Ethernet: Hardware from B&R, Harting, Turck

-- Control Engineering, 7/3/2007

Various industrial Ethernet hardware products are available from B&R Industrial Automation, Harting, and Turck.

B&R Industrial Automation offers the AC808 Ethernet hub, a standalone device that can be used universally as a Level 2 hub in standard Ethernet or real-time industrial Ethernet Powerlink networks.

Harting technology group recently expanded its managed and unmanaged Ethernet switch offerings with the eCon 9000, mCon 9000 19-in Ethernet Switch family.

Ethernet protocol gateways are available with Turck offers BL67 modular I/O modules.

AC808 Ethernet hub from B&R Industrial Automation is a standalone device that can be used universally as a Level 2 hub in standard Ethernet or real-time industrial Ethernet Powerlink networks. It is suitable for 100 MBit/s (Fast Ethernet) and 10 MBit/s networks. The hub automatically recognizes the correct transfer speed and configures the respective channels to it. The Ethernet connections are made using RJ45 connectors. A special feature is that the pin assignments can be crossed for the first channel using a switch, so that the same type of cable can be used for a connection between hubs (hub-hub) as is used between the hub and a network station.  The hub can be installed horizontally or vertically on the mounting rail. It also has fastening possibilities on the sides for direct mounting.

Correction: The AC808 Ethernet hub image in the article “Who Puts the ‘Industrial’ in Ethernet?” was incorrect in the June Control Engineering print edition, p.42. The correct image appears top, left.

Harting eCon 9000, mCon 9000 19-in Ethernet Switch family extends the spectrum of managed and unmanaged Ethernet Switches available from the Harting technology group. Up to 10 Ethernet clients can be connected via RJ45 or M12 sockets (D-coding) at the front of the device. They’re for use in industrial applications and support Ethernet (10MBit/s) and Fast Ethernet (100MBit/s). Line- and star-topology networks as well as mixed forms are supported. Ports have integrated LEDs, for easy and fast network diagnosis. In addition to these optical indicators, all switches have a potential-free relay contact, which can be connected via the DIN cable connector. The eCon 9000 products are plug-and-play Ethernet Switches as standard. The mCon 9000 product range has, in addition to the standard functions, the ability to be managed over an SNMP and Web interface.

Turck offers BL67 modular I/O modules with gateways for network interfaces including to fieldbus and the I/O modules. I/O modules, not dependent on the fieldbus protocol, are DIN-rail or frame mountable base with Turck eurofast, minifast, and picofast connectors. The electronic modules are hot swappable. The system supports multiple networks and a wide variety of I/O signals in a rugged housing. Gateways are available for DeviceNet, Profibus DP, CANopen, EtherNet/IP, and Ethernet - Modbus TCP/IP.

—Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor in chief, Control Engineering System Integration eNewsletter
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