Connecting Controllogix PLC to Two Siemens MPI/DP Networks

We have the following scenario where we need a Controllogix PLC to be able to read data from Siemens PLCs on two separate networks.

Controllogix with a Prosoft Profibus Card (able to act as Profibus Master only)

Siemens Network #1
5) S7-300 PLCs connected via MPI network.
One of the S7-300 PLCs has a DP port connected to an ET 200M rack.

Siemens Network #2
- Same as Network #1

My first thought is to add a DP/DP Coupler on each of the DP networks and then connect both of the DP/DP Couplers to the Cotrollogix. Is this the best solutions? Is there any way to connect the Prosoft Profibus card directly to the MPI network?

Thanks.

Your first thought seems viable. If your S7-300 PLC's all have Profibus DP interfaces then connecting them on one physical network to the Prosoft card should work. Please consider all of the ramifications of doing this. You have a bank of I-O on Profibus and you would be exposing it to all of the other network traffic. As a general rule Siemens will advise you to put I-O on Profibus and do communication for HMI on MPI networks. Of course if this is all you have to work with I would not let it keep me from doing it. Just be advised to consider what you are doing.

I can say that the MPI network and the Profibus network are two different animals. The protocols will not work together so you will not be able to use your Prosoft Profibus card to talk to the MPI networks.

I look forward to other suggestions from our members here.

Your on the right path with DP/DP Couplers. Your already using S7's as masters (ET200M RIO). Therefore they can't be slaves.

Forget MPI. Not possible.

Only one S7-300 PLC on each network has a Profibus DP Interface so we will not be tying multiple DP networks together. We will have to manually transfer all the required data from the other PLCs on the network to the one with the DP Interface for final trasnfer to the Controllogix PLC.

Hi, I have done a similar project before. I added an ethernet CP card to my S7300 rack. My CLX PLC already had an unused ethernet card present in its rack. I then linked the two systems using a Red Lion data station. It was all very simple to set up. Check out Red Lion web site for help.

Regards.

Look at Real Time Automation. They have a bridge for just about anything you need.

I haven't found a application yet that they can bridge for me.