Standard communication

This comprises standardized protocols for data communication .

ISO, TCP/IP, UDP transport protocols

ISO, TCP/IP and UDP are available as transport protocols.

PROFINET

Based on Industrial Ethernet, PROFINET enables direct communication of field devices (IO Devices) with controllers (IO Controllers) as well the solution of isochronous drive controls for motion control applications.

Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP)

Procedure specified in the IEC 61158 Type 10 standard for increasing the network availability in a ring topology.

Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP)

Procedure for smooth redundancy in accordance with the IEC 62439-3 standard to set up parallel, separate networks in which high availability is demanded. The PRP redundancy procedure is based on double transmission of frames over two separate networks (LAN A, LAN B).

Information technology (IT)

IT integrates SIMATIC into the information technology via Industrial Ethernet. These means of communication and communication paths are also available to SIMATIC. Depending on the product and stage of expansion, SIMATIC or the appropriate communication processors support technologies from the IT environment such as:

• E-mail;
  Via the integral e-mail client, network components, communications processors and network transitions can send emails to provide information about plant states, e.g. plant standstill or imminent overload, or to automatically request a service call.
• Freely definable HTML pages;
  Communications processors can perform web diagnostics with the aid of static HTML pages and a user-specific display is supported with the aid of freely definable HTML pages.
• FTP;
  The file transfer protocol (FTP) permits simple, universal coupling, e.g. the PLC can be connected to different computers or embedded systems

IP routing (IP-R)

The system connections for the SIMATIC S7 to Industrial Ethernet, such as CP 343-1 Advanced or CP 443-1 Advanced, with two separate interfaces (integrated network separation) and SCALANCE S and SCALANCE XM-400/XR-500, support the forwarding of IP messages between Gigabit and PROFINET interfaces. The SCALANCE M mobile wireless routers support routing between the mobile Internet and the connected LAN.

OPC (Openness, Productivity & Collaboration)

OPC is a standardized, open, and vendor-independent interface that is widely used in automation. It permits the connection of OPC-capable applications using many different protocols such as S7-communication, PROFINET, and SNMP.

PG/OP communication

The SIMATIC automation systems can handle data communication with HMI devices (e.g. TP/OP) and programming devices (with STEP 7, STEP 5) via the integral communication functions. PG/OP communication is supported by MPI, PROFIBUS and Industrial Ethernet.

S7 communication

S7 communication is the integral communications function (SFB), which has been optimized within the SIMATIC S7. It enables PCs and workstations to be connected. The maximum volume of user data per task is 64 KB. S7 communication offers simple, powerful communication services and provides a network independent software interface for all networks.

Open communication

The open communication (SEND/RECEIVE) allows the SIMATIC S7 controller to communicate with other SIMATIC S7 and SIMATIC S5 controllers, PCs and third-party systems. In addition, for the simple connection of HMI stations, FETCH and WRITE are offered.

BACnet communication

BACnet (Building Automation and Control Networks) is an ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers Inc.) communication protocol for data networks used for building automation and control. It is equally suitable for the management and automation levels, and is approved as an ANSI, CEN and ISO standard.

MES/ERP communication (ERPConnect)

Communication with ERP or MES systems via database link, e.g. ORACLE, MySQL, MS-SQL, DB2 using a firmware expansion which must be ordered separately

System connections

For many data terminals, communications modules (CPs, CMs, TIMs) are available that already have the communications functions implemented as firmware and which therefore relieve the data terminal of communication tasks (e.g. flow control, blocking, etc.).

Time synchronization

With SIMATIC procedures, the Network Time Protocol (NTP/SNTP) or IEEE1588, various procedures for clock time synchronization are available.