Profibus FMS

[Oz_Ba]

Hi,

I'd like to know if anyone has set-up Profibus FMS communication between GeoSCADA (ClearSCADA) server and devices in the field.

If so, what Hilscher Profibus card do you suggest?

The main issue is the  fact  that FMS has disappeared from automation world.

In my case, only SCADA software has to be upgraded and the rest of the system stays untouched which means using 5 Profibus FMS lines for communication.

I'm getting tired of mails containing the 'we no longer support FMS...' .

Thanks.

[BevanWeiss]

As far as GeoSCADA Expert specific stuff goes, there really isn't anything here.

Geo SCADA doesn't support Profibus DP / PA / FMS.

There is the S7 ISO support with the Simatic S7 (licenced) driver, but this also doesn't support Profibus.

So you will need to go with an OPC Server of some kind, or some other protocol gateway.

Even if that is something like another PLC/RTU which talks a protocol that Geo SCADA Expert natively supports bridging across to Profibus (of any kind).

 Profibus FMS is an incredibly old protocol, and it's difficult to find people that have even heard of it lately.  My last experience with it over 5 years ago involved Siemens Tech Support themselves, and was painful, with Siemens Tech Support consistently thinking FMS was DP and telling me all kinds of incorrect things.  Your best short/medium/long term plan would be to migrate away, and replace the FMS speaking devices with something else.

The Hilcher Profibus module you're likely thinking of is the CIF 50-PB, and this does seem to be the 'best' supported option that my googling could find.  My project 5 years ago used a Siemens Profibus-FMS card, and Simatic NET, but even then the PC card was out of support, and if it failed Siemens would only repair, no new cards available to buy.

Profibus-FMS and Profibus-DP are identical up to Layer 2, so if you can get a 'dumb' Profibus-DP interface card, and the right software to send/receive Profibus FMS using it then it should 'just work'..  you'd want the back end of the software to be OPC or something else friendlier of course.

Here's a document from Siemens that lists a few items able to speak FMS

https://cache.industry.siemens.com/dl/files/693/1158693/att_31060/v1/mn_s7-cps-pb_76.pdf

Softing Inc are also one of the brands that carry some Profibus FMS labelled items

https://industrial.softing.com/products/pc-interface-cards/profibus-master-or-slave-configurable-sin...

[Oz_Ba · Accepted solution]

@BevanWeiss  I see your point.Thank you.