Gateway connects controllers, devices with PACs

This universal gateway enables more than 50 brands of plant floor controllers and devices to connect to ControlLogix and other Rockwell Automation PACs.

December 3, 2009
The cATM universal gateway data appliance enables more than50 brands of factory floor controllers and devices to be connected to RockwellAutomation controllers, eliminating the need to program message instructionsbetween controllers or other devices. It is available as a module that installsin a Rockwell Automation ControlLogix PAC, or as a standalone module for DINrail mounting. Either configuration delivers more than 130 protocols forconnectivity to thousands of plant floor devices. The new appliance features auniversal driver to connect to Ethernet and serial devices such as analyzers,bar code readers, weigh scales, RFID systems, serial printers and labelmachines. Target applications for this appliance include machine-to-machine (M2M)communications. All drivers are supplied with the module at no additionalcharge.

The gateway eliminates the need for custom programmed data

bridges and is supplied with a setup utility that uses intuitive screens and

drag-and-drop operation to configure data transactions between controllers. After

the module is configured, it automatically and transparently exchanges data

between controllers with no control program changes. Configurable data exchange

enables machine-to-machine connectivity for horizontal integration and

migration at the control level. The gateway also features a backplane interface

that enables direct access to data in the ControlLogix processor, or to other

PLCs/PACs through Rockwell Automation bridge modules. Connections to other

controllers or devices are made via the module’s serial or Ethernet ports.
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