PROFINET to MQTT converter

The PROFINET/MQTT converter captures process data from the PROFINET network stream between a PLC and IO devices and transforms it into MQTT topics. It is designed for any company interested in retrofitting existing PROFINET mastered machinery for IoT purposes, without requiring modifications to the PLC program or physical installation.

PROFINET installations are typically running for years. Upgrading them with modern IoT technology could be cost intensive or risky if the physical installation needs to be extended, or fail to continue running after the PLC program was needed to change. Using the PROFINET/MQTT converter instead eliminates these challenges and simplifies the process of upgrading to IoT technology. No to minimum physical changes are needed on the network side, data capturing and tapping happens 100% passively and any influences on the existing PROFINET instrumentation and data streams are practically zero.

Prerequisites

The product is a software container and requires a host with a container engine for execution.

The container features hosts that are:

• providing an Ethernet port that is connected to a mirroring port of a managed Ethernet switch serving as capturing interface, either physically or remote via RSPAN
• operating a Hilscher two-ported Industrial Ethernet network card with network-recording capability serving as capturing interface

Capturing interfaces need to be installed in line with the PROFINET network directly after the PLC.

Licensing the container

Without a license key, the container runs in demo mode with limited functionality for 30 minutes.

Dependencies and recommended apps

MQTT broker

The container functions as an MQTT client and requires an MQTT broker like 'mosquitto' to facilitate its user data interface.

License server

To utilize the container with all features, a license is necessary. This license is provided individually by Hilscher upon customer order. It must be stored on a license server, which can be accessed free of charge here, and installed alongside the container.

Documentation

Find the user manual of the container here.

About Hilscher

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