The FX-USB-AW is Mitsubishi Electric’s USB-to-RS-422 programming cable for the MELSEC FX series compact PLC range — providing a USB Type-A (PC side) to mini-DIN RS-422 (FX PLC side) connection that enables GX Works2 and GX Developer programming software to communicate with FX0N, FX1N, FX2N, FX3G, FX3U, FX3UC, FX5U, and compatible FX series PLC base units for program upload/download, online monitoring, device monitoring, and parameter access from any modern PC with a USB port. In stock at Atlantech Drives. Request your quote within 24-48 hours with worldwide shipping and 12-month warranty.
What Is the FX-USB-AW?
The FX-USB-AW is a dedicated USB programming interface cable for Mitsubishi MELSEC FX series compact PLCs, implementing a USB-to-RS-422 protocol conversion within the cable body — the PC’s USB port provides both the communication interface and the 5 VDC power supply for the cable’s internal USB-to-RS-422 converter circuit, eliminating the need for a separate power supply. The cable’s USB Type-A connector plugs into any PC USB port and installs as a virtual COM port using Mitsubishi’s supplied USB driver, making the FX PLC appear to GX Works2 and GX Developer as a serial RS-422 device on a standard COM port number. The mini-DIN 8-pin RS-422 connector at the PLC end mates with the FX series built-in RS-422 programming port (the standard circular mini-DIN connector present on all FX0N, FX1N, FX2N, FX3G, FX3U, and FX3UC base units) — enabling direct connection without adapters for the majority of FX series models. The FX-USB-AW is the standard USB programming cable for new FX series PLC installations replacing the older SC-09 RS-232C-to-RS-422 programming cable that required a native RS-232C serial port on the programming PC — the FX-USB-AW’s USB interface makes it universally compatible with modern laptops and PCs that have USB ports but no native RS-232C port.
Key Technical Specifications
- Model: FX-USB-AW
- PC-Side Connector: USB Type-A
- PLC-Side Connector: Mini-DIN 8-pin RS-422 (FX series built-in programming port)
- Internal Conversion: USB to RS-422 (chip-based protocol conversion within cable body)
- Driver: Mitsubishi USB driver (virtual COM port, Windows compatible)
- Communication Speed: Up to 115,200 bps
- Power Supply: From USB bus (no external power required)
- Cable Length: Approx. 1.5 metres
- Compatible PLCs: FX0N, FX1N, FX1NC, FX2N, FX2NC, FX3G, FX3GC, FX3U, FX3UC, FX3S, FX5U, FX5UC (verify per model)
- Compatible Software: GX Works2, GX Works3 (FX5U), GX Developer
- Operating Temperature: 0°C to 55°C
- Operating Systems: Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit) with Mitsubishi USB driver
Compatibility & System Integration
The FX-USB-AW is compatible with the complete MELSEC FX series from FX0N through FX3UC — all models with the standard mini-DIN 8-pin RS-422 built-in programming port. For FX5U and FX5UC models (the current-generation iQ-F series), the FX-USB-AW connects to the FX5U’s built-in mini-DIN port using the same connector, though for FX5U GX Works3 programming, the USB Type-B port built into the FX5U CPU module may be the preferred direct connection method. The FX-USB-AW driver must be installed on the programming PC before first use — Mitsubishi provides the driver via its FA library website and the driver is also included on the CD supplied with the cable. On Windows 10 and Windows 11 64-bit systems, verify that the driver version supports 64-bit operation — older FX-USB-AW driver versions designed for 32-bit Windows may require an updated driver download from Mitsubishi’s website for 64-bit OS compatibility. After driver installation, Windows Device Manager lists the FX-USB-AW as a virtual COM port (COMx) — configure GX Works2’s connection settings to use this COM port number with the RS-422 communication protocol and the FX series PLC type for the specific connected model. The FX-USB-AW supports simultaneous connection of only one FX PLC at a time — unlike Ethernet-based programming connections, the USB cable provides a dedicated point-to-point connection between one programming PC and one FX PLC. For facilities requiring simultaneous programming access to multiple FX PLCs, each PLC requires a separate FX-USB-AW and PC USB port (or USB hub with individual cable connections per PLC).
Troubleshooting Guide
The most common FX-USB-AW issue is GX Works2 failing to detect the FX PLC after correct driver installation — the virtual COM port is assigned but GX Works2 reports «Cannot connect to CPU.» Verify the COM port number assigned to the FX-USB-AW in Windows Device Manager matches the COM port configured in GX Works2’s connection settings — a mismatch between the Device Manager COM port assignment and GX Works2’s configured port is the most frequent cause of this fault. If the assigned COM port number is above COM9 (for example COM12 or COM15), some versions of GX Works2 and GX Developer cannot address COM ports above COM9 — use Windows Device Manager to manually reassign the FX-USB-AW’s COM port to a number below COM9 (right-click the COM port entry, select Properties > Port Settings > Advanced > COM Port Number). For FX-USB-AW cables generating «USB device not recognised» errors on initial connection in Windows 10/11, the installed driver may be incompatible with the current OS version — download the latest FX-USB-AW driver from Mitsubishi’s FA library website and reinstall, specifically selecting the 64-bit driver version for 64-bit Windows installations. For intermittent communication dropouts during GX Works2 online monitoring on longer sessions, Windows USB power management settings may be selectively suspending the USB port to save power — disable the USB Selective Suspend setting in Windows Power Options Advanced Settings to prevent the OS from interrupting the FX-USB-AW’s USB connection during monitoring sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can the FX-USB-AW be used simultaneously with an HMI panel connected to the FX PLC’s built-in RS-422 port?
A: No. The FX-USB-AW connects to the FX PLC’s built-in RS-422 programming port — the same port used for GOT HMI panel communication. Only one device can be connected to this port at a time. If a GOT HMI panel is permanently connected to the built-in RS-422 port, the FX-USB-AW requires disconnection of the HMI panel for programming access, or the FX PLC must have a communication option board (FX2N-485-BD, FX3U-232-BD, etc.) providing an additional serial port for HMI connection while the built-in RS-422 port is used for programming.
Q: Does the FX-USB-AW support programming at the full FX PLC communication speed of 115,200 bps?
A: Yes. The FX-USB-AW supports communication speeds up to 115,200 bps — the maximum RS-422 communication speed supported by FX series PLCs. GX Works2 automatically negotiates the fastest supported communication speed with the connected FX PLC. At 115,200 bps, a typical FX3U program of 8,000 steps transfers in approximately 3–5 seconds, making the FX-USB-AW adequate for standard programming tasks without noticeable transfer delays.
Q: What is the difference between the FX-USB-AW and the older SC-09 RS-232C programming cable?
A: The SC-09 was the original FX series programming cable using RS-232C on the PC side — requiring a native DB9 RS-232C serial port on the programming PC that most modern laptops and PCs no longer have. The FX-USB-AW uses USB on the PC side, compatible with all modern PCs. The SC-09 and FX-USB-AW use the same mini-DIN RS-422 connector at the PLC end and provide identical programming functionality — the FX-USB-AW is the direct replacement for the SC-09 in all FX series programming applications.
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