WNIP May June 19.3 Digital

26
New technology turns I/O devices into field logic controllers
(FLCs) for flexible, cost-effective control
Engineers, OEMs and integrators
have struggled for years with
how to balance the cost of PLCs
with their I/O needs, and the new
ARGEE technology solves this
challenge.
ARGEE
empowers
manufacturers to add logic to
compatible I/O devices without a
PLC, driving down the cost per I/O
point and increasing flexibility in
control. The ARGEE environment
is accessible via an HTML5-
compatible web browser, which
eliminates the need for complex
third-party software or licensing
common with PLCs.
Inside the ARGEE
environment, the user can set
condition and action statements
that can be carried out by the I/O
device. The application’s intuitive
de¬sign includes a flow chart,
similar to ladder logic, which
allows for easy programming by
users of all experience levels.
By taking advantage of ARGEE
on Turck’s multiprotocol Ethernet
I/O devices, manu¬facturers are
able to realize a better control
solution – field logic controllers
(FLCs).
FLCs benefit small- to mid-size
OEMs and manufacturers who
are looking to add logic without
investing in a PLC. FLC can be used
in one of three ways:The FLC stands
alone: FLC performs all the logic as
a standalone application with¬out
a PLC.
The FLC backs up the PLC: If
the FLC loses communication with
the PLC, the FLC can take over and
either shut down the process, or
keep the process going.The FLC
and the PLC work together: The
FLC can monitor an application
and send defined variables and
updates back to the PLC.
With FLC powered by ARGEE,
engineers can add control
capabilities and I/O points to
applications without having to
invest in or upgrade a PLC. Because
the I/O devices carry advanced
ingress ratings, logic can move
outside the panel and onto
machines for local control and realtime
performance monitoring.
Specific features of ARGEE
include:
• Toggling bits, utilization
of timers and counters,
performing arithmetic functions,
monitoring of program status via
Power hub revamped: Programmed for the future
19.3
the built-in HMI capabilities and
communicating with an upper
level PLC
• HTML5-based programming,
which makes the environment
accessible on any device
via capable web browsers such as
Chrome and Firefox
• Integration with digital,
analogue, IO-Link, RFID, and
specialty I/O types
ARGEE technology is standard in
all Turck multiprotocol Ethernet
I/O devices. These devices can be
used on any PROFINET®, Modbus
TCP or EtherNet/IP platform,
and include TBEN-L/TBEN-S onmachine
block I/O; BL compact
on-machine flexible block I/O;
and FEN20 In-cabinet block I/O.
brandon.topham@
retautomation.com
Segment Coupler 3 with PROFINET
gateway and advanced diagnostics.
Gateway can be configured via web
interface or FDT/DTM frame
No sooner has digital
communication arrived in
the process industry than the next
technological revolution is around
the corner.
Profibus DP is now regarded
as an established standard that is
tried and tested and has become
commonplace in many process
plants. Profinet goes one crucial
step beyond.
This is not a complete
reinvention of the wheel, nor is it a
revolution that brings everything
that has gone before into question.
In fact, Profinet uses the same
tried-and-tested technologies
that proved themselves with
Profibus DP. Evolution would
therefore be a more appropriate
term for this than revolution.
Similarly, plant operators
are presented with good
opportunities to gradually
move into the future and to rely
on future-proof infrastructure
components for modernizations
and new installations with the
Profinet gateway.
Profinet is basically an
industrial Ethernet variant that
has been specifically expanded
to include the Profibus DP
functionality and has already
become extremely well
established in factory automation.
This allows communication at
the control level to be integrated
seamlessly into the rest of
the company's IT landscape.
Communication with Profibus PA
at the field level is implemented via
Profinet gateways.
The specially defined proxy
technology enables simple
and practical integration of bus
systems established in process
automation such as Profibus PA.
From Big Data to the Internet
of Things
There is another reason why
Profinet is the way to the future.
In a process plant, intelligent field
devices generate large volumes of
data.
However, a large part of this
data is currently still untapped.
This data can easily be converted
into concretely useful information
via big data solutions.
The information is then
available anywhere via Ethernetbased
systems, opening up a
wealth of new applications that are
only just beginning to emerge.
The strict separation between
the IT environment and industrial
automation has made consistent
use of this data considerably more
difficult, since the transparency
of the process plant does not go
beyond the control center. Profinet
is the key to eliminating such
limitations.
Significantly Reduced Complexity
A consistently homogeneous
system is of course much less
complex than a heterogeneous
environment consisting of
specialized system landscapes.
Profinet is ideal for eliminating
the previously strict separation
between the automation
environment and IT.
The field level still
communicates according to the
proven protocols, standards, and
technologies, while gateways
create the direct connection to an
industrial Ethernet-based control
level.
The manufacturers of
infrastructure components have
recognized this development
trend and are increasingly starting
to prepare their solutions for the
Profinet environment.
Power Hub with Profinet Gateway
The Power Hub concept
is one of Pepperl+Fuchs' core
technologies. The company has
now thoroughly overhauled this
concept and put the entire product
family on a new foundation.
The keywords here are:
extremely compact design,
different redundancy concepts,
and, for the first time, a Profinet
gateway.
The fact that line redundancy
and the S2 system redundancy
of Profinet are supported is
particularly interesting.
The latter is based on the
principle that a gateway is