Serial to Ethernet/IP for Siemens? Other Ideas, any PLC

Hi Group,

I was wondering if there is any interest for a product like this for the Siemens plc. I'm trying to get new ideas for plc products and really would like to know what you guys as users want or need to make communications for any plc easier.

Please give me some feedback.

Thanks!

Rick DeMorrow
Real Time Automation

I'm specing out a project that involves a lot of serial to ethernet right now, and there are quite a few off the shelf solutions already. What do you have in mind? I'm interested.

S7Guy said:

I'm specing out a project that involves a lot of serial to ethernet right now, and there are quite a few off the shelf solutions already. What do you have in mind? I'm interested.

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Will you be using Profibus or Profinet IO? We have a Profinet IO solution.

It will be profinet. What have you got? Do you have a website I can check out? People frown on turning threads into sales pitches here.

Well, no sales pitch here. I've been told we are working on something but I have no information as of yet. It's in the works as they say. I was just hoping to find out what people are looking for that is not out there. We have a website. Google Real Time Automation. Sorry about that S7Guy.

No problem. It doesn't bother me, but I know some people don't like it.

You said you had a profinet solution. Details? I think people here would be interested.

Here is the link for what we have right now.

http://www.rtaautomation.com/profinetio/

I think that it is valid enough to be OK to post.

Anyway, I can definitely imagine a need for protocol converter. And it will be groving more and more as there seems to come more and more protocols every day. And they all have something to do with Ethernet.

I would also warn you that there are others who have come up with the same idea(s). The smart move could be to team up with one of the others who can not yet offer something for Ethernet/IP.

There are standalone protocol converters (gateways), modules for use in the S7 rack (though not for ethernet/IP) and PLCs which are S7 compatible with other networking possibilites than what Siemens offers.

I would warn against trying to make a Ethernet/IP module for use directly in an S7 rack. For S7-300, it would be handicapped by the slow backplane bus, and for the S7-400 you would need to put in a LOT of engineering effort and ultimately have a product for a very narrow customer base. Maybe you should contact INAT who also makes Ethernet modules for the S7-400 platform. You two could possible get a product to market at a reasonable cost.

IBH has just released a S7 compatible PLC to be used in a Beckhoff CX9000 embedded PC rack. Very interesting because it has a surprisingly low price tag and you can use all of Beckhoffs standard modules including comms modules. There is no Ethernet/IP module so maybe you could contact IBH and/or Beckhoff.

There is also Vipa/Speednet who might be interested in making an Ethernet/IP module.

By the way, when I check the link, it is about Profinet whereas your header is about Ethernet/IP. Are you talking about one of these, or both, or.. ?