Over the past decade automation systems have continued to increase in overall power while at the same time attempting to offer simplicity to the user in terms of configuration and flexibility. Although these systems give the users more options and finer control of their processes, linking to existing or legacy systems for additional control or information can become problematic. Taking the better of one technology (for example controllers) and trying to marry it up with the best of another type of technology (field instrumentation) can become a nightmare for project managers and system integrators. Allowing certain sections of process to carry on running, while new plant is installed is also, in many cases a requirement and critical to production.
What is touted as the ideal solution by North American vendors is not seen that way by vendors from Europe or the Far East and vice versa. Many vendors try to protect their own investment by making it almost impossible for users to communicate to alternate suppliers' equipment. This can then force the customer into buying technology not entirely suitable to the application or alternately, having makes and models from multiple vendors, when they were trying to standardise on one type of system.
Industrial Ethernet, fieldbus versions (in all their different guises), serial protocols, as well as proprietary industrial networks are prevalent throughout the whole of industry. In all fairness each has its rightful place at various levels of the networking layers. All of them do the task they were intended to do. However, some clients live with underperforming control systems due to bottlenecks in data handling. These can be the result of over enthusiastic salesmen or through a misunderstanding of what is actually required.
To handle the above types of difficulties, as well as allowing for general interfacing between different network topologies, ProSoft Technology has released its series of ProLinx Gateways. These allow the user to implement interfacing between many of the industrial networks versions being used globally.
Oxley, a Cape Town-based system integrator, recently implemented such a system for the Cape Metropolitan Council (CMC), at its Faure Water Treatment Works.
CMC Faure uses an extensive Modbus Plus Comms network throughout the plant. This network interconnects 33 x Modicon PLC devices and eight x Adroit scada operator stations. CMC recently installed an intelligent centrifuge controller device to further improve its dewatering process as part of the sludge handling facility. The Centrifuge Controller is equipped with a Profibus communication interface. CMC investigated a method of integrating this controller with the rest of the control systems Modbus Plus network.
A 4304-PDPM-MBP ProLinx Gateway, supplied by Throughput Technologies, was used to provide a direct link to the intelligent centrifuge controller. This gave CMC the connection it required with the added benefits of simple installation and integration and full access to many parameters not possible using more traditional discrete signal wiring techniques.
By connecting via the ProLinx gateway, directly from the controller to the MB+ network, the local centrifuge PLC is able to control and access information, while in addition the central control room scada system can also interrogate the device for monitoring (display, alarm, trending and logging). This was done with no need for PLC program modification.
The ProLinx Gateway was commissioned within a day without the need to purchase any additional programming/configuration software or programming hardware or tools. The ProLinx Gateway was configured using simple data terminal software (such as HyperTerminal) running on a standard PC/Laptop.
The family of ProLinx gateways allows connectivity between many dissimilar protocol types. There are currently 144 different combinations of gateways that can establish links between 10 different serial, five different Ethernet and six different speciality protocols (including Profibus, Modbus Plus, Allen Bradley Remote I/O and HART).
For more information contact Bob Petrie, Throughput Technologies, 011 705 2497, [email protected], www.throughput.co.za
| Tel: | +27 11 705 2497 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.throughput.co.za |
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