I am working on a project that requires collecting data from legacy process controllers of ABB (MP200). These have been supplied by ABB to us in year 1985. Presently, the data from two of these MP200 are being sent to the Central Control Room over serial bus (RS232, 9600 bauds) using EXCOM protocol. Only selected data is being sent now (analog).

Now, we wants to replace Central Control System and use DNP3 (IP) or IEC 870-5-104 protocol. We do not want to replace the MP200 as it has been running without any problems so far. No hardware failure at all!

We want to know the following:

1. Can I have such a Terminal Server equipment with which I can convert EXCOM to other protocols?
2. Is it possible to Time Synchronize the MP200 over EXCOM through the Terminal Server.
3. Can I issues commands from Central System through this Terminal Server? Does EXCOM support this?

Look forward for your valuable response.

Pavan Bhonde
[email protected]

 

Dear Pavan

1. Can I have such a Terminal Server equipment with which I can convert
EXCOM to other protocols?

Terminal servers are not protocol converters, and hence cannot be used for
protocol conversion. However if you do have an EXCOM Master protocol at the
Central Station, in your new SCADA System, you might use a terminal server
and tunnel your EXCOM over TCp/IP to the RTU's.

2. Is it possible to Time Synchronize the MP200 over EXCOM through the
Terminal Server.

Again, if you have an EXCOM Master, and you are tunneling it through TCP/IP,
but at the RTU end you still have a RS232 port, and the said protocol
supports it, you can do it. If you convert the EXCOM to DNP3 or IEC 104 and
EXCOM has time-synch support, then the same can be use a converter to
achieve this.

3. Can I issues commands from Central System through this Terminal Server?
Does EXCOM support this?

Again, it does depend on which of the options you choose above. If you are
tunneling with an EXCOM master, and the EXCOM supports commands (i assume it
does), you would be able to do it, provided the whole setup only involves
TCP/IP Tunneling. But you need a new control center SCADA with EXCOM Serial
support for tunneling, through terminal servers or a Protocol Converter with
EXCOM to IEC 104/DNP3 support.

Sincerely,
Prasanth Gopalakrishnan
Kalki Communication Technologies Private Limited
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.kalkitech.com
Phone : 91-80-2572 1263/91-80-2572 1264
: 91-80-2572 5501/91-80-2572 5498
: 91-80-5110 8310/91-80-5110 8362
Fax : 91-80-2572 5473
Mobile: 91-98454 50872

 

Hi Pavan,
I'm glad to hear your MP200 has ran well since 1985. This is great and we have many similar stories.

You can use remote Excom commands to set values in the MP200 but not the time as far as I am aware. You can only read or set certain database tag types. Such as, AI, AO, DI, DO and DAT.

I hope that helps

AP ABB Engineer