Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA – July 28, 2007
Product developers looking to add support for CompoNet for their products can now obtain dedicated developer toolkits directly from ODVA. The first toolkit to be released includes the hardware and software needed to get started in the process of building CompoNet slaves and repeaters.
Complementary to the entire family of CIP Networks, CompoNet has been designed to meet the requirements of applications using large numbers of simple sensors and actuators by providing high speed communications, configuration tool, efficient construction, simple set-up and high availability – all on a single network.
ODVA Executive Director Katherine Voss comments: “One of ODVA’s key missions is to facilitate vendor adoption of ODVA technologies. By providing this developer toolkit, ODVA is aiding vendors in starting CompoNet product development.”
The hardware delivered as standard in the toolkit includes slave/repeater ASICs, transformers and receivers. Cable and accessories are also provided, including connectors, terminators and a connector assembly tool. The hardware is available for both IP20 and IP54 environments.
The toolkit’s software components include sample code for slaves/repeaters, whilst the comprehensive documentation provides a full description of the sample source code, a sample circuit diagram for slaves, and a guide for hardware design.
The CompoNet developer toolkits have been put together by the Omron Corporation, one of the five principal members of ODVA, to reduce the time and investment by automation companies beginning development of CompoNet products. A leading company in the field of industrial automation, Omron shares ODVA’s philosophy of open communications networks. Tianbing Li, Network Consultant at Omron and chair of ODVA’s CompoNet Special Interest Group, comments that, “Omron is committed to meeting user needs for integrated systems. These integrated systems extend from the field devices on the plant floor up to the highest levels of the enterprise. They depend on seamless connectivity between different network layers, and networks built on CIP provide this. Omron is proud to be playing a prominent role facilitating vendor development of products for CIP Networks such as CompoNet.”
The new CompoNet developer toolkits can be ordered direct from ODVA by visiting www.odva.org and clicking “Order.” The CompoNet Specification can be ordered by visiting the same link. ODVA will also be running a training session on the new toolkit at its 2007 CIP Networks Conference and 12th Annual Meeting on September 18-20 in Englewood, Colorado, USA. Delegates can register in advance at www.odva.org or write odva@odva.org for additional conference information.
About ODVA
ODVA, founded in 1995, is an international association comprised of members from the world's leading automation companies. Collectively, ODVA and its members support network technologies based on the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP™). These currently include the network adaptations of CIP—EtherNet/IP™, DeviceNet™ and CompoNet™—and major application extensions to CIP—CIP Safety™, CIP Motion™ and CIP Sync™. ODVA manages the development of these open technologies, and assists manufacturers and users of CIP Networks through tools, training and marketing activities. In addition, ODVA offers conformance testing to help ensure that products built to its specifications operate in multi-vendor systems. ODVA also is active in other standards development organizations and industry consortia to drive the growth of open communication standards. For more information, visit its web site at www.odva.org.
For more information, contact:
Adrienne Meyer
Manager, Marketing Communications
ODVA
4220 Varsity Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, MI 48108-5006 USA
tel +1 734 975 8840; fax +1 734 922 0027; email ameyer@odva.org
or
John Jackson
ODVA Communication Officer EMEA
43 Quarry Bank, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2QZ UK
tel: +44 (0) 1732 352 371; email jjackson@odva.org
CIP, CIP Motion, CIP Safety, CIP Sync, CompoNet, and DeviceNet are trademarks of ODVA. EtherNet/IP is a trademark of ControlNet International under license by ODVA. ControlNet is a trademark of ControlNet International, Ltd. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.