Intelligent wiring communicates with fieldbus systems through gateway

With the introduction of the gateway, SmartWire-DT supports not only the Profibus-DP, CANopen, Modbus-TCP, Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Powerlink and EtherCAT fieldbus protocols, but also Sercos III. This protocol supports demanding industrial automation applications, such as packaging machines, where high performance and real-time capabilities are necessary.

Machine and system builders in these fields can now benefit from the advantages that the SmartWire-DT device-level based intelligent wiring system offers. These include significantly reduced wiring time as well as reduced engineering, commissioning and maintenance effort.

The portfolio of SmartWire-DT components ranges from pilot devices, contactors, motor starters, soft starters, variable speed starters and frequency inverters to circuit breakers and HMI/PLCs. For applications that involve digital and analogue process data outside the cabinet, Eaton offers IP67 I/O SmartWire-DT modules that connect single sensors in the machine periphery over a length of up to 600m.

The gateway transfers data from connected SmartWire-DT devices via the Sercos protocol to the installation’s PLC or other controller. It can transfer up to 1,000 bytes of input and output data from a maximum 99 devices in cyclical operation, and also supports acyclical communication. As well as the 100Mbit switch for Sercos communication, the gateway has a USB interface for routine diagnostics.

The gateway is configured in the same way as other Sercos devices by using a standard ESI description file that is incorporated in the programming system. Individual SmartWire-DT modules are selected and parameterised in the normal way.

For planning, configuring and commissioning SmartWire-DT networks, Eaton offers its well-proven SWD-Assist software. With the configuration tool, users can select any device in the system with just a few mouse clicks, and a software wizard is provided that enables the configuration to be checked quickly and easily.

All of the connected SmartWire-DT devices can be commissioned via the gateway’s diagnostic interface, which means that commissioning can be completed quickly and conveniently without the need to connect the PLC.

SmartWire-DT devices have CE, UL and CSA approvals, making them suitable for use worldwide.