EK9300 Profinet IO Bus Coupler enables a Profinet controller to exchange data with one or more EtherCAT, Profinet , Profibus and EtherNet/IP systems. Thus, the EK9300 can be used as a flexible gateway for real-time communication between these networks, with the EtherCAT network acting as a high performance lower-level I/O system.
EK9300 Profinet IO Bus Coupler enables a Profinet controller to exchange data with one or more EtherCAT, Profinet , Profibus and EtherNet/IP systems. Thus, the EK9300 can be used as a flexible gateway for real-time communication between these networks, with the EtherCAT network acting as a high performance lower-level I/O system.
The device converts the telegrams from Profinet IO to the EtherCAT “E-Bus” signal type. One station consists of an EK9300 and any number of EtherCAT Terminals. The coupler supports the Profinet RT protocol. The device can be used as a flexible gateway between different network and controller types: from Profinet to EtherCAT (with EL6692-0000); from Profinet to Profinet (with EL6631-0010); from Profinet to Profibus (with EL6731-0010); and from Profinet to EtherNet/IP (with EL6652-0010). This enables heterogeneous production systems to be networked by real-time communication without great effort and expense, according to the company. For example, product-relevant management information can be collected in distributed units with different control systems or data can be exchanged in real-time between two Profinet networks deliberately placed in different IP spaces.
The EK9300 Profinet IO coupler offers underlying connectivity to the EtherCAT I/O system. Particularly for widely distributed systems, additional advantages can be gained because the EtherCAT network topology offers high flexibility and the ability to bridge long transmission distances of up to 100 m. Another benefit is that the EK9300 Bus Coupler—in addition to its actual gateway function—supports a wide range of EtherCAT I/O terminals including IP 67 box modules for installation in harsh environments. This allows the optimum mapping of the physical process, as well as the connection of a Profinet controller via several EtherCAT slave terminals to the corresponding number of identical or different control networks.
