DeviceNet

Devicenet is an open, low-cost, high-performance communication network based on CAN (Controller Area Network) technology developed in the mid-1990s. It was originally developed and applied by American Rockwell Company.

Devicenet is a low-cost communication bus. It connects industrial equipment such as: limit switches, photoelectric sensors, valve manifolds, motor starters, process sensors, barcode readers, variable frequency drives, panel displays and operator interfaces to the network, eliminating expensive hard wiring cost. Direct interconnectivity improves device-to-device communication while providing critical device-level diagnostic capabilities that are difficult to achieve through hard-wired I/O interfaces.

Devicenet is a simple networking solution that reduces the cost and time of wiring and installing industrial automation equipment while providing multi-vendor interchangeability of similar components. DeviceNet not only makes the devices connect and communicate with each other with a cable, but more importantly, it brings the device-level diagnostic function to the system. This function is difficult to achieve on traditional I/O.

Devicenet is an open networking standard. Specifications and protocols are open, and vendors do not have to pay for hardware, software or licensing when connecting devices to the system. Any organization or individual interested in DeviceNet technology can obtain the DeviceNet specification from the Open DeciceNet Vendor Association (ODVA), and can join the ODVA and participate in the technical working group that supplements the DeviceNet specification.

Many features of Devicenet are inherited from CAN, a well-designed communication bus, which is mainly used for real-time transmission of control data. The main features of DeviceNet are: short frame transmission, the maximum data of each frame is 8 bytes; non-destructive bit-by-bit arbitration technology; the network can connect up to 64 nodes; data transmission baud rate is 128kb/s, 256kb/ s, 512kb/s; point-to-point, multi-master or master/slave communication mode; adopt CAN physical and data link layer protocol.

Devices that can build Devicenet

1.ControlLogix, PlantPAx, CompactLogix series

2. I/0 frame type and module type