PROTOCOLS

Extension modules
PLC I/O number can be increased through certain additional modules by system extension through
extension lines. Each module can contain extension both of input and output lines.
Extension modules can have inputs and outputs of a different nature from those on the PLC
controller.

Remote I/O connections

When there are many I/O located considerable distances away from the PLC an economic solution is
to use I/O modules and use cables to connect these, over the long distances, to the PLC.

Remote PLCs
In some situations a number of PLCs may be linked together with a master PLC unit sending and
receiving I/O data from the other units.

Cables
Twisted-pair cabling, often routed through steel conduit. Coaxial cable enables higher data rates to
be transmitted and does not require the shielding of steel conduit.
Fiber-optic cabling has the advantage of resistance to noise, small size and flexibility.

Parallel communication

Parallel communication is when all the constituent bits of a word are

simultaneously transmitted along parallel cables. This allows data to be transmitted over short
distances at high speeds. Might be used when connecting laboratory instruments to the system.

Parallel standards
The standard interface most commonly used for parallel communication is IEEE-488, and now
termed as General Purpose Instrument Bus (GPIB).
Parallel data communications can take place between listeners , talkers , and controllers. There are
24 lines: 8 data (bidirectional), 5
status & control, 3 handshaking, and 8 ground lines.

Serial communication

Serial communication is when data is transmitted one bit at a time. A data word has to be separated
into its constituent bits for transmission and then reassembled into the word when received. Serial
communication is used for transmitting data over long distances. Might be used for the connection
between a computer and a PLC.

Serial standards
RS-232 communications is the most popular method of plc to external device communications. RS
232 is a communication interface included
under SCADA applications. Other standards such as RS422 and RS423
are similar to RS232 although they permit higher transmission rates and longer cable distances.
Many different communication protocols exist, this is just a short list of the more common ones we
have for our PLCs. The table below quickly gives you some of the key differences between them
followed by a short description of each.

RS- RS- RS-

Specification CompoBus DeviceNet Ethernet/IP EtherCAT
232C 422 485
Max Number
32 63 512 512 1 10 32
Of Devices
1219 1219
15 m
Max Cable 500 m 500 m 100 m 100 m m m
(50
Length (1640 ft) (1640 ft) (328 ft) (328 ft) (4000 (4000
ft)
ft) ft)
Data 160 10 10
750 kbps 500 kbps Up to 1 Gbps 100 Mbps
Rate/Speed kbps Mbps Mbps
Internet
No No Yes Yes No No No
Capable
Power with 24 VDC
- - - - - -
Communication 8A

CompoBus 20
There are two modes to this protocol, high-speed and long-distance. When using the high-speed
communication mode you can achieve 750 kbps but only at a max cable distance of 100 m. While in
long-distance communication mode you can go up to 500 m of cable length but only at speeds of
93.75 kbps. Omron is the only manufacturer of this protocol.

DeviceNet 11
This is a digital network used to connect to simpler devices. Since it also provides power along with
communication lines it can make installing much quicker. It utilizes CAN (Controller Area Network)
which is the same network technology used in vehicles. Both DeviceNet and Ethernet/IP use CIP
(Common Industrial Protocol) which is managed by ODVA (https://www.odva.org/Technology-
Standards/Common-Industrial-Protocol-CIP/Overview 31).

Ethernet/IP 35
Not to be confused with TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) which is what
devices such as a computer uses to connect to the internet. Ethernet/IP (Industrial Protocol) uses
the Ethernet structure to connect with various devices. Depending on how much the programming
software does for you, this might require a steeper learning curve compared to other protocols.

EtherCAT 7
Originally developed by Beckhoff Automation, EtherCAT is a real-time Industrial Ethernet technology
focused on short cycle times (<= 100 us). Each device reads the data in its frame and inserts data
to the frame as it travels downstream. Data streams can be as small as a couple bits up to kilobytes
information. If the controller only askes for information from one device then the data stream will be
shorter and faster compared to gathering information from all devices.
RS-232C 18
This protocol was commonly found on older computers and was used for connecting printers,
scanners, keyboards, etc. because of the cable length and device to device restrictions. With the
development of RS-422 and RS-485, RS-232C is slowly being phased out and is still around to
accommodate pre-installed systems. The C refers to the revision of this protocol. The primary
difference between revisions is the voltage, A being 25V, B is 12V, and C is 5V. In 1962, revision C
became the standard and if the protocol is not specified or listed as RS-232 then it is assumed to be
revision C.

RS-422 4
Using differential data transmission, RS-422 was able to accommodate higher data rates and longer
distances compared to RS-232C. This advancement also allowed up to 10 devices to be connected to
a single driver. It was short lived and replaced with RS-485.

RS-485 16
Following in the footsteps of RS-422, this protocol was able to achieve a multi-point network where
it can have multiple devices and drivers all running at the same time. Since it is still using the same
base technology, RS-485 can be used to control some RS-422 devices.
Telemetry / SCADA Open Systems vs
Proprietary Systems
Definitions

An Open System is a system where the major components adhere to certain standards. These major
components can be interchanged with similar components manufactured by others to the same
standards. An IBM compatible PC is an example of an Open system.

A Proprietary System is one in which all major components are from one manufacturer and the
standards are often specific to that system and developed by the manufacturer. The early Macintosh
models are an example of a Proprietary computer system as opposed to the IBM compatible.

Philosophy of Open Systems vs Proprietary Systems

An Open system allows a user to "mix and match" components and choose the most appropriate
from a number of suppliers. The user is not beholden to any particular supplier and enjoys greater
flexibility. A Proprietary system frees the user from the need to select components and allows the
manufacturer to match the major components to give optimum performance. With a Proprietary
system the responsibility for system performance rests with one supplier; with an Open system no
one supplier is likely to take responsibility for overall system performance.

A key issue is standards. These standards will govern the interface between major system
components. With telemetry and SCADA systems these standards govern the connections between;
instrumentation and Remote Terminal Units (RTU) (this would cover connection type, contact
ratings, isolation, current levels etc); RTU and communications bearer (covering impedance,
communications protocol, signalling techniques and frequencies); and communications bearer to
Master Station. The general rule is the simpler and more complete a standard is, the easier it is to
adopt an Open system approach. A complex or incomplete standard will leave areas of ambiguity;
major components may comply to the same standard but not connect well to one another because
of the ambiguities and missing items in a standard.

In order to determine the suitability of an Open or Proprietary system approach a good

understanding of the relevant standards is essential. What each standard covers is of particular
importance. An example is RS-232. It is distressing to note the number of users, who upon noting
that an RTU is equipped with an RS-232 port, expect that the RTU will be able to communicate with
other serial devices. RS-232 covers electrical signal levels, signal flow control and is associated with
various connector standards but it does NOT cover data format, speed of transmission, and the
meaning of the data that is sent.

Comparison of Open and Proprietary Telemetry and SCADA Systems

We will use examples of each type as a basis for comparison. With complex systems there is no
clear dividing line between Open and Proprietary systems so we will provide extreme examples of
both types of system. Readers should be aware that there is a middle ground. Our example Open
telemetry system consists of an RTU comprising a weatherproof case, power supply, battery, PLC,
modem and radio. A repeater may feature in the communications path. At the base there is a radio,
modem, IBM compatible PC and a SCADA software package. Case, power supply, battery, PLC,
modem, radio, repeater, PC and SCADA software are all available from a number of suppliers. Our
example Proprietary system consists of an "intelligent" high voltage circuit breaker / re-closer (with
built-in RTU), full duplex 100% duty cycle radio link with high speed modem, specialised "intelligent"
receiver and control panel at the base. These items are mostly manufactured by and all are supplied
by the circuit breaker manufacturer.

The Proprietary system gives excellent high speed interaction with the circuit breaker at the
substation. The Open system would just be able to give circuit breaker state and current. The
Proprietary system has full control over the circuit breaker, including setting tripping profiles, and is
fast enough for some complicated intertripping sequences. The Open system will have much more
limited control function. Other manufacturer's circuit breakers will not be able to be monitored by
the Proprietary system whereas the Open system will give the same information about each. The
Open system will also be able to give other information about the substation such as transformer
status, intruder access etc. An Open system can be expanded to cater for other applications in the
substation.

It will take much longer to configure the Open system. This is true for all general purpose systems -
they must be configured to suit each particular application. The Proprietary system is often
application oriented and typically requires some fine tuning. If the application is too broad for the
Proprietary system then it is very difficult to adapt it.

In the above examples there is a clear choice between flexibility and performance. In each case a
minor concession could lead to a great degree of improvement. If a Proprietary substation oriented
SCADA/Telemetry system is used then the user could have a much wider range of circuit breakers
and other substation applications to choose from. Similarly, a more application specific RTU and
SCADA package could enhance the performance of an Open system in an application for which the
Proprietary system defined above is designed.

In many instances a major component of a system will have "special" features that are not covered
by contemporary standards. This feature will therefore work with specific products (generally
supplied by the same manufacturer). In the example above the ability to set a tripping profile is a
"special" feature of the circuit breaker that is not typically supported by "off the shelf" RTU's and
SCADA software packages.

Standards

An understanding of the standards governing these systems is important. The relevant standards
cover the interconnection of major components. There is not room in this article to list and evaluate
all the relevant standards but below is a description of the areas of concern and what should be
covered. These can be broken into three main areas:

1. Interconnection between RTU and instrumentation.

Standards should cover voltages and currents, contact ratings, polarity, timing, connector types,
wire diameters. There are a number of new instrumentation which have serial communication
capability - the standards that cover this include connection (e.g. RS-232, RS-485, protocol (e. g.
HART, Modbus) and format (e. g. the meaning and position of relevant data within each data
message). With the exception of serial protocols most of the interfacing is well covered by standards
and what is not is often easily modified to comply.

2. Interconnection between RTU and communications system.

The communications system can typically be radio, landline, Public Switched Telephone Network
(PSTN), Digital Data Network, X.25, Optical Fibre. These communications bearers have vastly
different characteristics and systems that work one may well not work on another. The standards
should cover physical connections characteristics such as impedance, signalling strength, connector
type and pinout. They should also cover data rate, frequency and size of data packets.

3. Interconnection between RTU and master system.

This area has the widest scope for standards. There are many areas that need to be covered and a
good grasp of all the issues is required before "marrying" various RTU and base station components.
The comms bearer is part of the interconnection and the relevant standards are outlined above. In
addition there are the issues of communications protocol, and data format within the message
transmitted via the protocol. A common mistake is to confuse the protocol with the format of
messages. The communications protocol defines the data techniques to ensure that a message is
successfully transmitted and received. The data format describes the meaning of the data within the
transmitted message. An example: HDLC is a well defined and complex communications protocol
which is designed to ensure reliable transmission of data in "information frames". HDLC does not
define what is in the information frames - it is up to the user to put information in these frames. A
data format specification would describe what is in the information frames so that the various
devices such as RTU and base station computer can do something with it.

Problems and Pitfalls

With Open systems the major problem area lies with the integration of the major components of the
system. This is often due to either the standards governing interconnection being incomplete or the
components not fully complying with these standards. Also if the standards governing
interconnection are too narrow then much of the functionality of the various major components may
be lost. Also, if there is a major configuration effort or there is a major job required to connect the
system's major components many of the advantages of flexibility are lost.

With Proprietary systems a major worry is becoming beholden to a single supplier/manufacturer.

There are a number of aspects to this. The supplier/manufacturer may be slow to respond to
technological change in a particular subsystem of the SCADA or telemetry system. An example of
this was when the rapid growth of graphical user interfaces recently caught several manufacturers
without the in-house ability to compete in this area. The customer is also at risk if the supplier /
manufacturer goes out of business. The supplier /manufacturer is not under the same competitive
pressure to keep prices down after the initial sale.

Conclusion

In general an Open system offers flexibility whereas a Proprietary system offers performance or
security. The more complex a system is the more difficulties arise with standards. The factors
governing the functionality and reliability of an Open system approach are the completeness and
compliance with interconnection standards. A Proprietary system leaves the user vulnerable to a
single supplier