The FX2N-64MR-ES/UL is Mitsubishi Electric’s 64-point relay output base unit for the MELSEC FX2N compact PLC series, providing 32 digital inputs and 32 relay contact outputs in a self-contained AC-powered controller with UL listing — the highest relay output I/O count available as a single FX2N base unit, widely installed in large standalone machine controllers, multi-zone process control panels, and complex material handling systems requiring extensive relay output coverage without a modular PLC architecture. As the largest relay output FX2N base unit, the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL commands the highest maintenance replacement demand in the FX2N product family due to its use in complex, high-value production equipment where platform migration carries significant risk and cost. Atlantech Drives holds stock of the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL. Contact us for fast worldwide delivery and competitive pricing.
What Is the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL?
The FX2N-64MR-ES/UL is a MELSEC FX2N series compact PLC base unit providing 32 input points (X0–X37, octal numbering) and 32 relay contact output points (Y0–Y37, octal), housed in the widest standard FX2N housing with a built-in 100–240 VAC power supply. The 32 relay outputs are organised in four independent common groups of 8 points each, with separate common terminals per group enabling different output groups to control loads at different voltages simultaneously — critical for complex machine panels where output groups are assigned to different voltage levels (24 VDC control circuit, 110 VAC valve actuators, 230 VAC motor contactors) from the same base unit. The FX2N CPU provides 0.08 µs per basic instruction execution, 8,000-step standard program memory (expandable to 16,000 steps with FX2N-ROM-E1 cassette), 4 built-in high-speed counter inputs at up to 60 kHz, and pulse output on Y0 at 20 kHz. The FX2N-64MR-ES/UL expands via FX2N extension modules to a maximum of 256 total I/O, supporting the complete FX2N special function module ecosystem for analogue, positioning, temperature control, and field network communication.
Key Technical Specifications
- Model: FX2N-64MR-ES/UL
- Total I/O Points: 64 (32 inputs + 32 outputs)
- Input Type: 24 VDC sink (X0–X37)
- Output Type: Relay contact (Y0–Y37), 2 A per point, 240 VAC / 30 VDC
- Output Common Groups: 4 groups of 8 points (independent commons)
- Power Supply: 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz
- Certification: UL listed
- Program Memory: 8,000 steps (16,000 with FX2N-ROM-E1 cassette)
- Execution Speed: 0.08 µs per LD instruction
- Built-in High-Speed Counters: 4 inputs (60 kHz single-phase, 30 kHz AB quadrature)
- Built-in Pulse Output: Y0 up to 20 kHz
- Communication: RS-422 (built-in)
- Battery: FX2N-1BL or FX2N-32BL lithium battery
- Expansion: Up to 256 total I/O via FX2N extension modules
- Operating Temperature: 0°C to 55°C
- Dimensions (W × H × D): 220 mm × 90 mm × 87 mm
- Weight: Approx. 1.25 kg
Series Comparison & Selection Guide
Within the FX2N relay output base unit range, the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL occupies the top position with 32 inputs and 32 relay outputs, versus 16 inputs and 16 outputs for the FX2N-32MR-ES/UL and 8 inputs and 8 outputs for the FX2N-16MR-ES/UL. The four independent relay output common groups of the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL provide significantly more voltage-zone flexibility than the two groups of the FX2N-32MR-ES/UL — this four-common architecture is specifically valuable for multi-voltage machine panels common in the process industry where field devices operate at 24 VDC, 110 VAC, and 230 VAC from the same controller. When evaluating the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL as a maintenance replacement versus its successor the FX3U-64MR/ES-A: the FX3U provides 3× faster instruction execution, double the program memory (16,000 steps versus 8,000, or 32,000 with memory cassette), and compatibility with the FX3U expansion ecosystem. However, the FX3U-64MR/ES-A is not a standard catalogue model — Mitsubishi’s FX3U relay output range tops out at 80 points (FX3U-80MR/ES-A), so for 64-point relay output requirements the closest FX3U equivalent is the FX3U-64MR which may require special ordering. In practice, most FX2N-64MR-ES/UL maintenance replacements specify the same FX2N model for operational continuity, with platform migration deferred to a planned upgrade cycle.
Replacement & Upgrade Notes
Sourcing the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL for maintenance replacement requires accessing specialist industrial electronics distributors since the model is discontinued from Mitsubishi’s production. When evaluating replacement units, verify the firmware version compatibility with the existing FX2N program — later FX2N firmware revisions include instruction set additions that may be used in programs developed on later hardware, causing instruction incompatibility on earlier firmware base units. Request the firmware version from the supplier and verify against the version of the failed unit if available. For facilities managing multiple FX2N-64MR-ES/UL installations, establishing a spare parts holding of one replacement unit per five installed units is a standard maintenance strategy for legacy PLC platforms, given the lead time variability in sourcing discontinued products. When the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL maintenance replacement cannot be sourced and platform migration becomes necessary, the FX3U-80MR/ES-A (40 inputs, 40 relay outputs) is the closest functional equivalent in the current FX3U range — providing more relay outputs (40 versus 32) and more inputs (40 versus 32) than the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL, with the FX3U’s improved performance, and using the FX3U-CNV-BD adapter to reuse existing FX2N extension I/O modules during the transition period while FX2N special function modules are replaced with FX3U-compatible equivalents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL run a program developed and stored on an FX2N-ROM-E1 memory cassette from another FX2N unit?
A: Yes. The FX2N-ROM-E1 flash ROM memory cassette stores the PLC program in non-volatile memory and is interchangeable between FX2N base units — inserting an FX2N-ROM-E1 cassette programmed on one FX2N-64MR-ES/UL into a replacement unit of the same model causes the replacement unit to boot with the cassette’s stored program. This cassette-based program transfer is the fastest method for emergency base unit replacement on the factory floor, eliminating the need for a GX Works2-equipped laptop to reprogram the replacement unit.
Q: Does the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL’s 8,000-step standard memory limit apply to the total program including subroutines and interrupts, or only to the main program?
A: The 8,000-step program memory limit applies to the total program including all ladder rungs, subroutines, interrupt service routines, and step programs (SFC). The step count includes all instructions — coil instructions, contact instructions, function instructions, and application instructions all consume steps in proportion to their complexity. The FX2N-ROM-E1 memory cassette increases the available program space to 16,000 steps for the combined total of all program elements. If a program developed on a system with the memory cassette installed is to be run on a base unit without the cassette, the program must be verified to fit within the 8,000-step limit before deployment.
Q: What is the UL listing number for the FX2N-64MR-ES/UL, and what does the UL listing certify?
A: The FX2N-64MR-ES/UL carries UL 508 (Industrial Control Equipment) listing, certifying the product for use in industrial control panels in North American installations governed by the National Electrical Code (NEC) and Canadian Electrical Code (CEC). The UL listing verifies that the product has been tested to withstand the electrical, thermal, and mechanical stresses defined in UL 508 for programmable controllers. For Canadian installations, the product also carries cUL (Canadian UL) certification under equivalent CSA standards. The UL listing does not address application safety — SIL or PLd functional safety ratings are not implied by UL 508 listing.
Do you need more references from this brand? Explore our full catalog of Mitsubishi here: https://atlantechdrives.com/manufacturers/mitsubishi/
