Functions
5.2 Intelligent IO devices (I-devices)
PROFINET with STEP 7 V15
Function Manual, 12/2017, A5E03444486-AH
119
Properties and Advantages of the I-Device
Fields of application
Fields of application of the I-device:
● Distributed processing
A complex automation task can be divided into smaller units/subprocesses. This results
in manageable processes which lead to simplified subtasks.
● Separating subprocesses
Complicated, widely distributed and extensive processes can be subdivided into several
subprocesses with manageable interfaces by using I-devices. These subprocesses can
be stored in individual STEP 7 projects if necessary, which can later be merged to form
one master project.
● Know-how protection
Components can only be delivered with a GSD file for the I-device interface description
instead of with a STEP 7 project. The know-how of the user program may no longer be
published.
Properties of the I-device:
● Unlinking STEP 7 projects
Creators and users of an I-device can have completely separated STEP 7 automation
projects. The GSD file forms the interface between the STEP 7 projects. This allows a link
to standard IO controllers via a standardized interface.
● Real-time communication
The I-device is provided with a deterministic PROFINET IO system via a PROFINET IO
interface and therefore supports RT (real-time communication) and IRT (isochronous real
time).
The I-device has the following advantages:
● Simple linking of IO controllers
● Real-time communication between IO controllers
● Relieving the IO controller by distributing the computing capacity to I-devices.
● Lower communication load by processing process data locally.
● Manageable, due to processing of subtasks in separate STEP 7 projects
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