Profibus

Tim Linnell (Eurotherm Ltd)

EUROTHERM
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This Talk

 Brief overview of Profibus family

 Profibus DP - Where it came from, how it works
 Profibus GSD Files
 Profibus Slave Operation
 Eurotherm GSD File editor
 Future

EUROTHERM
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Profibus Family

 Profibus DP
– Fast transfer of time critical I/O data
– Machine building/Automation ~ 10mS scan time
– ‘DPV1’ adds ‘Acyclic’ messages and high level data type
definitions
 Profibus PA
– DPV1 Messaging + Device Profiles + Intrinsic Safety
– Slower Physical Medium (31.25 kbit/s) with loop power
– Process Applications
 Profibus FMS
– ‘Full’ Messaging (I/O + non time critical)
– Higher level Communications (PLC <-> PLC)

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‘Traditional’ PLC Control System

Internal ‘Backplane’
Transfers Input and Output data
between CPU and Modules prior
to PLC scan cycle

Data from modules ‘appears’

in I/O registers in the CPU.
Processed by application

Point to Point wiring to Plant - Essentially 1 wire per signal

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PLC Control With DP

Internal backplane replaced by

external High Speed RS485 cable
connected to Scanner Module.

I/O data from devices is transferred

cyclically - ‘appears’ in PLC
registers
to be processed by application.

Modules replaced by ‘Devices’ -

I/O or special function
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Cyclic I/O Data Transfer

Slave Input Data (To PLC) PLC Registers

Temperature
Working Setpoint
Loop Output Power
Alarm Status word

Slave Output Data (From PLC)

Target Setpoint
Manual Output Application uses
data from input
Scanner transfers I/O registers and
Data from/to PLC once sets values in
each scan cycle for each output registers
slave ~ 10mS cycle
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General Benefits of using Fieldbuses

 Wiring Cost reduction (35 - 40% of total)

 Easier maintenance, and flexibility to add new devices
when and where needed
 Use ‘best of breed’, specialised, devices easily at all
points in the application - reduces load on PLC
 Devices located close to point of application and closely
coupled to it
 Feedback from smart devices reduces planned
maintenance and allows quality improvement via SPC etc.
 Not limited to modules produced by vendor of PLC (or
PC3000!)

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DP is popular with users...

 Easily understandable - no need to read the spec!

 Easily applicable - devices interwork without problems
 Transparent to PLC programmers
 Very little ongoing network maintenance
 Supported by a very wide range of device and PLC
vendors

DP systems are now being constructed on a very routine

basis without problems - not an R&D exercise.

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DP is popular with vendors

 Based on a range of Siemens ASICs - easy hardware

implementation for slave devices
 Pre-Canned modules available (Siemens, Hilscher,
SST etc) to add DP to products without significant
hardware development
 Easy to support - ASICs ensure third party devices
work in a consistent and predictable manner

Result is a healthy proliferation of different kinds of I/O

and specialised devices

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Why Eurotherm chose Profibus DP

 DP is currently the best choice for networking PLCs

with I/O and other devices. Fast, simple, and
available.
 DeviceNet is too limited in bandwidth for larger
applications, and third party support not as
comprehensive.
 Foundation Fieldbus not widely adopted.

Profibus DP now adopted within Eurotherm as our

main Fieldbus platform.

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Profibus - Weaknesses.

 Limited ‘acyclic’ capacity. Not good for SCADA or

large scale file transfers.
 Not really plug and play (like DeviceNet)
 No pre-defined Function Block library (like FF)

EUROTHERM
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Eurotherm’s Profibus Range

SCADA - PC Cards
T940 PC3000/PC300 T800 Wonderware, Wizcon,
Interlution

subselect.me
2900
°

CPU Loop Loop Relay 4 DI/DO 8

OK OK OK OK OK

1
Load Light
Inner Temp

Run Reset

FridgeLight
Hold Serv
OK OK OK OK OK

Main Fan

Main Air
Aux Fan

Aux Air

2
o
Lower
Raise
Temp

Heat
Cool
2000F PID T630 Process Thyristor AC/DC Chart 2500
Controllers Controller Power Drives Recorders Multi-loop
EUROTHERM Controllers
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GSD Files
1

 Define third party devices to Profibus DP network

configuration tools.
 Include timing information, supported baud rates,
links to bitmap images, etc.
 Include details of I/O Mapping and ‘Parameterisation’
 Contents downloaded to Slave devices on network
startup
 In Eurotherm products, define the set of device
variables transferred over Profibus. Set up using our
‘GSD File Editor’
1
Gerätestammdaten

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DP Network Configuration

GSD

GSD

GSD

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DP Slave Operation
 Units first ‘parameterised’ by Master
– Sends up to 244 bytes of Vendor Specific Data
– Data comes from GSD file
– In Eurotherm devices, defines content of I/O messages
 Units then ‘Configured’ by Master
– Up to 244 bytes Type and Size data defining I/O
– Data comes from GSD file
 Slave enters ‘Data Exchange’
– Exits back to parameterisation on timeout
– “Diagnostic” requests made on status change or fatal error
 “Diagnostics”
– Not well understood (even by Siemens!)
– Flagged during I/O exchange
– Provide indication of Fatal Device Fault or
– Provide indication of Status (e.g. sensor fail)
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Profibus DP “Slave State Machine”

“Config Data”from GSD File

“User Parametisation Data

”from GSD File

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Why Use a GSD Editor?

 Profibus designed for simple bulk I/O devices (e.g.

16 words I + 0)
 Our products are much more complex (500-3000
parameters).
 Impossible to choose a universal subset for I/O, and
wasteful of bandwidth to transfer unnecessary
variables.
 Best approach to allow I/O mapping selection by
users on a per application basis

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Problems

 GSD file provides user data. Obvious place to define I/O transfer, and
values from file may be changed by user using network configuration tool
 However data type definitions are also in the GSD file, and closely
coupled to I/O definition.
 Data type definitions are not usually changeable using the network
configuration tool

Solution Chosen - Create a GSD Editor tool to define I/O transfer in users’s
terms, and manage type definitions automatically...

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Eurotherm GSD File Editor

Creates Custom ‘GSD’ file for use by network configurators

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Why Use the GSD File editor

 Very easy to use - drag and drop interface

 Allows optimum use of network ‘bandwidth’ - only transfer
the variables you need
 Permits very flexible use of devices - no need for a ‘lowest
common denominator’ mapping
 Avoids manual editing of GSD file employed by other
vendors - error prone and complicated
 Build up a library of GSD files for different applications
 Use the PLC to ‘wire’ between device variables for
complex control strategies
 ‘Web’ button for latest hints and tips on-line

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Demand Data
 Cyclic Data interchange is great, but…
– Relentlessly overwrites values set via the front panel of the instrument
(though this can be overcome with sequence logic)
– Allows access to a limited number of device variables
 ‘Demand Data’ provided to solve this problem
– Uses 4 words in the input and output areas
– Allows read or write access to all device variables ‘on demand’
– Uses a simple ‘mailbox’ system, easily programmable using a PLC
sequence program
– Switched on or off by the GSD File Editor
– Supported by specialised PC3000 Function Blocks
 DPV1 provides “proper” acyclic messaging (currently 2500 E-Suite
only)

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Future

 Profibus group pushing ProfiNet (Profibus on

Ethernet)
 Various other developments (Plug and Play,
ProfiSafe, Expansion of Profibus PA).
 May be better long term bets for higher level
Ethernet protocols (e.g. FF)

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Conclusion

 Profibus DP allows easy interconnection of

Eurotherm and third party devices
 Good for small scale “Machine Building” networks
 Less good as a SCADA network
 GSD file editor and ‘Demand Data’ allow great
flexibility of operation with Eurotherm slaves.

EUROTHERM
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