Some ProSoft Technology gateways offer features and functionality that enable faster data transfer between PROFIBUS DP and EtherNet/IP ™ devices, as well as facilitating commissioning, programming and troubleshooting.
The Profibus modules are a digital data communication system that allows you to share a two-wire copper cable (field bus system) with many components. The Profibus DP is the most used and complete system. It guarantees high data transmission speed, low implementation costs and features plug-and-play functionality.
This fieldbus technology has generated a strong innovation in the automation sector, driving the migration from purely centralized systems to those with distributed architecture.
The Gateway module can function as a PROFIBUS DP Master or PROFIBUS DP Multi-Slave device. The Master device controlls the network, while the Slave module’s task is to answer only to telegrams sent by the Master that controls them.
It is possible to choose a transmission speed between 9.6 kbps and 12 Mbps, which is set in the master. The latter launches a command to the Slave devices that respond by sending input. This system guarantees an efficient and constant cycle.
The Multi-slave Profibus DP allows emulating 1 to 10 slave devices on the network, greatly increasing the amount of cyclical I/O data that can be transferred to a PROFIBUS DP network from a single device.
This Prosoft module can therefore be configured in 3 different procedures: master, slave and quiet mode. In this way the end-user who is not sure which operating mode he needs, can find the best solution in a single intergated device.
PROFIBUS DP has known as an easy to set up network. Thanks to the integrated package acquisition utility, it is possible to monitor all communications directly on the PROFIBUS DP network. Once this process required separate hardware that had to be installed on the PROFIBUS DP network, and everything had to be integrated into a powerful gateway device. Now it is possible to perform protocol conversion and network troubleshooting all with the same device.
Thank’s to advanced tools like this (the integrated PROFIBUS DP packet capture utility) the commissioning times of the PROFIBUS DP network can be significantly reduced.
For more information visit the website www.prosoft-technology.com
