Adapting to Change

In our latest industrial Ethernet survey, we found that our readers use a wide array of protocols. EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP/IP figured most prominently at 70% and 62%, respectively; but standard Ethernet and Profinet were also high on the list at 28% and 21%. Add to those the currently lesser-used EtherCat, Foundation fieldbus HSE, Powerlink and Sercos III, and it’s no wonder users need devices that will help their various protocols communicate with one another.

Wireless protocols also should be figured into the mix. Of those surveyed, 37% planned to deploy wireless Ethernet within the next year, with usage expectations spread between 802.11b/g, 802.11n, WirelessHART, 802.11a, and proprietary protocols.

In a separate survey conducted this year about wireless networking, respondents told us that their wireless networks need to communicate with a wide range of Ethernet variants, plus Modbus, Profibus and Foundation fieldbus.

One for Many
EL67xx EtherCat master and slave terminals provide a direct interface to EtherCat I/O nodes for all Profibus (EL6731), DeviceNet (EL6752) and CANopen (EL6751) devices. The terminals channel each fieldbus signal type through the EtherCat protocol with full availability of the respective network’s features and functions. PCI cards in PCs are no longer required.
Beckhoff Automation
952/890-0000
www.beckhoffautomation.com

All in One
FL mGuard products provide stateful firewall, router and VPN functionalities in a single device in RS DIN rail-mount style for industrial Ethernet and PCI card versions for integration into industrial computers. For applications that need a modem, but might later need to migrate to a VPN connection, it includes an optional integrated modem that can serve as a backup connection.
Phoenix Contact
800/586-5525
www.phoenixcon.com/mguard

Simplify Safety
ENX AS-Interface Gateways support Modbus TCP and EtherNet/IP for communication with standard and safety networks in a single gateway with diagnostics retrieval. The gateways handle 992 I/O asynchronous to the Ethernet traffic and scan every AS-i node in 150 µs, which enables up to 62 safety e-stops, magnetic switches, and safe outputs in one safety program.
Pepperl+Fuchs
330/486-0001
www.pepperl-fuchs.us

Tap in to Protocols
netTAP 100 has master and slave protocols for CANopen, DeviceNet, Profibus, CC-Link, EtherCat, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, Powerlink, Profinet, Sercos III, MB/RTU, MB ASCII RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 for Real-Time I/O data exchange. The configuration software for the master is an enhanced version of Sycon.net, an FDT/DTM-based tool. Development tools allow third parties to develop custom protocol gateways using any of the stacks and gateway applications to their own protocol.
Hilscher North America
630/505-5301
www.hilscher.com

CAN DO EThernet
Anybus X-gateway CANopen enables transfer of I/O data between devices on EtherNet/IP and CANopen. The 24 V, standalone gateway mounts to a standard DIN rail and functions as a slave on EtherNet/IP network and as a master on the CANopen side. CANopen master functionality is configured with a Windows-based configuration tool, after which it passes up to 510 bytes of I/O data transparently.
HMS Networks
312/829-0601
www.anybus.com

Gateway to Modbus
EKI-1221D and EKI-1222D gateways provide transparent connectivity between Modbus serial devices and Ethernet-based Modbus TCP equipment. They have built-in Ethernet switches for cascading/daisy-chain connectivity that offers flexible cabling. Cascading connections support Ethernet auto-bypass to prevent accidental power failure in the event one of the Modbus gateways unexpectedly shuts down.
Advantech Industrial Automation
800/205-7940
www.advantech.com/ea

Safety via Gateway
Bihl+Wiedemann Gen. 2 safety gateways integrate AS-i safety monitors and slaves, allowing two Safety at Work networks and up to 16 release circuits to be monitored through each gateway. Two independent AS-i networks can be powered by a single power supply, providing diagnostic data to the higher-level controller. The gateways are available for EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, Profinet, Profibus-DP and EtherCat.
Turck
800/544-7769
www.turck.us

EtherNet/IP to DF1
MGate EIP3000 has one or two EtherNet/IP-to-DF1 ports for connecting DF1 devices and EtherNet/IP devices to A-B PLCs for remote maintenance. It uses ProCOM, which generates four extra virtual serial channels for Ethernet data pass-through and maximum network flexibility, without modifying the existing system, and it supports two IPs—one for each serial port—so EtherNet/IP devices can communicate with two DF1 devices simultaneously.
Moxa
714/528-6777
www.moxa.com

Dual Gateway
750-352 ECO Ethernet Fieldbus Coupler carries dual Ethernet ports that function as gateways between Modbus TCP (or UDP) and EtherNet/IP. It can communicate simultaneously via Modbus TCP or EtherNet/IP out of both onboard Ethernet ports (10/100 Mbps) to serve different devices and minimize system components. It has an onboard DIP switch for IP address assignment and web-based management system.
Wago
800/din-rail
www.wago.us

Convert and Integrate
Xcenet Ethernet expansion card for Data Station Plus isolates machine-level network traffic from the enterprise-level network for communication on separate networks. Supporting 10 simultaneous Ethernet protocols and three serial protocols, Data Station Plus and Modular Controllers provide protocol conversion and device integration. A second Ethernet port for communication increases bandwidth and allows communication on two distinct Ethernet networks simultaneously.
Red Lion Controls
717/767-6511
www.redlion.net

Preserve the Legacy
EServ series for legacy serial communications in industrial environments aids the integration of legacy mission-critical components with newer network technologies by bridging the gap between older serial and contemporary Ethernet and Modbus Ethernet protocols. Connectivity options for 10/100Base-TX and multimode fiber applications are available in each series.
N-Tron
251/342-2164
www.n-tron.com

Versatile Pro
IndustrialPro wireless gateway provides 3G or 2G cellular connectivity, one Ethernet port, one serial port and support for ac or dc power. It supports IPSec or SSL VPN, port forwarding and support for network address translation (NAT), OSPF and RIP. It also offers a local web-based management interface managed by SixView Manager software.
Sixnet
518/877-5173
www.sixnet.com

Cool Hot Spots
RLXIB-IHxN series of 802.11n Industrial Hotspot radios provides plant-wide network integration and easy deployment in the field using a single web page setup. The radios use multiple input, multiple output (MIMO), which uses up to three antennas to enable data rates to 300 Mbps. The radios can operate in the 5 GHz band with 23 non-overlapping channels.
ProSoft Technology
661/716-5100
www.prosoft-technology.com

Convert to Profibus
Panda PUP-550 Profibus to RS-232/422/485 converter for Profibus-DP slave devices is equipped with Hybrid COM1 port design to easily choose one type of COM port to integrate serial devices into Profibus. Devices such as remote I/O, drives, motor starters, weighing and dosing systems, HMIs and energy systems can be connected.
Ethernet Direct
+886/29235918
www.ethernetdirect.com