New communication module supports green automation initiative

HMS Industrial Networks releases embedded Anybus-CompactCom PROFIenergy communication module.

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HMS Industrial Networks has announced the release of an embedded Profinet communication module with integrated PROFIenergy profile server. With this new release HMS supports the efforts of the AIDA group of automobile manufacturers (Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen) to reduce the energy consumption of manufacturing plants. The new module provides manufactures of automation devices with a fast and easy way to integrate energy control functionality into their devices. Thanks to the standardized PROFIenergy commands, a central controller can switch complex automation systems consisting of automation devices from various manufactures easily and safely into standby mode during production breaks and standstill times. This saves up to 40% of the electrical energy needed for the production process and helps to reduce the carbon dioxide emission.

The PROFIenergy server is implemented in the firmware of the Anybus-CompactCom Profinet IO communication module. The module acts as Profinet IO device according to conformance class B in the Profinet network and is equipped with a fast 2-port switch which allows Profinet installations in line topology without the need for expensive external switches. The integrated profile server handles the PROFIenergy commands and parameters according to use cases 1 – 3 and provides a standardized hardware and software interface towards the electronics of the automation device. This minimizes the development efforts needed inside the automation device to fully comply with the PROFIenergy standard.

By choosing to integrate support for the new PROFIenergy CompactCom module, customers will automatically get access to all major industrial networks, since it is part of the Anybus-CompactCom family of interchangeable plug-in communication modules - the world’s most flexible and cost-efficient solution for connecting devices to all major fieldbus and Industrial Ethernet networks including Profibus, DeviceNet, CC-Link, CANopen, Profinet, EtherCAT, Modbus-TCP and Sercos III. CompactCom modules are used as communication interfaces of intelligent automation devices such as drives, HMIs, robots, inverters, instruments, and scales.

The Anybus-CompactCom modules come in a slim housing about the size of a compact flash card. The core of the module is HMS´s NP30 network microprocessor with its integrated fast Ethernet controller and RAM and Flash memories for the EtherNet/IP device software stack. The onboard 2-port switch provides two 100 Mbit/s full duplex Ethernet interfaces with RJ45 connectors.

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