An Ethernet-equipped PLC that is believed to be the first truly integrated solution for pneumatic valve terminals can be mounted directly in harsh environments.
Festo GB has launched an Ethernet-equipped PLC that is believed to be the first truly integrated solution for pneumatic valve terminals. Protected to IP67, the robust controller can be mounted directly in harsh environments - such as on washdown machinery for food and pharmaceutical manufacturing lines - yet offers connectivity that aids the transition to more efficient control system architectures. The application potential supported by the novel PLC ranges from traditional standalone control - but with functions such as a web server for remote monitoring - to rugged I/O with an Ethernet gateway that allows control by a state-of-the-art PC (without the usual worries concerning ruggedised system building).

'A majority of our automation builder clients already employ fieldbus in their automation designs', says Jacqui Reid, Product Manager at Festo GB.

'The launch of Ethernet connectivity integrated onto a valve terminal extends the networking possibilities in major ways.

This introduction optimises that potential for the huge pneumatics user community.

It offers environmentally-protected control in a valve terminal form-factor, together with the logistics benefits that Festo users have become familiar with - such as a control node custom-assembled for a user's application and available with a single part number.' Designated the CPX-FEC, the new front-end controller or PLC is a plug-in module compatible with the complete range of modular CPX pneumatic valve and I/O functions.

Control nodes with up to 300 remote I/O channels, plus pneumatics, can be assembled on compact panel-mounting IP67 or IP65 modules less than 11cm high and 7cm deep.

A wide range of fieldbus interfaces is also available including Profibus-DP, CANopen, DeviceNet, Interbus and CC-Link.

With IP67 protection for the PLC functions, these control nodes can be mounted exactly where required on the machine or automation _ even next to a food-processing or -packaging zone that is subject to splashing with sticky ingredients or caustic washdown agents for instance.

CPX-FEC comes with a quarter megabyte of memory for control programs, and half a megabyte for web applications.

The controller will execute control programs at a speed of approximately 1 to 2 milliseconds per 1k statement.

Control software can be developed using IEC 61131-standard languages, or a proprietary Festo tool called FST4 which offers a very simple-to-learn ladder logic system, or a statement-based programming approach with high level commands such as IF, THEN and ELSE.

Festo additionally offers a small handheld terminal called CPX-MMI that allows users to perform configuration, commissioning and diagnostics tasks locally.

The wide software compatibility of the new 10/100 Base-T Ethernet PLC - which includes TCP/IP, SMTP, TFTP, DDE and HTTP as well as most major fieldbus protocols - opens up many new architectural possibilities for control systems.

Among these are distributed control system applications that can integrate easily with an enterprise's higher level IT networks, an Ethernet gateway to remote I/O that allows users to devise more sophisticated control and instrumentation strategies using desktop PCs, and remote monitoring and diagnostics of plant automation over the internet.

CPX-FEC's Ethernet capability also offers an easy means of adding wireless connectivity to industrial equipment.