The addition of Ethernet IP communication will ease the vertical integration of devices using SERCOS III production networks.
The S/IP (SERCOS/Internet Protocol) specification has been released by SERCOS International. The protocol allows standard Ethernet IP communication with a SERCOS III network both during cyclic real-time network operation and during non-real time operation. During real-time operation, the S/IP telegrams are transmitted via a non-real-time channel, without any negative effect on the real-time network behavior, according to a Dec. 27 SERCOS International announcement. Unlike some competitive Ethernet motion networks, a SERCOS master need not be operational for IP communication to function, the organization said.SERCOS, for SErial Realtime COmmunications System, is a digital interface for communications between controls, intelligent drives and decentralized peripheral devices, such as sensors and input/output devices (I/O).With the new S/IP protocol, the vertical integration of devices into a production system is improved. Any Ethernet device, such as a notebook computer, can be plugged into any unused SERCOS III port for upload/download of parameters and status information for set-up, reporting and remote maintenance and diagnostics over an intranet or the Internet.In addition to reading and writing the parameters of a device, S/IP supports the possibility of combining several tasks and sending them to the final device for processing. Manufacturer-specific services can also be added to the fixed, preset, standardized protocol services, which makes SERCOS III particularly flexible for users and developers.SERCOS North Americawww.sercos.comSERCOS International e.V. www.sercos.de
Optimize food production with SEW-EURODRIVE’s hygienic, energy-efficient automation and drive solutions for precision, reliability, and sustainability.
George Reed, with the help of Factory Technologies, was looking to further automate the processes at its quarries and make Ignition an organization-wide standard.
