New modules for establishing optical Profibus networks

Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) has fundamentally overhauled the Profibus optical link modules (OLMs) in the new Version 4.0 and equipped them with additional functions. New features include improved electromagnetic compatibility achieved in part by the new stainless steel housing, LEDs for indicating the fiber optic line quality with channel monitoring, and further approvals such as Atex ExZone 2 and UL-HazLoc. The line quality values can now be transferred via measuring terminal to the analog input module of the controller and analyzed there. The new OLMs are available in five versions: for all commonly used fiber optic cables and an extended temperature range to minus 25 degrees Celsius. Optical Profibus networks can be established in linear bus, star and redundant ring topologies using the Profibus OLMs. The data transfer rate of a fiber optic line up to 15 kilometers is independent of the distance and can be up to 12 Mbit/s.