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Key Features of the Betatronics® I232A-1 System:
- High baud rates at long cable length saves time and therefore
money. Up to 4000 ft @ 115.2 kbaud and 8000 ft @ 19.2 kbaud is usually
feasible. Doubling the baud rate cuts data transfer time in half,
etc.
- Do you need 4000 to 8000 feet? Probably not, but you will get outstanding
performance at shorter distances.
- CNC program verification is made easier with high baud rates because
the program can be sent back to the source computer for comparison.
This is one of the best ways to know what is in the CNC is what
was sent.
- The isolated Betatronics I232 greatly reduces the risks of data errors and
equipment damage that exist with non-isolated RS232 data communication
circuits. Discussed below
in "Why is a DIRECT RS232 to RS232 connection risky"?.
- The Betatronics I232 with dielectric isolation between input and output
greatly reduces problems from lightning
storms, electrical faults, and ground currents.
It is very difficult to solve data error and equipment damage problems simply
thru machine grounding, becasue it only takes about 3 volts of noise to
cause data errors and somewhat above 25 volts to damage components.
- The I232 is optically coupled to electrically isolate RS232
equipment from each other, and from faults on the interconnect wiring.
This electrical isolation is how electrical damage and data errors
are reduced.
- The enclosure is Delrin with four mounting holes. This
provides long over the surface voltage breakdown paths.
- Quick easy installation with modular connectors ( RJ12, telephone
type; and RJ45, network type ). You can use standard pre-assembled
CAT 5E network cable, or make your own.
- The Betatronics I232 Isolator is a low cost high value product.
Important Questions:
- What do slow data transfer rates cost you?
- What are your downtime and repair costs if an RS232 circuit fails?
Details:
The I232 System consists of:
-- RS232 cable (2 ft) -- I232 isolator -- long interconnect cable
-- 2nd I232 -- 2nd RS232 cable (2 ft).
To see a block diagram
LEFT CLICK HERE
Same block diagram except rotated 90 to allow printing
LEFT CLICK HERE
The low cost I232 System uses optical couplers to electrically separate
RS232 circuits from the interconnect cable, yet communicate data at
high data rates. The isolator integrated circuit used in the I232A-1
has an isolation voltage rating of 1260 v rms ( 1780 v peak ) for
1 minute, and is tested at 1520 v rms ( 2150 v peak ) for 1 second.
The RS232 side of I232 requires +12 vdc (9 to 12 is ok), this may
be supplied from inside the CNC, computer, or a "wall" transformer.
Power for the interconnect side is generated internally and isolated.
Generally RS232 integrated circuits have a maximum input rating of
+/- 25 v. However, data errors may occur with a ground voltage
difference of 3 v or less between the two ends of a directly connected
RS232 communication path.
The following experiment with the I232 System shows its immunity to
common mode noise. A 1000 v rms 60 Hz signal was applied between the
the RS232 equipment common (ground) and a copper wire in the interconnect
cable between two I232 boxes. Whether the signal was present or not
had no effect on the data, and no equipment damage. Note 1000 v rms
equals 1400 volts peak. This is approximately 460 times larger than
the 3 volts that may cause data errors in a directly connected RS232
system. This is a severe test. If you had a direct RS232 connection
all sorts of electronic components would have been destroyed as well
as data errors from this test signal. The cost would be very high.
In a plant environment 480 v rms would be the most likely maximum
fault voltage.
By using high quality low capacitance CAT 5E cable and low impedance
drivers we obtain long cable length capability at high baud rates.
Our long cable capability is much greater than an RS232 direct connection.
In a directly connected RS232 link maximun cable length is about 6
feet at 115.2 kbaud compared to 4000 feet or more with our I232. The
maximum length is a function of baud rate, cable attenuation, and
your environment.
Modular connectors make installation easy with readily available CAT
5E network cables which come pre-terminated with standard RJ45 connectors.
If you need to route to several machines, one at a time, then there
are manual switch boxes for RJ45 connectors, usually 4 positions. A 12 position
box is available. Otherwise
it is easy to change machine connection by use of an inline CAT 5E
coupler.
The I232A-1 has only one TxD and one RxD channel. Thus, you must use
XON/XOFF or Xmodem protocol for handshaking. If you want hardware
handshake, then the cost is higher.
Because we only transfer the data signals from one location to another
with no intermeadiate processing you can use any suitable software
you choose and connect to any RS232 machine.
The I232A-1 is in a Delrin plastic box that connects by a 2 foot cable to your
your RS232 connector. This allows for mechanically secure mounting
of the I232 without a strain on your RS232 connector. Also reduces
vibration problems with the interconnect cable. If special wiring
or connector is required, then it is just a matter of changing the
cable. The dimensions are 3.5 x 1.9 x 1 with a bolt pattern of 3.125
x 1.5 with four 3/16 holes. Accepts #8 screw. See photo.
An I232A-1 box is required at each 232 connection point. This provides
protection for all your 232 devices and allows long cable lengths
that are not possible with direct RS232 connection.
The I232 System is a point to point communication system and not a
network system. However, it is possible to put a manual switch box
in the CAT 5E cable. This has no effect on the maximum cable length
from one point to another. Thus, you can do the same things with
the I232A-1 Isolator as you can with a direct RS232 connection, but
at longer distances and higher baud rates.
A Case History --- Direct RS232 Data Error Problem.
The cause of this problem is electrical noise generated by the CNC machine.
This is a discussion about a customer that has a CNC Vertical Mill that it was impossible
to send or receive data via a direct RS232 connection from a central computer to said CNC
without data errors. This was not baud rate or distance dependent.
Communication to an adjacent, almost identical but older, machine is and was not a major problem.
The communication parameters for the problem CNC were 9600 baud, 7 data bits, 1 stop bit, even parity, and
XON/XOFF handshake. The cable shield was connected to pin 1 at both ends. Pin 7,
signal common, was connected via a separate wire in the cable at both ends. Pins 2, 3,
and 7 are used
for data, 4 and 5 were jumpered locally at each end, and separately so were 6, 8, and 20. The
non-problem machine was setup identically.
Interchanging the cables between the two machines left the problem on the same
machine. Thus, it appears the problem was a machine problem.
When the serviceman from the machine supplier tested communication with his laptop
there was no problem. Both the machine vendor and the central RS232 system supplier
claimed it was the other's fault. The CNC machine works fine except for this RS232
problem when directly connected to the central computer.
The open space between these two machines is about four feet. Power and ground are
obtained from an overhead bus duct. Each machine has its own supplementary 8' ground rod. The
two rods are about 9' apart. Each machine has a shielded RS232 cable about 120 feet
long from the central computer to the CNC, cable is similar to Belden 8723.
The problem machine has brushless servos, while the non-problem machine has DC servos.
The problem did not exist with the servos off. But obviously one can not do DNC (direct
numerical control) with the servos off. This has been an on going problem for a number of years.
Just resting, garbage data was received at the central computer. Note communication failed
in both directions.
In the last month I got involved in the problem. With a Fluke model 87 DVM in AC mode I
measured about 4.5 volts difference between the enclosures of the said two machines, and
about 0.5 volts in DC. The peak voltage is clearly larger than 4.5 volts. I did not have a
scope with me and therefore could not look at the signal. This is a large enough signal to
cause RS232 errors.
As I have previously pointed out, in general, I do not believe that ground rods do much for
noise problems.
I installed our I232 isolator system with about 130 feet of unshielded CAT-5E cable and
the problem was eliminated. This totally breaks the DC ground path between the two
RS232 ports. Further I increased the baud rate from 9600 to 115,200, a 12 times
increase, and there were no communication errors. We transferred four or five several
megabyte files in both directions with no errors.
Many problems can be solved by changing from a direct RS232 connection to an
isolated connection.
Fairly clearly the problem machine was the source of noise, but this machine works fine
in all other respects, and therefore the vendor was somewhat correct in saying the
machine was ok. The real problem was the need for a method to prevent ground loop noise
from interfering with the RS232 signal path. The noise
source could have been something external like a welder, or high ground loop currents
from a ground fault in a totally unrelated system.
In our own shop voltage measurements in AC mode are about 1.5 v between machines
and we do not use any ground rods at the machines. Everything is referenced to the
ground rod at our central circuit breaker box. In our shop all machine RS232 circuits
are isolated with our E232 Ethernet to RS232 units. Our safety ground wires are #6 or #8
and
50 to 100 feet long.
Grounding Problems go to
NOISE and GROUNDING INFORMATION page
.
Why is a DIRECT RS232 to RS232 connection risky? go to
NOISE and GROUNDING INFORMATION page
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PRICE:
Call 734-930-6136 for a quote and technical information.
The approximate cost for
one RS-232 to RS-232 System
that has an isolator at each end, standard 9 pin or 25 pin connections to computer
and CNC, and 150 ft of interconnect cable is about $275 plus shipping and handling.
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