Leuze electronic GmbH + Co. KG
MA 238
i
12
4
Device description
4.1
General information to the connection units
The modular connection unit of the MA 2xx
i
family is a versatile gateway for integrating Leuze RS 232
devices (e.g., BCL 22 bar code readers, RFID devices, RFM 32, …) into the respective fieldbus. The
MA 2xx
i
gateways are intended for use in industrial environments with a high degree of protection. Various
device versions are available for the conventional fieldbuses. With a stored parameter structure for the
connectable RS 232 devices, commissioning could hardly be simpler.
4.2
Characteristics of the connection units
A special characteristic of the MA 238
i
device family are three function modes:
1. Transparent Mode
In this function mode, the MA 238
i
functions as a pure gateway with automatic communication from
and to the PLC. Absolutely no special programming by the user is necessary for this purpose. The
data is not buffered or stored temporarily, however. Instead, it is "passed on".
The programmer must make certain to retrieve the data from the input memory of the PLC at the
right time, as it is otherwise overwritten by new data.
2. Collective Mode
In this operating mode, data and telegram parts are temporarily stored in the memory (buffer) of the
MA and sent to the RS 232 interface or to the PLC in a telegram by means of bit activation. In this
mode, however, all communication control must be programmed on the PLC.
This function mode is helpful, for example, for very long telegrams or when one or more codes with
long code lengths are read.
3. Command Mode
With this special operating mode, it is possible to use the first bytes of the data range
To transmit predefined commands to the connected device by means of bit activation. For this pur
-
pose, device-dependent commands (so-called online commands) are predefined via the device
selection switch, see chapter 16 "Specifications for Leuze end devices".
4.3
Device construction
The MA 238
i
modular connection unit is used for connecting Leuze devices, such as the BCL 8, BCL 22,
etc., directly to the fieldbus. This is accomplished by transmitting the data from the Leuze device via an
RS 232 (V.24) interface to the MA 238
i
where a module converts it into the fieldbus format. The data
format of the RS 232 interface corresponds to the standard Leuze data format.
Figure 4.1: Connection of a Leuze device (BCL, RFI, RFM, …) to the fieldbus
The cable of the respective Leuze device is guided through cable bushings with PG cable glands into the
MA 238
i
and connected there with the PCB connectors.
The MA 238
i
is intended as a gateway for any RS 232 devices, e.g., BCL 300i, hand-held scanners, scales
or for coupling a multiNet network.
Fieldbus
Fieldbus
MA 238
i
Leuze
device
Either
network or other devices
with RS 232
RS 232
(V.24)