EtherNet/IP vs TCP/IP: what robot buyers need to specify

Compare the correct layers

EtherNet/IP and TCP/IP are not competing names for the same thing. ODVA describes EtherNet/IP as industrial communication using standard Ethernet and TCP/IP technologies with the Common Industrial Protocol; it also uses UDP. A robot advertised as having Ethernet or a TCP socket does not automatically implement the industrial interface your PLC expects.

For a buying decision, replace “Ethernet compatible” with a requirement that identifies the exact protocol, supported device role, controller software, and usable data. This makes supplier answers comparable and avoids discovering during commissioning that a physical connector was the only shared feature. Treat this guide as a purchasing framework; the controls integrator must confirm the implementation.

Start with the exchange you actually need

Make a one-page list of information crossing the robot boundary. A machine-tending cell might exchange machine-ready, part-present, selected recipe, robot-busy, completion, and fault information. A vision application may also exchange a result identifier and a pose. Put each item in a table with its sender, receiver, units, valid range, update requirement, and behavior when unavailable.

Use our machine-tending planning page to identify equipment handoffs before discussing network hardware. Do not assume every signal needs the same update rate. Recipe selection and production reporting often have different needs from a tightly coordinated process. Ask the integrator to explain which exchanges constrain cycle time and which can run independently.

Confirm both ends of the connection

Protocol support still leaves a role question. For example, Universal Robots’ setup guide distinguishes the robot adapter from the PLC scanner. That example does not establish support on another robot or controller. Obtain the role, firmware revision, option license, device description file, and example project for each exact product being quoted.

If a supplier proposes a gateway, request its complete data path and owner. Who maintains the gateway configuration? Which diagnostics survive translation? What happens after a replacement PLC is loaded? A gateway can be a reasonable integration component, but it should appear in the scope, electrical design, spare-parts list, and recovery procedure rather than arriving as an unexplained accessory.

Specify transactions and recovery

Define a command as a sequence with an acknowledgement and a clear completion condition. A start bit alone does not describe whether a previous job finished, whether a recipe was accepted, or whether a restart might repeat an operation. Request a readable state diagram and a representative trace from the proposed integration.

Include controlled tests for a disconnected network cable, controller restart, stale result, wrong recipe, and interrupted cycle. The cell designer should select safe test conditions and determine the required response. Ordinary communication bits must not be treated as safety-rated interlocks. Keep functional-safety design separate and documented by the responsible qualified personnel.

Assign ownership of the plant connection

Bring plant IT and controls staff into the project before choosing switches or remote-support arrangements. Cisco’s industrial network design guide addresses logical segmentation of manufacturing traffic. For your project, request an address plan, port inventory, access policy, backup location, and named owner for changes.

Our EtherCAT and EtherNet/IP comparison helps if suppliers offer different machine networks. A shared cable connector is not a reason to combine networks without an engineered design. Ask whether vendor support needs permanent access or a controlled service session, and record the intended arrangement in the quote.

What the quote should contain

• Exact controller models, firmware, protocol roles, licenses, and device files.
• An agreed data map with units, ownership, handshakes, and timeout behavior.
• Network components, configuration backups, diagnostics, and recovery tests.
• Integration responsibility across the robot, machine, vision system, and plant network.
• A demonstrated complete production sequence using representative equipment.

Attach this list to your project brief. The useful deliverable is a maintainable interface that your team can understand after the integrator leaves. When two quotes differ, compare the engineering and acceptance work included, not simply the number of Ethernet ports.

Specify the interface in your FAIRINO quote

When buying a FAIRINO cell, attach the data map and PLC details to the robot quote request. Start with the FAIRINO lineup, then ask us to confirm the exact controller, supported protocol role, required options, and integration responsibility. This keeps the purchasing discussion focused on a usable connection rather than a port label. Our FAIRINO selection guide connects those controls requirements to arm selection. Request a FAIRINO quote with your machine model and intended sequence.