Monitor equipment remotely from an EtherNet/IP connection

The Netbiter Remote Management solution has previously offered connectivity to Modbus devices, but as of November, HMS can also offer direct, onboard compatibility with EtherNet/IP. Via the LAN port on the Netbiter Gateway, users can connect via UnConnected Message Manager (UCMM) which is an acyclic messaging channel separate from the control loop messaging.

With Netbiter, users can configure EtherNet/IP devices remotely using their regular configuration software (e.g. RSLogix), log trends and monitor performance over time and receive alarm or event notifications whenever critical thresholds are reached.

The user connects an EtherNet/IP-based automation device to a Netbiter gateway via the LAN port. The Netbiter gateway sends data via Ethernet or the cellular network to the cloud-based datacentre called Netbiter Argos. Users can access Netbiter Argos at www.netbiter.net using a regular web browser. They can also set up a secure tunnel to the remote machine or equipment which enables commissioning and debugging, just as if they were on site.

Other features included as part of the Netbiter release are the ability to group and filter alarms, as well as free access to map functionality showing the exact location of each Netbiter gateway.

“We have long seen a need for EtherNet/IP connectivity in Netbiter,” commented Henrik Arleving, Product Line Manager, HMS. “There is a vast amount of drives, HMIs, PLCs and other automation devices using EtherNet/IP as their communication protocol and these devices can now be easily connected to the Netbiter Remote Management system for monitoring and control. Especially the Remote Access function will be very useful for system integrators and machine builders, as they can get online access to do debugging and maintenance directly from any location.”