Posted to News on 12th Jul 2007, 07:31
High-performance PLC is Ethernet-enabled
Gefran is launching its new GILOGIK II high-performance, IEC 61131-3 programmed, distributed I/0 PLC system. Making full use of TCP/IP Ethernet-based communications for plant and machine control, the modular system is aimed at small to medium-sized automation applications.
At the heart of GILOGIK II is a 32-bit main board CPU module that uses a powerful 200MHz ARM processor with a refresh rate of 100us. IEC 61131-3 programming is standard with a choice of ladder diagram, instruction list, function block diagram, structured text, and Sequential Flow Chart languages. Up to 32MB of memory is available, with memory expansion via an optional USB port. Programming is facilitated with Ethernet TCP/IP or Modbus TCP master/slave using an integral RJ45 port or with Modbus RTu master/slave using an RJ10 serial port.
The scalable GILOGIK II system includes software-configured expansion modules with extractable spring-mount connectors and a backplane system with a high-speed data transfer (80 Mbps) parallel bus in 4, 8, 12 and 18 module versions for maximum application flexibility.
A range of dedicated analogue I/O modules includes sophisticated temperature control and general I/O in various convenient formats. Digital I/O modules for encoders, counters and general I/O are also covered. Modules with Ethernet switches allow consistent uniform performance for up to 16 nodes with 256 I/O per node. Gateways for Ethernet and Modbus-over-Ethernet and a range of common fieldbus interfaces including Profibus DP/V1 Slave and CANopen are also available.
Deterministic control
For high-performance, time-critical applications, a dedicated interface module for GDnet (Gefran Deterministic Network) is available. Developed to allow synchronous I/O management of high-performance machinery for plastic extrusion or other demanding processes, this fieldbus uses a deterministic protocol based on Ethernet 10baseT. In a typical application comprising four slaves, GDnet allowed 6000 I/O points to be scanned in under 200us. As the system is fundamentally independent of hardware and uses management functions and control algorithms to achieve system synchronisation, it does not suffer from the jitter problems sometimes associated with hardware-based PLC systems, and it maintains a certainty of I/O refresh rate with local and remote I/O sharing the same high execution speed.
Automation systems built around the GILOGIK II can include industrial PC-controlled architectures with Gefran's own GF-BOX module and DIGIPANEL HMI that can include GDnet, CANopen or DeviceNet interfaces. For a completely integrated PC with HMI, Gefran's DIGISTAR II is able to host the GILOGIK II PLC in addition to Geflex fieldbus-equipped processing components and Gefran SIEI servo and industrial drives over Profibus, Canopen, DeviceNet and Modbus RTU.
Setting up the GILOGIK II PLC is made easy with Gefran's Grafinet configuration software, allowing users to access each I/O point via a graphical interface and including HMI development platform tools using Java technology.
