iba Bus Monitors for Field and Drive Buses

Targeted Data Acquisition in PROFINET 

The ibaBM-PN bus monitor supports PROFINET specification V2.3. 

The bus monitor has two independent, internal PROFINET devices that can be supplied with data by PROFINET controllers. A bus monitor can communicate with up to 8 PN controllers. For this purpose, the device has to be integrated in a PN engineering project. Integration in line or star topologies is possible, as well as connection to two independent PROFINET lines. The both internal PN devices of the bus monitor can be configured independently in ibaPDA. Each of the internal PN devices can capture up to 1440 Bytes (incl. status bytes) per cycle. 

The devices can also be used to send data via PROFINET from ibaPDA to a controller. Certain signal values can be monitored for example, and, if a limit value is exceeded, a warning message can be issued or other events indicated. A data volume of up to 1440 Bytes per device is possible.

System integration examples as active device

S2 System Redundancy 

Each of the two PN devices supports S2 system redundancy1 independently of each other. This means that configurations using one or two PROFINET devices are possible. Example topology see diagram below left. 

Protocols for PROFINET 

PROFINET distinguishes between real time (RT) communication and synchronous isochronous realtime (IRT) communication. ibaBM-PN supports both types of communication, where cycle times up to 250μs are possible. In addition, ibaBM-PN supports as a client the Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP) as well as Media Redundancy for Planned Duplication (MRPD), which are used in ring structures. The device complies with NetLoad Class III.

Sniffer Function 

To act as a sniffer, ibaBM-PN can be coupled with the TAP interface (Ethernet) without interference in the PROFINET network. As a sniffer, the device monitors the entire data exchange on the line and can therefore read the data sent. The entire communication via the TAP interface is also mirrored to a monitor port where it can be recorded using an external network analysis tool. Integration into the configuration of the PROFINET controller is not necessary. 

Sniffer at SINAMICS Link 

Furthermore, ibaBM-PN provides the function of acquiring and recording data as sniffer on a SINAMICS link, thus replacing the bus monitor ibaBM-SiLink in a function-compatible way. SINAMICS Link is a special type of PROFINET communication for exchanging PROFINET IRT data between Siemens SINAMICS controllers (CU320-2PN and CU320- 2DP or CUD). SINAMICS Link is based on a strict, straight network topology with a maximum of 64 PROFINET (PN) controllers. Each controller sends data that ibaBM-PN can read and acquire.

Sniffer 

In order to record data transmitted over an EtherCAT line with ibaPDA, ibaBM-eCAT should be connected directly to the EtherCAT wire, positioned in line right next to the EtherCAT MainDevice. The setup of the signals can be retrieved from the EtherCAT project file from the automation system, provided that the ENI export file of the EtherCAT configuration has been imported in ibaPDA. Hence, the signals of all configured terminals are available in ibaPDA. The signals can be comfortably selected just by a mouseclick using the symbol browser. Alternatively it is possible to address the signals directly. 

EtherCAT SubDevice

Moreover, you can configure ibaBM-eCAT as EtherCAT SubDevice on the EtherCAT line. Hence, it can be addressed by the EtherCAT MainDevice. This way, the EtherCAT MainDevice can address exactly the user data that is needed for recording with ibaPDA. Those signals are regarded as outputs from the EtherCAT bus‘ view. For ibaBM-eCAT as sniffer and/or slave applies: ibaPDA can acquire up to a total of 512 analog and 512 digital values in each signal direction according to the sampling rate configured on the EtherCAT bus. The following data types are supported: BYTE, SINT, WORD, INT, DWORD, DINT, REAL, FLOAT and LREAL. 

EtherCAT Browser and Diagnostics 

If no ENI export file of the EtherCAT configuration is available, the symbol browser cannot be used for signal selection. Using the EtherCAT browser, it is optionally possible to select the values for acquisition directly from the EtherCAT bus. The EtherCAT browser also contains diagnostic functions of the bus. For example, the individual telegrams can be analyzed and cycle and turnaround times can be displayed. A large number of diagnostic signals describing the EtherCAT bus are available for acquisition in ibaPDA.

Comfortable Request 

Procedure For a convenient measurement over EtherCAT, the request procedure can be used by ibaPDA. Using the request procedure, internal variables of the PLC can be freely requested via ibaBM-eCAT. The values to be measured can be addressed with their symbolic names and simply selected in ibaPDA using a browser.

The EtherNet/IP bus monitor ibaBM-ENetIP is a device for acquiring the cyclical data exchange between EtherNet/IP scanners (master) and adapters (slaves). The device can be integrated into an existing EtherNet/ IP network with one or more EtherNet/IP scanners (master). The ibaBM-ENetIP bus monitor can be operated with the TAP-interface (Ethernet) in an Ether- Net/IP network without interferences. As sniffer, the device listens to the cyclic data exchange of the IO data (implicit messaging) between EtherNet/IP scanner (master) and adapters (slaves). 

Recording with external network analysis tool 

The entire communication via the TAP-interface is being mirrored to a monitor port and can be recorded using an external network analysis tool. 

ibaNet protocol 32Mbit 

Flex On the optical-fiber side, ibaBM- ENetIP works with the ibaNet protocol 32Mbit Flex. With this protocol, measuring and configuration data are transferred via a bidirectional fiber optic connection. The sampling rate and the data formats can be configured flexibly.

Passive Recording, Active Retrieving 

The device has 3 pairs of fiber optic links which provide the functions as follows: 

• Passive recording of signals sent to/received by the control system (Data Set measuring channel)
• Active retrieving of other measured values from the drives (Parameter measuring channel)
• Routing of configuration and measurement requests of external computers with DriveWindow 

Automatic Detection 

ibaBM-DDCS detects the connected drives with the corresponding signals automatically. The device enables free and interference free access to the drive’s parameter and to the communication telegrams between drive and controller. ibaBM-DDCS supports the ibaNet protocol 32Mbit Flex. The sampling rate can be up to 40 kHz, whereby up to 4060 Byte can be transmitted over the fiber optics to the ibaPDA computer. One ibaBM-DDCS device can simultaneously monitor all drives which are connected to a common bus line. In theory this can be over 100 drives per device.