PCIe cards connect existing industrial networks to PC-based automation systems, supporting cybersecurity requirements and continued use of installed equipment.
Hilscher has added PROFIBUS DP variants to its cifX PCI Express (PCIe) PC card range. The cards are based on the netX 90 system-on-chip (SoC) and allow PC-based automation systems to connect to PROFIBUS networks. They are designed to address the cybersecurity and availability requirements of the European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).
PROFIBUS is used in industrial machines and plants, where manufacturers and operators need to connect new equipment to existing fieldbus networks. The new cards are available in PCI Express and Low Profile PCI Express formats. This allows manufacturers to add PROFIBUS interfaces to PC-based automation equipment without replacing existing networks.
The cards use the same netX 90 hardware platform as the cifX variants that support PROFINET and other Industrial Ethernet protocols. Manufacturers can use the same hardware platform for different communication protocols depending on the application.
The netX 90 communication controller supports multiple protocols and includes security mechanisms for industrial communication. These features are intended to help device manufacturers address the requirements of the European Cyber Resilience Act while continuing to support PROFIBUS-based systems.
The PROFIBUS variants extend the protocol support of the cifX range. The platform also supports PROFINET IO-Device, EtherCAT SubDevice, EtherNet/IP Adapter, OpenModbus/TCP Server/Client, CC-Link IE Field Basic Slave, POWERLINK Controlled Node, Sercos Slave, OPC UA Server, and MQTT Publisher/Subscriber.
The protocols are provided through loadable, pre-certified firmware stacks. This allows manufacturers to use different communication protocols on the same hardware platform instead of developing separate hardware for each protocol. It can also reduce changes needed for development, logistics, maintenance, and migration between protocols and target markets.
The cifX platform uses common drivers, application programming interfaces (APIs), configuration tools, and integration methods. Existing users can use the same tools when moving between protocols, cifX generations, and other netX-based communication solutions.
The new cards give manufacturers a way to connect PROFIBUS networks to PC-based automation systems while continuing to use existing fieldbus infrastructure and the netX 90 platform.
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