In modern manufacturing facilities as well as power generation and distribution systems, the complexity and degree of interconnection of industrial automation systems are continuously increasing. As a result, the importance of detailed analysis of data exchange within industrial networks is growing as well. Such analysis is essential to ensure process transparency and traceability, to understand communication flows, and to quickly identify potential sources of error. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to reliably capture and analyze relevant communication data between network participants without interfering with the network itself.
New EtherNet/IP Interface Module
With the new fieldbus module ibaM-EIP-S-1G, iba AG extends its modular measurement system ibaMAQS with a powerful solution for the passive acquisition of EtherNet/IP communication in industrial networks.
ibaM-EIP-S-1G is specifically designed for capturing cyclic data exchange in EtherNet/IP networks, which are widely used in automation technology. It supports communication between EtherNet/IP scanners (masters) and adapters (slaves) and can be integrated into existing networks with one or multiple scanners.
Passive, Non-Intrusive Data Acquisition
The module is connected to the network via a TAP interface and operates completely non-intrusively as a sniffer. This enables passive monitoring of cyclic IO data exchange (implicit messaging) between scanner and adapter without affecting ongoing communication. The captured data is then recorded using ibaPDA and can be further analyzed within the iba system together with additional process data.
The ibaMAQS system consists of a central processor module (edge device), the ibaM-DAQ, which can be combined with up to 15 different I/O modules. This allows measurement setups to be tailored individually to application-specific requirements. The ibaPDA data acquisition software runs on the processor module. ibaPDA acquires signals from the ibaMAQS system but can also capture additional signals via Ethernet from controllers and sensors. This enables the acquired communication data to be flexibly recorded isochronously together with other signals, visualized in real time, and analyzed offline.
With the expansion of the ibaMAQS portfolio through an EtherNet/IP interface module, iba AG further strengthens its capabilities for transparent and non-intrusive analysis of industrial communication networks, thereby providing an essential foundation for in-depth process and system diagnostics.
