This article explains why one might choose to use a single-protocol Anybus communicator instead of a Common Ethernet.
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QUESTION
Why should I choose to use a single-protocol Anybus Communicator instead of a Common Ethernet one, given that the latter offers more possibilities?
ANSWER
The short answer is, essentially, it depends on your needs.
From a technical point of view, there are no disadvantages in using our Common Ethernet communicators. The important thing to note here is the difference in the target audience.
The Common Ethernet communicators are for customers that have a need for flexibility, especially for testing purposes.
Many of our customers are machine builders whose products support specific protocols. Therefore, it makes more sense for them to purchase a single-protocol gateway adapted to their machines.
That way :
- They don't have to manually install the firmwares (which can be quite tedious if you have hundreds or thousands of communicators).
- Since it's signed with a specific protocol, there is no risk that the end customer installs a wrong protocol firmware by mistake.
As you can see, the single protocol communicators also offer some notable advantages in terms of convenience and security.
