Open protocol for safety communication
11 Dec 2002
Rockwell, Omron and Sick are to collaborate on developing an open protocol for safety communications.
Based on the existing Control and Information Protocol (CIP) found in DeviceNet, ControlNet and EtherNet/IP, the CIP Safety has been approved by the German regulator TÃœV Rheinland.
CIP Safety will allow both standard and safety devices to operate on the same network, allowing safety devices to communicate seamlessly across other CIP-based standard networks to other safety devices with no additional programming. This will increase the flexibility of network design and make both training and maintenance easier.
The protocol was developed in response to demands from customers of the Open DeviceNet Vendor Association, of which all three companies are members.
'CIP Safety is another example of how ODVA brings together competitive vendors from across the globe working together to address the needs of safety,' comments ODVA executive director Katherine Voss.
'CIP Safety will allow us to build on the success of DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP and the investment that customers have made.'
