControlNet and DeviceNet, this processor is the absolute industry standard for automotive assembly lines, massive packaging machinery, and continuous food processing plants where uninterrupted computational speed and flawless reliability are strictly mandatory.
Technical Specifications of the 1756-L72
The 1756-L72 utilizes a highly advanced dual-core architecture, dedicating one core to background communication tasks and the other exclusively to rapid logic execution, ensuring that heavy incoming HMI or SCADA network traffic never negatively impacts your critical machine response times.
- Part Number: 1756-L72
- Controller Family: ControlLogix 5570
- User Memory Capacity: 4 MB
- I/O Memory Capacity: 0.98 MB
- Programming Port: USB 2.0 (Type B) for fast local access
- Non-Volatile Storage: 1 GB Secure Digital (SD) Card included
- Energy Storage: Energy Storage Module (ESM) – Capacitor-based
- Supported Software: RSLogix 5000 (v20+) or Studio 5000 Logix Designer
Expert Tips: The Energy Storage Module (ESM) Revolution
Older generations of programmable controllers relied on internal lithium batteries to keep the volatile RAM active and prevent catastrophic program loss during a sudden factory power outage. Expert Tip: The 1756-L72 completely eliminates the massive maintenance headache and environmental hazards of dead PLC batteries by utilizing an advanced Energy Storage Module (ESM), part number 1756-ESMCAP. This removable module houses high-capacity industrial supercapacitors. When the main factory power fails, the ESM instantly provides just enough electrical juice to power the CPU for roughly 30 seconds. During this crucial, brief time window, the controller rapidly writes the entire contents of its volatile RAM directly onto the included non-volatile SD Card. When power is safely restored, the CPU loads the program back from the SD Card and resumes operation flawlessly. You will never have to schedule a lithium battery replacement or worry about losing a complex program overnight again.
Installation Advice: USB Port Utilization and Security
The front panel of the 1756-L72 features a highly convenient USB 2.0 port, which replaces the older, significantly slower RS-232 serial ports found on legacy L6 controllers. This USB port provides blisteringly fast firmware flashing and program downloads during the initial machine commissioning phase. However, automation engineers must clearly understand that this USB port is strictly designed for temporary, local programming access. It lacks the robust electrical isolation required for a permanent industrial network connection. Never leave a laptop or a permanent panel-mount HMI plugged into this USB port while the machine is in continuous production. A sudden electrical surge or severe static discharge could travel up the USB cable and instantly destroy the internal logic board.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Does this controller feature a built-in Ethernet port on the front faceplate?
A: No. Unlike the newer 5580 (L8) series controllers, the 1756-L72 strictly requires a separate communication bridge module, such as a 1756-EN2T or 1756-EN3TR, installed in the same chassis to communicate over an EtherNet/IP network.
Q: Can the 1756-L72 be used in a highly available redundant processor configuration?
A: Yes. The 1756-L72 fully supports high-availability ControlLogix Redundancy configurations. By pairing two identical L72 controllers in separate chassis connected via redundant fiber optic modules, the primary CPU will seamlessly and instantly failover to the secondary CPU if a hardware fault occurs, ensuring absolutely zero process downtime.
Do you need more references from this brand? Explore our full catalog of Allen-Bradley here.
