General Electric IC697BEM761 Series 90-70 I/O Interface Module

Description

The General Electric IC697BEM761 is a specialized Series 90-70 I/O interface module designed to bridge IC697 I/O racks with the I/O bus of an IC600 programmable controller. Operating as an intelligent module, it reads and writes data to individual I/O modules residing within the rack, seamlessly exchanging this data with the IC600 CPU via the communication bus. This component enables legacy integration across complex industrial control architectures.

This module supports up to eight standard racks per I/O system, or up to sixteen racks when utilizing complementary addressing configurations. Each IC697 rack is assigned up to 256 maximum discrete I/O points, allowing system capacities to reach 2,000 addressable points under standard setups or 4,000 points with complementary addressing. The module requires a dedicated slot placement and a minimum register allocation within the host PLC architecture for proper operational synchronization.

Features

• Provides direct communication interface between IC697 I/O modules and the IC600 PLC I/O bus
• Supports up to 8 racks per system standard, expandable to 16 racks with complementary addressing
• Accommodates up to 256 maximum I/O points per rack (2,000 points per system standard)
• Equipped with onboard LED indicators (Rack, Module, I/O Chain) for real-time diagnostic monitoring
• Integrated line termination resistor packages configurable for end-of-chain or mid-chain topologies
• Designed in accordance with VME standard C.1 mechanical and electrical specifications

Applications

• Legacy GE Fanuc Series 90-70 and IC600 PLC control system integration
• Industrial manufacturing automation and distributed I/O rack expansion
• Process control systems requiring hybrid rack bridging and extended cabling topologies
• Retrofitting and expansion of established multi-rack PLC architectures

Technical Specifications

Connections / Interfaces

• I/O Bus Connectors: Two 37-pin D-shell connectors for upstream and downstream IC600 local I/O chain cabling
• Slot Location: Must be installed in Slot 1 of the IC697 rack (directly adjacent to the power supply)
• Rack Addressing: Configured via physical jumper blocks located on the rack backplane behind the power supply
• Termination: Dual configurable line termination resistor packages (Positions A and B)

Installation Guidelines

Ensure all rack power is completely disconnected before inserting or removing the IC697BEM761 module or any connected I/O boards.
Mount the module firmly into Slot 1 of the IC697 rack using the card guides and backplane connectors.
Configure the rack backplane jumpers to set the correct rack identification number corresponding to the system I/O mapping table.
Connect upstream and downstream 37-pin I/O bus cables to the appropriate upper and lower connectors, reversing D-connector housing shells if required by cable orientation.
Set the line termination resistor packages to Position A if the module is located at the physical end of the I/O chain, or Position B for all other mid-chain locations.