easy way to communicate

We have 3 seperate machines in the plant, each with a different PLC. One is a Modicon quantum that is currently using Modbus,
the second one has a Siemens S7 CPU315-2 PN/DP which is communicating via Profibus to some drives, hmi, etc., and the last machine has an S7-200 PLC that has an OP-7 panel connected to it.
The CPU315 PLC is connected to an ethernet switch, but presently it is the only device connected to ethernet.

I am looking for the easiest, fastest, way to get all of these devices to exchange some I/O, just a few digital points of data.
I think ethernet is possibly the best option, but am not sure about
cost/feasability of connecting the S7-200 to ethernet. (I only need two digital outputs from this PLC, so I could hardwire them for now.) Any one who has experience connecting this stuff to ethernet network, please feel free to comment! Last question, will I need to involve Plant IT personnel if I only want to connect the machines together for now, but only later connect to computer network in plant?

I have never done that thing before but on the Quantum side I think you should use Ethernet, it is easier to program.

Actually what kind of Quantum PLC you are using??

Cheer,

Check out prosoft-technology.com

"The PTQ-PDPS ("PROFIBUS DP Slave Communication Module") product allows Schneider Electric Quantum / Unity I/O compatible processors to easily interface with a PROFIBUS DP Master device."

They boast of having 400 such communication bridge modules to make anything talk to everything.

I have just installed some of their wireless gear and it is very well done with good support as well.
(I have no affiliation with the company)

Good Luck,

Brian.

For the Quantum you can get an Ethernet module 140-NOE-77111 costing £1412.00 or Schneider sell a Modbus to Ethernet gateway TSX-ETG100 costing £285. I think there is an ethernet module for the S7 200.

Red Lion's DataStation or their G3 Series might be the simplest.

Here is an example of the DataStation doing exactly that. This one is going from ModbusRTU to a slave on ProfibusDP.

DataStation talking Modbus & ProfibusDP

And this example here is talking to a Quantum PLC with ModbusTCP and then feeding that data upstream to a ControlLogix PLC while also exchanging data from a Yokogawa PLC. All within the same Red Box all over Ethernet.

DataStation talking Modbus, EthernetIP, and Yokogawa

Thanks,
Joe_WaZoo