LISLE, IL - Hilscher N.A. announces availability of the netHOST fieldbus Master, a module that provides connection to and control of traditional fieldbus systems over Ethernet. netHOST is the ideal replacement for PC card-based controllers in those applications where an open PC slot is unavailable, or in slotless systems, such as embedded systems, laptops, and industrial compact computers, panels and HMIs.
Typical personal computers had PCI or PCI Express slots for expansion cards, while recently, slotless systems are becoming more and more popular, posing a challenge regarding how to connect to fieldbus networks. With the new netHOST family, the user gains reliable control of fieldbus systems over the standard Ethernet port. The netHOST works in the existing infrastructure and can be directly connected using a network cable, or via switches, VPN connections, the Internet or using routers or wireless networking.
The TCP/IP-based open transport protocol provides fast and safe process data transmission of the underlying IO, as well as the acyclic services for fieldbuses such as DeviceNet, PROFIBUS and CANopen. To enable integration into existing systems, netHOST includes fieldbus configuration software, a Windows DLL for direct programming, a test program of all functions, and an API interface description. For embedded users, there is a C toolkit as well as disclosure of all fieldbus services and the transmission protocol source code.
Additional benefits of netHOST include master sharing, wherein one netHOST can arbitrate fieldbus access across multiple controllers, and dual redundancy with controlled switchover in milliseconds. netHOST can be integrated into any existing Ethernet network, wired or wireless, to connect and control popular fieldbus systems without the use of slot-based PC cards.
About Hilscher GmbH and Hilscher North America
Hilscher GmbH specializes in products, technologies and services at the leading edge of industrial communications. Core products include gateways, PC cards, embedded modules, chips, controllers and supporting software stacks. Hilscher?'s netX system-on-a-chip solution is a highly integrated network controller optimized for communication and maximum data throughput. netX provides support for more than 20 different master and slave stacks for industrial protocols, including DeviceNet, PROFIBUS, CANopen, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP and EtherCAT, among others. With universal network connectivity, netX is the backbone of the company'?s extensive family of network interface products and custom solutions.
Hilscher North America, based in a Chicago suburb, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hilscher GmbH.
###