In addition to a wide range of Profibus products, Beckhoff now also supports Profinet, the Industrial Ethernet fieldbus. The new Profinet-certified BK9103 bus coupler allows users to employ the versatile Beckhoff I/O system with more than 200 different signal types.
The new bus coupler integrates Beckhoff's modular bus terminal system as a slave in the Profinet network. The device features an integrated 2-port Ethernet switch, which enables flexible topology configuration. For example, I/O nodes can be configured with a line topology, instead of the traditional star topology. This reduces the wiring effort in many applications, leading to a significant reduction in installation costs.
The BK9103 supports Profinet RT. It is addressed via a DIP switch meaning that no memory card is required for storing the address name, and no additional configuration software is required.
Profinet is now available for other products in the company's range. The IP67 Fieldbus Box family supports the Industrial Ethernet version with the model IL230x-B903 coupler box. The Profinet device interface for its TwinCAT automation software adds Profinet capability to Beckhoff's CX embedded PCs.
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