BACnet Interface to Modbus Devices (Cimetrics B6131)

Description

BACnet Interface to Modbus Devices (Cimetrics B6131)

The Cimetrics B6131 module is an elongated Ethernet connector which contains a powerful microprocessor with all memory and software required to support connection to a state-of-the-art Building Automation System network. Design your circuit board so this module can fit in and connect to the serial port of your host microprocessor (TTL level RS232).

Most facilities which have a BACnet Building automation system also have a large number of Modbus devices which need to be attached to the BACnet network. To address that need, Cimetrics offers a range of templatized protocol converters , the latest of which is our Cimetrics B6131. The B6131 acts as a Modbus to BACnet interface – taking Modbus register data and exposing it to BACnet, just as Cimetrics’ B6031 device. It also includes sample templates from the range of known meters so there is often no need to spend time choosing what registers to expose from each device.

In addition, the B6131 allows the users to create their own loadable templates to map a Modbus RTU or Modbus TCP device into BACnet/IP. The Cimetrics B6131 includes examples of some Modbus devices templates to give first time user best practices when choosing names, units and descriptions. All BACnet objects are meaningfully named and standardized for easier reading and integration into Building Automation Systems.

Configuration steps include using a Windows tool to create a template (the tool has drop down menus for easier name creation and choosing units),  specifying a meter’s IP address (if it is a TCP/IP meter), specifying the device’s Modbus ID, and loading a template created/supplied with the tool. The configuration can be saved to a .csv file for record keeping and data analysis.

Cimetrics also offers a turn key full version of this product.  Click here for more information. It is strongly recommended that you try the full version B6130 first before developing with B6131.

The Cimetrics B6131 module, based on the Lantronix XPort, provides a physically small BACnet/IP interface for Modbus RTU and/or Modbus TCP devices that can be built into your product. The B6131 configuration is done over Ethernet through onboard web pages of the product and can therefore be managed from a remote location. The B6131 configuration is simple and the device is up and running in minutes.

Mapping between Modbus registers and BACnet objects requires the creation of a template. An engineer who is familiar with the Modbus register map of the target Modbus devices creates a template for each device using a proprietary Windows tool, which has drop down menus for easy object name creation and engineering unit selection. An appropriate template is loaded into the B6131 during the configuration process.

This product features:

Flexible connections
• BACnet/IP connectivity using 10/100 Ethernet
• Interfaces to 2 Modbus RTU/TCP devices
• Easy-to-use template builder Windows utility for mapping

Manageability
• Build-in web server with secure login
• Status page for diagnostics
• Easy & informative naming convention
• BACnet Device Object support

Agility
• Multi-vendor Modbus device support

Communication: 
• Protocols – Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, TCP/IP, BACnet/IP
• Conforms to BACnet 2008 Standard
• Supports Foreign Device feature to connect to multiple foreign Networks connections
• Web browser configuration
• Connect to multiple foreign Networks

Ethernet:

• BACnet/IP over Ethernet RJ45 standard
• IEEE 802.3 10/100 Mbps
• 10BaseT, 100BaseT,  RJ45 connectors
• Half/Full duplex
• 100m (max) CAT5 cable length.

Modbus:
• RS485 three wire connections for Modbus RTU
• 10BaseT, 1External Modbus TCP via shared Ethernet port