The FX3U-32CCL is Mitsubishi Electric’s CC-Link Ver.2 local station module for the MELSEC FX3U compact PLC series, enabling a FX3U base unit to participate in a CC-Link network as a local station — a CC-Link station type with its own CPU and program executing independently while simultaneously sharing data with the CC-Link master station via the network link relay (B) and link register (W) device areas. Unlike the FX3U-64CCL intelligent device station module which only exchanges remote I/O data, the FX3U-32CCL local station enables the FX3U to execute its own machine control program autonomously while communicating production data, status, and setpoints with a supervising master PLC — the preferred architecture for distributed machine control where each machine controller must operate independently even if network communication is temporarily interrupted. The FX3U-32CCL is available through Atlantech Drives — quote within 24-48 hours, worldwide express shipping, 12-month warranty.
What Is the FX3U-32CCL?
The FX3U-32CCL is a MELSEC FX3U series special function module implementing the CC-Link local station protocol, installed in the FX3U right-side extension bus. As a local station, the FX3U-32CCL enables the FX3U CPU to access the CC-Link network’s shared link device area — link relays (B devices) and link registers (W devices) are refreshed cyclically between the FX3U-32CCL and the CC-Link master, making shared network data available to the FX3U program via standard B and W device ladder instructions as if the data were stored in local FX3U devices. The local station architecture differs fundamentally from the FX3U-64CCL intelligent device station: in a local station, the FX3U program reads and writes network B/W devices directly, while in an intelligent device station, data exchange is managed via remote RX/RY and RWr/RWw registers with the FROM/TO interface. The local station architecture is the more flexible of the two — the FX3U program has full direct access to the shared link device space and can implement sophisticated inter-controller logic using the shared data — but requires the connected CC-Link master to be compatible with CC-Link local station protocol (standard in Mitsubishi QJ61BT11N and RJ61BT11 master modules).
Key Technical Specifications
- Model: FX3U-32CCL
- Function: CC-Link Ver.2 local station
- Network: CC-Link (Ver.1 and Ver.2)
- Station Type: Local station (autonomous CPU with shared link device access)
- Occupied Stations: 1 to 4 (configurable via DIP switch)
- Link Relays (B devices): Up to 512 points (Ver.2 ×8 extended cyclic with 4 stations)
- Link Registers (W devices): Up to 128 words (Ver.2 ×8 extended cyclic)
- Transmission Speed: 156 kbps to 10 Mbps (auto-detected from master)
- Station Number: 1 to 64 (DIP switch)
- Bus Connector: 5-pin CC-Link dedicated connector
- Extension Bus Occupation: 32 I/O points
- Current Consumption: 0.09 A at 5 VDC; 0.06 A at 24 VDC
- Operating Temperature: 0°C to 55°C
- Weight: Approx. 0.18 kg
Architecture & Design Overview
The FX3U-32CCL implements the CC-Link local station protocol stack in a dedicated communication processor within the module, managing the CC-Link token passing, cyclic data exchange, and error handling independently of the FX3U CPU scan cycle. The module maintains a local copy of the CC-Link shared link device area (B relays and W registers), which is refreshed from the master’s transmitted data in each CC-Link network scan cycle. The FX3U CPU accesses the shared B and W device addresses directly via standard ladder instructions — reading from a B or W device address that is mapped to the FX3U-32CCL’s link device space returns the value last received from the CC-Link master or another local station on the network, and writing to a B or W address in the FX3U’s own station data area places the data into the module’s transmission buffer for broadcast to the master in the next network scan cycle. This seamless integration of CC-Link network data into the FX3U’s native device address space — without FROM/TO instruction overhead — is the key architectural advantage of the local station approach over the intelligent device station (FX3U-64CCL). The FX3U-32CCL’s local station protocol also enables direct station-to-station data exchange between multiple FX3U local stations on the same CC-Link network without master involvement — one FX3U local station writes to a link relay, and another FX3U local station on the same network reads the same link relay, creating peer-to-peer communication between FX3U controllers without routing through the master CPU.
Replacement & Upgrade Notes
The FX3U-32CCL is the successor to the FX2N-32CCL (CC-Link Ver.1 local station module for the FX2N platform) in systems migrating from FX2N to FX3U while retaining the existing CC-Link network infrastructure. When replacing an FX2N-32CCL with an FX3U-32CCL, the CC-Link Ver.2 compatibility of the FX3U-32CCL is backward compatible with Ver.1 network configurations — if the existing CC-Link network operates at Ver.1, the FX3U-32CCL operates in Ver.1 mode automatically without any configuration changes. The FX3U program’s B and W device address structure for CC-Link communication migrates directly from FX2N programs — the same B and W device ladder instructions used on the FX2N-32CCL continue to work on the FX3U-32CCL without modification, as the CC-Link local station protocol and address mapping are identical between the FX2N and FX3U platforms. For long-term planning, the FX5U (iQ-F) series with its built-in CC-Link IE Field Network capability represents the upgrade path from FX3U CC-Link infrastructure — the FX5U-CCL-MS add-on module provides CC-Link Ver.2 backward compatibility for connecting to legacy CC-Link slave devices while the FX5U itself participates in a CC-Link IE Field Network managed by a MELSEC iQ-R supervisory controller.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between the FX3U-32CCL local station and the FX3U-64CCL intelligent device station?
A: The FX3U-32CCL local station gives the FX3U CPU direct access to CC-Link shared link B relay and W register devices using standard ladder instructions — the FX3U program reads and writes B/W devices as if they were internal devices. The FX3U-64CCL intelligent device station exchanges data via remote RX/RY and RWr/RWw registers using FROM/TO buffer memory instructions. Local stations provide more flexible inter-controller communication and peer-to-peer data sharing; intelligent device stations are simpler to configure and suitable for straightforward master-to-FX3U command and status exchange. For complex multi-controller systems where FX3U controllers need to share data directly with each other, the local station FX3U-32CCL is preferred; for simple supervisor-to-machine command exchange, the FX3U-64CCL is sufficient.
Q: Can the FX3U-32CCL communicate directly with another FX3U-32CCL local station without going through the master?
A: Yes. In a CC-Link network with multiple local stations, all stations share the same link device space — a B relay written by one local station is broadcast to all other stations in the network (master and local stations) in the next network scan cycle. This enables direct peer-to-peer data sharing between FX3U local stations: station 1 writes to B100, and station 2 reads B100 to receive the data, with the master routing the data transparently. This architecture is used in distributed assembly line systems where adjacent FX3U station controllers need to handshake workpiece transfers directly without supervisory controller involvement.
Q: How is the occupied station count configured on the FX3U-32CCL?
A: The occupied station count (1–4 stations) is set via DIP switches on the FX3U-32CCL module front panel. Each occupied station increases the link device capacity — 1 occupied station provides 64 B relays and 16 W registers in Ver.1 mode; with 4 occupied stations and Ver.2 ×8 extended cyclic, up to 512 B relays and 128 W registers are available. The master station’s GX Works2 CC-Link network configuration must specify the same occupied station count as the physical DIP switch setting on the FX3U-32CCL for the local station to initialise correctly on the network.
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