How can be added Modbus TCP/IP capability to old harmoy suystem, I mean to infi90 system?
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Ingo is correct, if you want to do a direct MODBUS TCP interface in to the system the best solution is to use the SPBRC410 Controller. Alternatively, through the end of the year ABB still offers the HPG800 (MODEL: PHCHPG80010000), which is the exact same module as the SPBRC410 except that instead of the new white Symphony Plus faceplate, it still has the old Gray Symphony faceplate, other than that they are the exact same thing. The major difference is the price as the HPG800 was launched and marketed primarily as a MODBUS TCP gateway, so it was priced accordingly at a lower price, where the BRC410 is marketed and priced as a controller first and foremost. They are 100% compatible and can actually be used together in a redundant pair of controllers. FYI, the HPG800 will no longer be available after the end of the year because it really does not seem to make sense for ABB to offer the same module in two different versions, which means that they have to do twice the support on the product (i.e. marketing literature, product specs, product manuals, etc.).
When you are ordering the controller, regardless of which you purchase, in addition to the controller, you will also need to purchase the HGS800 software. This software, as Ingo mentioned, is basically the same as the GPI software except instead of providing support for configuration of a Serial Interface to the controller, it supports the MODBUS TCP interface. When ordering it, you will need to identify the number of MODBUS points that will be communicating between the controller and the MODBUS TCP device(s) (i.e. Number of Reads plus the Number of Writes). The software is licensed for 500, 1,500, 3,000 and 4,000 point increments.
If you are going to run the interface in redundant controllers, you will also need to purchase the controller redundancy cable (PMKHRMBRC3000A) as well as a network switch to connect to both controllers as well as the MODBUS TCP device.
The HPG800/BRC410 can support communication up to 24 MODBUS TCP Server devices and 4 MODBUS Client devices simultaneously, however I do not know anyone that is doing something this large and you will need to definitely keep an eye one the communication update speed if you go to a large number of devices. This would be true regardless of whether you are using an ABB MODBUS TCP interface or if you are using some other product, the more devices the longer the update periods will be so you just need to determine what is acceptable.
Based on experience, when we are dealing with typically 3 – 4 or more devices connecting to the controllers we will use a data concentrator, like a Schweitzer SEL-3530 Real-Time Automation Controller (LINK TO PAGE). This allows us to scan in the data from multiple devices and then put all of the data types in contiguous registers to allow us to read data in to the controller in large blocks at a time. In addition, from the controller’s perspective, it is reading data from a single device while the SEL takes care of reading from all of the devices on the network. This significantly helps improve the throughput of the data in to the controller and the overall efficiency of the interface and operation of the controller. We use the SEL boxes because they are much easier to configure than using say a PLC as the data concentrator and they are a lot less expensive.
One other option as far as a MODBUS TCP interface is concerned is if you have a controller that does not support Ethernet (e.g. IMMFP02/IMMFP03/3B or a BRC100/200/300/400) but only has serial communication and that you would like to connect to a device with MODBUS TCP support, what you can do is use the controller and use the ABB General Purpose Interface Software (GPI) along with a Serial to Ethernet adapter device, like the Westermo EDW-100. The BRC controllers can be set to run at up to 38.4 Kbs, which doubles the throughput of the old 19.2K serial connection.
The EDW-100, along with being a straight-forward Serial to Ethernet adapter (RS-232/RS-422/RS-485) it also includes in its functionality the ability to be set-up as MODBUS Server Gateway or MODBUS Client Gateway device, which works quite well. (LINK TO WESTERMO EDW-100). Attached is the information on the EDW-100 and the applications of the unit as a Serial to Ethernet MODBUS TCP Gateway. We have used it successfully in the past with other products and I am confident that it will work well in conjunction with the GPI software on a controller offering Serial Port Communication.
I hope that this provides you with the information that you need to determine which solution works best for you.
by Radomir Pistek
Hi, there is necessary to share more information:
- present Infi90 configuration (controller type)
- to which system you would like to have interface (ABB / 3rd party - type)
After that we can check whether there is any possibility.
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