IIoT Modbus Gateway: Connect Edge Data to Database for OT/IT Integration

07/27/2021 | No. TN057S-E_V1.0

Collecting then managing edge data is the first step for smart manufacturing. First, the engineering team has to set up a communication network between different equipment and then send data to a PC with powerful computing and flexible peripheral expansion capability, as efficient OT data/IT system integration.

Cermate Edge Box and HMIs have the Modbus gateway service function and build in all mainstream Serial/Ethernet protocols. So you can organize, manage protocols, and select different protocol gateway when you use different equipment. What’s more, Cermate offers the most popular protocols - Modbus and Modbus TCP/IP communication, for Industry Automation use. It takes just a few accessible settings by the user-friendly software (PM Designer), the field data (OT) can be efficiently delivered to PC (IT).

Optimized Flow in Data Integration

In Industry 4.0 trend, efficiency for operators and machines has a much higher priority. That means HMIs and Gateways are not one function that only acts as operating devices anymore. In a factory, you must have a data exchange center that can communicate and manage data from different PLCs among separate production lines. For example, when a motor demands a significant current that would lead to machine damage, an error code is sent from the assembly area. As long as there’s a data exchange center, it will trigger the data exchange center and stop the IQC Area and SMT area process once any error is sent from the Assembly Area. This will immediately avoid fatal damage to the production line. As you use Cermate HMIs, Edge Boxes, and PCs with PanelExpress, all of them support mainstream protocols and data exchange functions that make the manufacturing flow more intelligent.

Exchange Data for a Few Systems

Unique Feature in Data Exchange:

Exchange to another Network Are you still fighting with expensive and difficult network routers? Does the PLC need to get data from another network? Throw it away; now, you can simply publish data between two different networks.

(support model: two Ethernet ports IT series panel)

Extention feature “COV”; The new “Change on value” feature

When the system contains too many devices in the old design, the constantly poll and respond data will cause the communication data overflow. Besides exchanging data, we also develop a way to keep the data safe. We can now use the panel in any massive node among PLC systems without communication data overflow or lose any data due to communication blockage with COV feature. In other words, the panel does not always have to continually poll all the nodes one by one because the COV feature will significantly reduce the communication flow.