If there is an open slot in the GE Fanuc PLC rack and there is a GE Fanuc card or third party VME card available to make the connection, then creating a bridge between the PLC and the foreign network is not too difficult. However if there is no slot available, then the expense of expanding the current rack or adding another rack can be a costly proposition. Furthermore, some third party VME cards have a set of issues all of their own, making their inclusion into your application time consuming. The caveat was there could be no rack expansion or Profibus communication cards added to the system in the case of Sytech System’s client.
Sytech Systems can provide a bridge between Fanuc PLC family intrinsic or existing Ethernet network and almost any other industrial network using the Anybus X-gateways. PAC system RX7i Ethernet to Profibus network slave devices as in GE Fanuc’s client application, Sytech Systems can create a communications path to meet the required specifications.
Benefit 1
The Anybus X-gateway implementation does not require the use of Fanuc or third party VME communication cards. There is never a need to expand the current PLC rack size or add an expansion rack.
Benefit 2
The independently powered and remotely mounted Nybus X-gateway uses existing Ethernet communications to exchange data with the Fanuc PLC via Modbus/TCP. No other equipment is required to bridge between the PLC and any other network other than the Anybus X-gateway and a 24V DC power source.
Benefit 3
The Anybus X-gateway allows up to 125 Profibus slave devices in the PACSystems RX7i to Profibus application. The PACSystems RX7i has up to 32 Modbus/TCP channels as cited in the example. If each Modbus/TCP channel were connected to an Anybus X-gateway device, the PACSystems RX7i could potentially communicate with 4000 Profibus slaved devices.
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GE Fanuc PLC
GE Fanuc PLC