Planning and Designing Control Network Interconnectivity

Introduction

In a Quantum EIO system, you can design an architecture that contains both and operating on the same .

Through the use of a control head module installed on the , you can connect a new or existing Ethernet control network to a (containing remote I/O and distributed I/O devices).

The control network module is configured with Control Expert and communicates with the following devices in a device network:

PLC
140NOC78000 distributed I/O head module
remote I/O and distributed I/O devices
HMI devices
SCADA programs

NOTE: The architectures described in this document have been tested and validated in various scenarios. If you intend to use architectures different than the ones described in this document, test and validate them thoroughly before implementing.

What Is in This Chapter?

This chapter contains the following topics:

Quantum Ethernet I/O device

These devices in Ethernet I/O systems provide automatic network recovery and deterministic remote I/O performance. The time it takes to resolve a remote I/O logic scan can be calculated, and the system can recover quickly from a communication disruption. Quantum Ethernet I/O devices include:

local rack (with an Ethernet remote I/O head module)
remote I/O drop (with an Ethernet adapter module)
DRS (with a pre-defined configuration downloaded)

remote I/O network

An Ethernet-based network that contains 1 standalone PLC or one Hot Standby system and remote I/O devices. There are 3 types of remote I/O devices: a local rack, a remote I/O drop, and a ConneXium extended dual-ring switch (DRS). Distributed I/O devices may also participate in a remote I/O network via connection to DRSs.

local rack

A Quantum rack containing the controller, a power supply, and an Ethernet remote I/O head module. A local rack consists of 1 or 2 racks, the main rack (containing the remote I/O head module) and an optional extended rack. A Quantum Ethernet remote I/O network requires 1 local rack on the main ring.

PLC

programmable logic controller. The PLC is the brain of an industrial manufacturing process. It automates a process as opposed to relay control systems. PLCs are computers suited to survive the harsh conditions of the industrial environment.

HMI

(human machine interface) An HMI is a device that displays process data to a human operator, who in turn uses the HMI to control the process.

An HMI is typically connected to a SCADA system to provide diagnostics and management data, such as scheduled maintenance procedures and detailed schematics for a particular machine or sensor.

SCADA

(supervisory control and data acquisition) SCADA systems are computer systems that control and monitor industrial, infrastructure, or facility-based processes (examples: transmitting electricity, transporting gas and oil in pipelines, and water distribution).