Profibus with GE. Versamax question

[KNeland]

I am building a new panel with a GE Versamax PLC and 6 ABB freqdrives, among other things. The powers that be have decided to control all 6 drives using optional Profibus modules installed on each. I have discovered that the Versamax has only a Profibus "slave" card avalable.

Some other aspects of this project include another panel I am building (still waiting for parts) that will be our main PLC in the form of a GE RX3i that does have a Profibus Master card(which we will be needing for other uses). In addition I want to throw in a possible ace in the hole, in the form of a few RedLion G3's (a 15in and two 10's) that will be available for communications and HMI functionality.

I guess my primary question is whether It is possible to somehow control the 6 Freq-drives as Profibus slaves with the Versamax, which technically is a Profibus Slave......Without having to control the whole lot from across the plant with the Rx3i Profibus "Master" card. If the Versamax just had a Profibus Master Card available I'd be golden, but thats not the case.....And I have never used the RedLion(yet) in conjunction with Profibus, though I have used it much in other ways.

As I have not used Profibus before this, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Kyle

 

[RussB]

Does the VersaMax have a CPU, if not it is a Profibus remote I/O drop on the RX3i? If it has a CPU which one? There should be no problem controlling the drives on Profibus if the network runs out there for the drives or for other drops anyway.
Do not put the HMIs on Profibus, keep them all on Ethernet if at all possible, I/O networks should be kept for I/O only. Putting an HMI on your I/O network is like running errands around town with your riding lawn mower. Can be done but not efficiently.

 

[KNeland]

Thanks for reply

Does the VersaMax have a CPU, if not it is a Profibus remote I/O drop on the RX3i? If it has a CPU which one? There should be no problem controlling the drives on Profibus if the network runs out there for the drives or for other drops anyway.

The versamax does have it's own CPU (ICU200CPUE05). I was hoping to keep all the related gear working locally, without having the Freq-drives that are associated with the local system there actually controlled by a distant CPU via the Profibus. I can do that and seemingly will have no other option because the local PLC (Versamax) only has a slave profibus option, and the distant PLC (RX3i) is a profibus master.
I mentioned the Redlion because it has incredible protocol translation abilities, and is available with an optional profibus card option, but I learned this morning that it is only a "slave" option as well....so much for that.
Unless anyone else had an idea, Because my boss is married to the profibus modules on these drives, I am apparently going to be sending the related data to-from the drives back to the versamax from the distant RX3i that will actually be controlling the drives.

 

[RussB]

There is a way you could do the control in the VMax, but I would not call it a good way.
Both the CPUE05 and the RX3i can communicate via Ethernet with EGD. You could exchange data with the drives and RX3i via Profibus then exchange the information with the VMax via EGD and do the control there. Sort of like taking a train from Chicago to NY to catch a flight from JFK to O'Hare.
It would be better for the boss to divorce Profibus and start dating ProfiNet or Modbus TCP/IP.