October 9, 2007 - The IEC 61131-3 compliant runtime environment ProConOS and the development environment Multiprog are now offered with CANopen support. Main feature of this solution is a full integration of the CANopen manager (master) into ProConOS and the CANopen configuration tool in Multiprog. In comparison to other solutions, ProConOS and the CANopen manager can be integrated on one CPU with internal CAN controller. Thus a wide range of CANopen features for configuration, monitoring and data exchange is offered with respect to CiA301 and CiA302. Besides the reduction in hardware costs, a single CPU-based solution offers considerable advantages regarding performance and functionality.
This allows for a PLC to be connected to up to four independent CANopen networks while acting as manager (master) or slave in each of those networks. Changing the operation mode can be performed at runtime by simply switching one parameter. When acting as manager, the PLC supports the standardized bootup procedures and the configuration manager according to CiA302. This ensures consistency of the network based on extensive testmechanisms, and administration of configuration data in the PLC. Thus it allows for the change of slave devices in case of malfuction or hot swapping of slaves in a running system. CANopen slave devices are supported according to CiA301 version 3 and version 4. The functions which are most important, can be accessed directly via functional modules.
CANopen networks can be projected and configured comfortable with the configuration tool integrated in the development environment Multiprog, while the process data of the network is available in the IEC 61131 environment.
In a project on rail applications with a leading customer, the system was already integrated in a high performance PLC which can be connected to up to four CANopen networks.
ProConOS and Multiprog with CANopen support will be introduced at the SPS/IPC/DRIVES and are now available.
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