Mitsubishi iQ-R vs iQ-F: rack-based vs compact platform pick

For Mitsubishi Electric GX Works3 V1.080+.

iQ-R is the rack-based modular platform; iQ-F is the compact bus-based line. The choice depends on IO scale, motion, and the Q-series migration story. This page is the working engineer's read — what the menu paths actually are in GX Works3 V1.080+, what the keystrokes do, and the mistakes that bite once the program is on a real CPU. We program iQ-R / iQ-F ourselves, daily; we are not a Mitsubishi Electric sales channel.

What this is and when you need it

iQ-R is the rack-based modular platform; iQ-F is the compact bus-based line. The choice depends on IO scale, motion, and the Q-series migration story. The walkthrough below is the same sequence we use when teaching this on the simulator. Every step names the exact menu path or keystroke; if a name has changed in your version of GX Works3 V1.080+, it is called out. The simulator runs the same logic flow without the licence cost — ladder, FBD, and ST in a browser, with a virtual CPU you can download to.

Walkthrough

1. Compare the chassis design

iQ-R is rack-based — a Q3xB main base with a Q6xP power supply, an R0xCPU CPU module, and Q/R-series IO modules in slots. The iQ-R replaces the older Q-series with backward-compatible modules and a faster bus. iQ-F is bus-based — an FX5U or FX5UC CPU with FX5-IO modules clipped on a DIN rail. iQ-F replaced the FX3 line and is the compact equivalent of CompactLogix 5069.

2. Compare the CPUs

iQ-R lineup: R04 (memory 40 KB), R08 (80 KB), R16 (160 KB), R32 (320 KB), R120 (1.2 MB). Scan time around 30 ns per ladder step. iQ-F lineup: FX5U (16 KB to 64 KB), FX5UC (compact). Scan time around 60 ns per step. Both run GX Works3, both speak CC-Link IE TSN over Ethernet. iQ-R adds redundant CPU support (R32SFCPU) and SIL2/SIL3 safety variants.

// Approximate breakpoints
// FX5U-32MT: 16 KB, 32 IO onboard, basic motion (4 axes pulse)
// R04CPU:    40 KB, rack-based, 32 motion axes via R64MTCPU
// R16CPU:    160 KB, plant scale, redundancy option
// R120CPU:   1.2 MB, large process, OPC UA server

3. Decide on motion

iQ-F supports basic motion via pulse-train output on transistor outputs — fine for stepper drives and single-axis servos. For coordinated motion or more than 4 axes, iQ-R with an R64MTCPU motion controller running alongside the standard CPU is the path. The R64MTCPU runs SSCNETIII/H to MR-J5 servo amps and supports up to 64 synchronised axes. iQ-F has no rack-based motion option.

4. Decide on networking

iQ-R supports CC-Link IE Field, CC-Link IE Control, CC-Link IE TSN (the new time-sensitive variant), Ethernet/IP via the RJ71EIP91 module, and Modbus TCP via library blocks. iQ-F supports CC-Link IE TSN built-in on the FX5U Ethernet port plus Modbus TCP. For SA panel work, the deciding factor is usually whether the customer has an existing CC-Link Field Network — if yes, iQ-R is the pragmatic continuation.

5. Pick by total cost and migration

FX5U with 32 IO sits around R18k; an iQ-R R04CPU with the same IO around R45k. The 2.5x premium buys rack scalability, redundancy headroom, and compatibility with legacy Q-series modules. SA OEM split: iQ-F for OEM skids and machine-builders (under 64 IO, simple motion); iQ-R for plant-level controllers and any project replacing an existing Q-series fleet.

Common mistakes

• Speccing iQ-F for a project that later needs more than 4 motion axes — the upgrade path forces a full re-platform to iQ-R because there is no FX5 motion expansion
• Assuming Q-series modules drop into an iQ-R rack without firmware notes — most do, but some Q-series modules need a specific R-series base unit firmware to be recognised
• Mixing CC-Link IE Field and CC-Link IE TSN on one FX5U thinking they coexist — they do, but the bandwidth split forces lower scan rates on both
• Forgetting the GX Works3 vs GX Works2 split — iQ-R/iQ-F are GX Works3 only; older Q-series and FX3 stay in GX Works2, and a single project cannot mix

Each of these mistakes shows up in real projects every week. The simulator catches the first three at compile time; the fourth one only surfaces on hardware, which is why we recommend running the cert packs against a real CPU once you have completed the curriculum modules.

How this fits the broader curriculum

Mitsubishi iQ-R vs iQ-F: rack-based vs compact platform pick is one of the building blocks. The full Mitsubishi Electric curriculum on the simulator covers: programming-language fundamentals (ladder, FBD, ST), tag and variable scope, HMI tag binding, comms setup (Profinet / EtherNet/IP / Modbus depending on the platform), and the brownfield troubleshooting pathway. Each is its own module with worked examples and a portfolio piece. The cert packs at the Pro tier align to the ISA CCST exam content outline. Reference: isa.org.

For the platform-pick decision — when Mitsubishi Electric is the right call versus a different brand — see the brand hub. For region-specific context on where Mitsubishi Electric dominates the SA install base, see the relevant city pages under /brands/mitsubishi/training-in-* and the sector pages under /industries.

Where this sits in a working week

A technician who has finished this module typically spends the next three to four working days running the same logic flow on hardware. The simulator's value is the dry run — getting the keystrokes and the IDE conventions into muscle memory before you sit down with a live CPU. The first time you build this on hardware, expect the IO mapping and the addressing conventions to slow you down for a session or two; the simulator's project tree mirrors the same shape so the transition is short.

The full Mitsubishi Electric curriculum runs roughly 60 to 100 hours of focused practice. That breaks into bit logic and timers in the first 20 hours, FBs and structured data in the next 20, comms and HMI in the next 20, and a portfolio piece in the last block. Pace yourself — three or four hours per session, four sessions a week, and you finish in eight weeks. Most of our learners report that the bottleneck is not understanding the IDE, it is building reflex around the conventions: where Mitsubishi Electric expects you to put state, how it scopes variables, what naming patterns the OEMs in the sector use.

Vendor reference

Mitsubishi Electric's own documentation is the canonical reference once you are working on real hardware: Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation Support. The simulator covers the basics; the vendor docs cover everything specific to a hardware revision, a firmware update, or a CPU-specific quirk. Bookmark both. The IEC 61131-3 standard that governs all the Mitsubishi Electric programming languages is at iec.ch.

What we don't claim

This site is not SAQA-registered, not MerSETA-accredited, and not an NQF-registered qualification provider. Our completion certificates are course-level only — they describe what you covered, not an NQF Level X qualification. The CCST cert from ISA is the portable industry credential we recommend; we are not an ISA cert delivery partner either, but our cert packs are CCST-aligned. The walkthrough above is brand-specific because Mitsubishi Electric's tooling has its own conventions; do not assume the same menu paths exist in another brand's IDE.

How to start

You can be running mitsubishi iq-r vs iq-f: rack-based vs compact platform pick in the simulator in 5 minutes. Free tier covers the basics, no card, no install. Once you are 20 minutes in you will know whether the platform fits how you learn. The full Mitsubishi Electric curriculum is the Basic tier (USD 12 / month). The cert packs and portfolio export sit in the Pro tier (USD 29 / month). For institutional buyers — TVET colleges, private training providers, in-house engineering training departments — the bulk-licence option is the Teams tier, USD 199 per seat per year, minimum 5 seats. The training-centres page has the institutional pitch and the contact form.

Honest expectations on the local job market

Petrochem, mining, FMCG, automotive, and water-utility sectors all carry Mitsubishi Electric install bases somewhere in their stack. Knowing the IDE conventions on this page does not get you a job by itself; it gets you past the first technical screen. The portfolio piece — a working program you built yourself, with a wiring track, a tag list, an HMI screen, and a short README explaining the design choices — is what lands the second interview. The simulator's portfolio export bundles all of that into a single folder you can hand a hiring engineer. Recruiters in this space skim the README first; if your design choices are coherent, they read the code.

Load-shedding has reshaped what gets built first in Mitsubishi Electric programs across SA. Power-recovery patterns — controlled shutdown on UPS hold, state recovery from retentive memory, sequenced restart of motor groups — now belong in the same module as the basics. Mitsubishi iQ-R vs iQ-F: rack-based vs compact platform pick fits into that shape: every line of code you write needs to consider what state the controller is in when it powers up after a 2.5-hour cut, not just what state it is in when running. The simulator's restart-from-cut mode lets you exercise this without bricking real hardware.