FP-I4C – Panasonic´s Industrial Communicator
Your gateway to Industry 4.0
The newly developed unit FP-I4C is the communicator for automation. Working like a data collector, the FP-I4C connects programmable controllers to the distributed control system and thus enables remote access even for small systems. Thanks to its wide range of functions, such as an integrated web server and FTP client, and thanks to its compact design, the communication unit is the ideal complement for programmable controllers without Ethernet capability.
FP-I4C: for everything in IoT that requires remote operation, assistance and alarms
In today’s world, users want to be able to instantly connect to, monitor, and operate machines and devices securely, no matter where they are.
The FP-I4C gives you full insight into all IoT devices with real-time status alerts and early warnings. Thanks to the data provided, you can react quickly to reduce risks and proactively stop issues before they have a negative effect on your business.
The FP-I4C gateway is connected to all Panasonic controllers via Modbus. In addition to integrating the MQTT and OPC UA protocols, this IIoT gateway provides specific services for the following purposes:
- Web server with HTML5 pages for mobile and PC connectivity
- Corvina with integrated VPN for remote access to the PLC (remote maintenance)
- Expandable with I/O units of the FP0R PLC series to collect information from sensors and actuators
- Data management: storage of information on the internal memory or on USB memory stick
- Sending files via FTP client / server services
- Great connectivity: two Ethernet ports (separate), 2 USB ports, 1 serial RS232C / RS485 port
- Configurable via internet browser and with the HMWin development environment
FP-I4C enables easy and secure creation of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications thanks to the standard OPC-UA and MQTT protocols
OPC UA
OPC UA is the main reference for the OT / IT integration, i.e. for the data exchange from the field to the IT systems of the enterprise level (ERP, MES, etc.).
MQTT
MQTT is flexible and has a "server-centric" structure (publish / subscribe-type feature model) that quickly transfers large volumes of data from the devices to cloud servers such as MQTT Brokers (Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure IoT, Mosquitto, etc.).
Specifications
| Item | FP-I4C |
|---|---|
| PLC connection 1 | PLC COM1: RS232C via 16-pin spring force plug: Phoenix contact product: MC 0.5/8-ST-2,5 |
| PLC connection 2 | PLC COM2: RS232C/RS485 via 16-pin spring force plug: Phoenix contact product: MC0.5/8-ST-2,5 |
| Power supply | 24 V DC. Connection with the power supply cable (AFPG805) supplied with the unit. |
| 2x Ethernet connection | 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX autoneg via RJ45 female connector |
| USB 1 | USB 2.0 full speed, 500mA (power supply) |
| USB 2 | USB 2.0 full speed, 100mA (power supply) |
| LEDs | Power, Ethernet, PLC data, USB, memory access, user configurable, system connection |
| Protocols and standards | TCP/IP, UDP/IP, DHCP, FTP, FTPS, SSH, HTTP, HTTPS; SMTP, ESMTP-Auth, POP3; NTP, Modbus, DNS, SNMP, VPN, VNC, MQTT, SQL, OPC UA |
| Flash memory | 2.4GBytes user/configuration data |
| RAM | 496 MBytes |
| Operating voltage | 24 V DC (21.6–26.4 V DC supplied by class 2 circuit only) |
| Current consumption | Approx. 75 mA at 24 V DC (without expansion unit, USB stick,...) |
| Degree of protection | IP20 |
| Ambient temperature | 0°C to +55°C |
| Storage temperature | -20°C to +70°C |
| Operating humidity | 10%–95% RH (at 25°C, non-condensing) |
| Vibration resistance | 10Hz to 55Hz, 1 cycle per minute with a double amplitude of 0.75mm; 10 minutes every X-, Y-, and Z-axis |
| Shock resistance | Min. 10g; 4 times every X-, Y-, and Z-axis |
| Dimensions | Height 90 mm, width 25 mm, depth 64 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 110 g |
| Operating conditions | Free of corroding gases and excessive influence of dust |
