A leading manufacturer of filling, bottling, and packaging machines utilized Ethernet switches and Profinet technology to create an integrated industrial network.
The use of the Profinet protocol is common in manufacturing. However, before all of the benefits of Ethernet-based technologies can be taken advantage of, machine builders have to overcome a few challenges.
One of the main challenges is that builders of equipment such as bottling machine lines often come from a technical field of mechanics and electrical engineering and do not have much IT knowledge, so they find it difficult to work with the new IT infrastructures that are deployed.
This manufacturer, based in Europe, is already using the protocol in its machinery and equipment. By using the Profinet protocol, the company can increase the diagnostic capabilities of their PLCs, reduce the time it takes to build their machines, and deploy untrained staff to replace devices within a few minutes.
System Requirements:
- Minimal IT knowledge required for easy migration from Profibus to Profinet
- The new switch must perform well on PROFINET networks
- The network must perform reliably all the time
Moxa Solution
The manufacturer is able to meet all of the key project requirements by deploying Moxa’s EDS-408A-PN, which is a managed switch that is capable of cyclically exchanging information with the PLCs over the Profinet protocol.
The bottling machine builder only needs to load the GSD file into the PLC and does not need to perform any configurations.
In addition, the PLC can automatically correct the name of the Profinet device if it is not assigned correctly. This simplifies the first steps of machine development and saves the manufacturer time. In addition, the managed switch can exchange information between adjacent devices using LLDP (Link Layer Discovery Protocol), which enables Profinet DCP (Discovery and Configuration Protocol) in accordance with the IEC 61158 standard.
The Profinet switches can be integrated into the PLC using Siemens Simatic Step 7 or the TIA portal. This allows the PLC to determine which ports are active, the status of the redundancy mechanisms and redundant power supplies, and the data transmission speed. The PLC can evaluate this information or pass it on to the HMIs. The information can be integrated directly in the programmer’s development environment, which generates added value for programmers and end users without the need for additional tools or interfaces.
This application story is courtesy Moxa.
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