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18-Jul-21

PLC
Communication protocols.
Instructor :
Yusuf Abdul-Rahman
MSc in Control Engineering
usfece@gmail.com
00967-739757628

Introduction
Communication networks are a central component of
modern automation solutions. Industrial networks have to
fulfill special requirements, for example:

Coupling of automation systems as well as simple sensors


and actuators and computers
The information has to be correct and has to be transferred
at the right moment.
Robust against electromagnetic disturbances, mechanical
stresses and soiling
Flexible adaptation to the production requirements

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Interface standards
Interface standards are discussed below to minimize confusion. That's because the same type of
interface, or interfacing device, is often used by more than one protocol for communications. Two
interface standards and one interface device are mentioned below:
1. RS-232

2. RS-485

RS-232 : is a Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) standard for data transmission at speeds
up to 20,000 bits per second (bps). It is used for serial data transmission. RS-232 interfaces were built
into many legacy computers, and devices like controllers and printers.

Cont.
RS-232 ports most often have D-shell 9-pin, 15-pin, or 25-pin receptacles. Most RS-232 cables
have male ends. In cases where the numbers of pins differ between connected devices, an
appropriate cable will be needed. RS-232 cables can be no longer than 50 feet.

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DTE vs DCE
There are two types of RS-232 which are Data Terminal Equipment DTE ( such as a PLC ) and Data
Communication Equipment DCE ( such as a modem ) . Two devices from the same type can not be
connected to each other without using a converter so to speak.

Cont.

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RS-485
RS-485 is an interface standard for data communications that allows much higher data
transmission speeds than RS-232 - up to 10 megabit per second (10 Mbps). Data
communications speed varies inversely with the total length of an RS-485 cable; the shorter the
total length, the faster the maximum speed and vice versa. The maximum length of cable in the
RS-485 standards is 200 meter not like the RS-232 standard which is 50 feet max.

Comparison RS-232 RS-485


Length of cable Shorter ( 50 feet ) Longer ( 200 m )
Speed Slower ( almost 20 Kb/s) Faster ( almost 1 Mb/s)
No. of devices connected Only one at a time Up to 32 devices

Protocols
The communication protocol can be defined as method for digital data communications between two
or more devices in different location, or on a network. There are many communication protocols used
nowadays. However, in this lecture we will be focusing on the communication protocols used with the
PLCs and devices existing on the same network as industrial controllers. Some protocols used with
controllers are for data communications only, usually by sensors and transmitters. Others are used for
both data communications and control applications. In this lecture we will cover shortly the following :
1. Profinet / Ethernet

2. Profibus

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Ethernet/profinet
The Ethernet/profinet protocol is working in the first two layers of the OSI model shown in the table below
.The physical layer concerns about the cabling and the devices of the PLC system you have including the
HMI screens, PLCs , Bridges or Gateways, cables and any other device in your system. OSI Model
7- Application
6- Presentation
5- Session
4- Transport
3- Network
2- Data link
1- Physical

Cont.
For the data link layer, there are two sections we need to deal with which are - Logical Link control (LLC)
and the Media Access Control ( MAC). The first section is concerned about transmission of the data
through the network paths. While the second section identify the destination of the hardware device
which will receive the data.

Profinet devices have three


different types of addresses:
1) IP address
2) MAC address
3) Device name

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Profibus
Profibus is a famous communication protocol founded by Siemens
provide a range of baud rate that can be used with corresponding
max length of the cable ( example 12 Megabit/s with max length of
50 meter ) . 127 devices can be connected in a network through
the profibus cable in a master-slave type protocol. There are two
type of profibus protocols :

1. Profibus – AP : connects the devices from the field into the plc
through segment coupler because the plc does not have
profibus _PA port

2. profibus – DP : can be connected directly to the PLC

Cont.

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