Serial converter for mission-critical environments

October 2006 Fieldbus & Industrial Networking

Advantech's OPT8FP is an 8-port RS422 to RS232 converter connection box with 2500 V d.c. isolation protection. Supporting up to 1,2 km and a baud rate of 230,4 Kbps when transferring RS422 signals, it enables communication between an RS232 card and up to eight RS422 devices in the field.

Because of the distance limitation of 15 m for RS232, it is common to convert the signal to RS422 to increase the communication distance up to 1200 m. OPT8FP takes care of this, and also has eight ports with RS422 communication to connect up to eight serial devices. At the other end of the network, an ADAM-4520 may be used to convert the RS422 signal back to RS232 and connect with the RS232 device in the field.

For mission-critical serial networks, OPT8FP offers isolation protection that enables wiring through industrial environments without risk of damaging the equipment. Although distributed serial network solutions are gaining popularity, they still cannot compete with the response rate of a serial card installed in a PC. OPT8FP helps create these serial networks with high response rates, even with eight connected serial devices.

OPT8FP is highly suitable for industrial automation, facility or environmental monitoring, and traffic management systems where many serial devices are required. It has LED indicators to show the communication status for easier troubleshooting.

Advantech is represented locally by ProMicro.

For more information contact Elton Prytz, ProMicro, +27 (0) 11 706 7913, [email protected] or visit www.promicro.co.za

Further reading:

Remote I/O modules provide flexible options for distributed applications
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Dinkle International is now stocking the iO-GRID NEMO industrial-grade remote input/output modules, offering support for five leading industrial Ethernet protocols and a range of discrete channel configurations for distributed automation applications.

Read more...

---

Local energy solutions rewiring resilience across Africa
News Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Engineers across Africa are developing practical, scalable energy and mobility solutions supported by the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.

Read more...

---

Daudin expands fieldbus modular remote I/O series
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
: The Dinkle iO-GRID X modular remote I/O family is now available, offering fieldbus coupler modules for major industrial Ethernet protocols, and over 20 types of I/O modules to help integrators and equipment builders create flexible, efficient control systems.

Read more...

---

Siemens and HighByte partner to scale industrial AI
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Siemens is expanding its Industrial Edge ecosystem through a partnership with HighByte, enabling customers to connect, contextualise and transform data from operational technology and information technology sources to build AI models and applications at scale.

Read more...

---

Automotive Ethernet media converter
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
HMS Networks has introduced its first automotive ethernet product under the PEAK brand. The PAE-Media Converter is a compact device designed to connect automotive Ethernet (100BASE-T1 or 1000BASE-T1) with standard Ethernet (100BASE-TX or 1000BASE-T) networks.

Read more...

---

3D electrical systems design workflow for electromechanical innovation
Siemens South Africa Fieldbus & Industrial Networking IT in Manufacturing
Siemens has announced new 3D electrical design capabilities within its Capital software, enabling electrical and mechanical engineers to work concurrently in a shared 3D environment to reduce late-stage design changes and accelerate time to market for complex electromechanical products.

Read more...

---

Long-distance signal delivery is critical to rail safety
Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
A remote monitoring specialist explains why fibre optic technology is increasingly replacing copper cabling in safety-critical railway signalling systems.

Read more...

---

Building efficiency into cement production with SCADA and IIoT
Adroit Technologies Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
For decades, Adroit Technologies has worked alongside leading cement producers, helping them gain greater visibility into their operations through advanced SCADA and IIoT solutions.

Read more...

---

Loop signature Part 2-5: Interactive control systems
Michael Brown Control Engineering Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Feedforward control was explained in the previous loop signature articles. One of the examples used was feedforward control of load changes on a heat exchanger when variations occurred in the flow of the process fluid through the exchanger.

Read more...

---

Integrated automation systems in poultry feed production
Adroit Technologies Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
South Africa’s poultry industry is increasingly turning to advanced automation systems to optimise operations. Working in partnership with Adroit Technologies, leading poultry supplier Sovereign implemented the Mitsubishi Adroit Process Suite across a key feed production facility, creating a scalable, integrated system capable of supporting both current operations and future expansion.

Read more...

---