A function block diagnostic framework for a multi‐vendor PROFIBUS environment
Abstract
Purpose
This paper sets out to highlight the problem associated with the development of fieldbus diagnostics in a multi‐vendor environment and to propose a solution based on diagnostic function blocks (FB).
Design/methodology/approach
The work focuses on the “master‐slave” communication model in a PROFIBUS fieldbus system, where three different vendor solutions are investigated.
Findings
Although the fieldbus standards specify the type and format of the diagnostics data, the extent, location and sequence of diagnostics data within a controller are entirely vendor‐dependent. The outcome from this work defines a framework for representing the diagnostics data in the context of a special function block.
Originality/value
This research work defines a novel unified framework for representing the fieldbus diagnostics data using FB for multi‐vendor solutions in a PROFIBUS environment.
Keywords
Citation
Kaghazchi, H., Joyce, R. and Heffernan, D. (2007), "A function block diagnostic framework for a multi‐vendor PROFIBUS environment", Assembly Automation, Vol. 27 No. 3, pp. 240-246. https://doi.org/10.1108/01445150710763268
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited