HMS Industrial Networks Anybus X-gateway for Profibus/Profinet

With its recently upgraded Anybus X-gateways, HMS Industrial Networks can offer ways to get heterogeneous PROFI-equipment connected, enabling communication between different physical formats or to couple/decouple I/O data between two controlling networks.

The Anybus X-gateway can act as a Profinet/Profinet coupler enabling fast transfer of I/O data. The Profinet interface works as an I/O-Device on the Profinet I/O or IRT network. In a similar way, coupling or decoupling of I/O data between two controlling Profibus networks (DP/DP coupling) can be achieved, and the two Profibus networks become galvanically and logically isolated from each other.

It is also possible to couple or decouple I/O data between two controlling Profinet I/O networks. A well-known name for this functionality is PN/PN coupling.

Profinet FO is especially popular in the German automotive industry. However, many machines and systems do not come with fibre-optic connectivity. Anybus X-gateway can act as a coupler between the two network versions, enabling them to communicate.

Many factories have well-functioning Profibus networks; however, there is often a need to install devices or systems which run Profinet. With an Anybus X-gateway, this switch is easily done. The X-gateway acts as translator between the two networks and can be installed within minutes — a very fast way to migrate from fieldbus to Industrial Ethernet. End users will be able to re-use and connect well-working existing equipment to new high-performing automation systems.