Product category:
Telemetry, data acquisition + loggers
News Release from: Omniflex (UK) | Subject: Maxiflex
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 17 April 2003
Programme-less front end i/o systems for
HMIs
A new set of Maxiflex CPUs from Omniflex are programme-less, requiring no user programmes when used for any data acquisition or telemetry application: simply plug in, connect field wiring and power up
All I/O is scanned automatically and I/O status assembled into a Data Interchange Table (DIT) For digital inputs and standard analogues the input status requires no configuration at all, however temperature inputs like thermocouple and RTD require the sensor type to be configured providing input values in engineering units of degrees C or F
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 6 Oct 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Omniflex recently completed a project interfacing their Maxiflex I/O System to a site trunk radio, which is a system that is used to maximise the available capacity in a two-way radio link
Scaled analogue inputs can also be catered for eliminating the need for the HMI to do any scaling to engineering units for 4-20mA loops from the field.
Adding I/O to the system has never been easier simply plug in the new modules (hot plug-in, ie plug in while system is live) and plug-in the detachable wire terminals from the field.
The new field I/O status is added to the DIT automatically.
Further reading
Flow Monitor overcomes common plant problems
Omniflex have created a flow monitoring solution using Maxiflex, to overcome two common problems on plant: poor quality 4-20mA cabling, and the availability of only digital inputs into the DCS
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In addition to their very successful and very flexible Maxiflex RTU, Omniflex have released a new range of programmable DIN-rail mount RTUs called the Teleterm M2 with 12 universal inputs/outputs
Configuration is easily made using a free Windows based software package called "OmniSet", and a serial cable available from Omniflex.
Simple selection of pull down options allows the user to configure the CPU completely.
This configuration includes the ability to create multi-drop telemetry systems using the Omniflex Conet Local Area Network up to 10km on twisted pair cable.
Configuration can also be done via the HMI if so desired making a neatly integrated system controlled exclusively from the HMI stations.
The HMI is simply connected to the Maxiflex T1 or T2 CPU via its auxiliary serial port which can be set to communicate using Modbus Protocol, one of the standard protocols on every HMI.
The HMI now has access to any of the DIT registers on the CPU.
In fact if a Conet Local Area Network is used any data from the network is also accessible to the HMI - not just the local node.
Multiple HMIs can also be connected to the network in the same fashion reading the same or different data from the network.
Outputs may also be generated from the HMI to activate plant devices.
Maxiflex provides a very cost effective solution to HMI front ends and simplifies the field I/O systems by eliminating the need to write time-consuming application programs for data acquisition or telemetry.
Maxiflex I/O systems cover analogue inputs, voltage, current, thermocouple, RTD and digital inputs, potential free and voltages up to 200Vdc, series contact chains, pulse inputs up to 50kHz.
Interfacing to third party RS232 or RS485 devices is a specialty with analytical devices like gas chromatographs, gas analysers, intelligent circuit breakers or sub-station energy metering equipment.
Given the communication protocol Maxiflex will communicate with any of these devices.
The Conet Network Topology can be used as a bus, star or mixed configuration allowing complex networks to be configured all on low grade plant cables.
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