Build a small Network by using Powerlink

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1

Hy there.

I have to do a software at a methane plant. Its inside a agriculture company (farmers) and produce electric power, heat an other different energies.

At this plant the distances are somtimes long - most below 100m but sometimes 500 to 1000m

I don´t want to use only one cpu. In order to keep the system more safe and to solve the issues in defined areas i would take about 5 different plc´s with their own visualisation.

In the end they all should be connected in order to have a main control point. Especially machine data, temperatures, amount of values etc. should be collected by this central point. At least i also want to set commands in order to control those plc application e.g. set timers, start stop…

My first thought was connecting them together via EPL - Means each plc have a EPL in Controlled mode, the main control is in Managing mode.

After that i can define memory areas in order to communicate - for this definition is there an help description in order to bring them together?

This strategie is at least many years old.

Meanwhile are there more sophisticated strategies for that? Also regarding the lenght of distances?

At least: the cycle time is not the big problem, a Cycle of 50ms is ok.

Each plc should have some status messages e.g: ready, busy, error and a different amount of about 100 Bytes of Data. Also a command messages.

The reason i like using EPL here is, there is no connection throug a Wifi or Internet. So far i know it makes it difficult to get access from outside.

I will not use Aprol

So please let me know how you guys would do it.

2

Hi there,

I /think/ the go-to solution here should be to use OpcUA. Instead of using the PLK connectors you connect the PLCs to the same ETH network (you can do that without having them connected to anything else).
But maybe someone else has an even better idea. Good luck :slight_smile:

3

Hi,

Just to chime in onto Michael W response. I would also use OPC UA since it can share already existing infrastructure and utilize the wide range of network equipment to handle the long distances.
I would use VLAN to separate the traffic from other traffic, just for the sake of keeping the network connections free from general network traffic.
On top of that I would have used the Pub/Sub possibility since it scales better than using client-server setup.

Good // Johan

4

Hello,

i would also suggest to try to work with OPC/UA as it is the more modern approach.
Also the real time extention with OPC UA FX is supported by the most PLCs.
A connection can be made flexible via the Application and Functionblock Calls.

The Powerlink would be a more fix and classic aproach. The long distances are not an issue as we have also fiber optic hardware for Powerlink.
The communication Settings are very fix if you configure it in the Hardware Tree.
But you have a precise deterministic behaviour.
As-Help How to set up PLK ICN

Greetings
Michael

5

Thank you for your answers.

@michael.bertsch : When using EPL for long distances: Which BusKoppler are used for fiber optics? or which

hardware is needed for using fiber optics?

The big goal with using opcUA would be the easy way for communication with 3rd party equipment.

For VLAN: I didn´t had any touch with that. Are there any descriptions how to organise such a network?

At least - maybe its oldscool - i would install a network only for the plc´s which is (hardware)seperated from all LAN.

So i will go through the help literature for opcua and will study them. Are there any examples?

Raimund

6

Hello,

i have found these two Devices for Powerlink and fiber optics. It could be that there are more.

Multimode (2km)
X20HB1881

Singlemode (50 km)
X20HB1882

OPCua

  1. Variant - Client Server
    If you puplish your PV-Variables via the OPCua-Default View (Server) you can use the OPCua Any Device (Client) in the Hardware tree, to establish an easy connection without programming.
    OPCua Client Server - OPCua Any Slave in Hardware tree

  2. Variant - Pup Sup
    You can have a look here, to start your reading.
    OPCua PubSub - PLC ↔ PLC

Greetings
Michael