ComBricks Head Station 1B

The head station is the key element of a ComBricks configuration. It has to be inserted in the most left slot of the fixed backplane socket. Other ComBricks modules are inserted to the right of the head station. The ComBricks backplane can handle one head station and a maximum of 32 modules. However, we recommend that you insert a maximum of 10 modules in the backplane. The head station is connected to 24 VDC power supply, which is further distributed to other modules through the backplane. The head station features two 3-pin screw type connectors for redundant power supply, an Ethernet port for connecting a PC and one relay contact for signalling many types of alarms. It also contains a USB port for updating the firmware of the head station and some of the other modules. The ComBricks backplane units with the head station and modules are mounted on the DIN rail.

Head Station 1B Can Monitor One Network Only

Head Station 1B is able to monitor only one PROFIBUS network (1 network with 1 baud rate). To connect a PROFIBUS network to a ComBricks configuration, apart from Head Station 1B you need either a repeater or a fibre optic module. If you want to monitor several networks through a single ComBricks configuration (i.e. different networks with the same or different baud rates), you need Head Station 1C (+ repeater modules), which allows for monitoring of up to 4 different networks at a time. If you have already purchased Head Station 1B and would like to use it to monitor more than one PROFIBUS network, you need to buy a licence update that enables you to upgrade Head Station 1B to 1C.

Head Station 1A/1B/1C Comparison

The company PROCENTEC offers 3 types of ComBricks head stations – 1A, 1B and 1C. All of them feature a web server, support SNMP and have the same dimensions, power supply and other interfaces.

• Type 1A: NO PROFIBUS monitoring or OPC Server capabilities. Can serve as DP/DP coupler, DP/PN coupler, OLM module, etc.
• Type 1B: Monitors 1 PROFIBUS network and supports OPC Server capability.
• Type 1C: Monitors up to 4 PROFIBUS networks and supports OPC Server capability.

Relay Contact

On the top of the module, you will find an Ethernet RJ45 socket, a USB port for firmware update and relay output. The relay enables you to react to critical system and PROFIBUS events (e.g. retries, illegals, lost, bus voltage too low, etc.). Events to be signalled by the relay are set via the web server. If you need more than one relay contact, you can use either the ComBricks Relay Module (4x 5A-230VAC) or the Digital Output Module (8x 0.5A-24VDC).

SD Card

Every head station comes with an SD card which is used to store logs, PROFIBUS messages, GSD files, .PDF manuals and the ComBricks settings backup. However, depending on your requirements, it can be replaced with an SD card of up to 32 GB.

SNMP

The head station can provide data through the integrated web server (see the screenshots below) or the SNMP v1 protocol, which allows you to transfer data to such applications as OPC Server, SCADA HMI, databases and other systems. In the Downloads tab, you will find the SNMP MIB file. When you import it to a given SNMP program, you will instantly get a description of all items that can be retrieved from ComBricks. The items include:

Screens – Integrated Web Server

Using Ethernet cable, connect your computer to the head station. Open a web browser and enter the head station's IP address. To find the ComBricks configuration on the Ethernet network, use the Discovery Tool (in the Downloads tab). It allows you to search the Ethernet network for all connected ComBricks head stations and set their IP addresses. If everything is set up as it should, you will see the web server's menu. Individual menu pages are described below.

Status Screen - ComBricks

The screen shows a list of all ComBricks modules in a ComBricks configuration, together with module status, module description, serial number and module HW version for each module. Click on a chosen module to display detailed information about that module.

System Log - ComBricks

This screen displays chronological information about system startup / shutdown, removal of ComBricks modules, detailed information about data write to the SD card and other information.

Channel List - ComBricks

This screen provides a graphical overview of all online ComBricks modules of a particular ComBricks configuration. If the second and further backplane unit slots contain a ComBricks module (e.g. a repeater) that is connected to the PROFIBUS network, the Channel List will display a list of all PROFIBUS Master / Slave devices connected to that module, including their status (by colour). Lists are ordered numerically (i.e. in ascending order), not topologically (i.e. how devices are actually connected). Nevertheless, this overview is still very useful in that it gives you an idea of what devices are connected to what ComBricks modules.

LiveList - ComBricks

At the top of the screen, there are four tabs – Network 1, 2, 3 and 4. These tabs represent networks that are connected to a ComBricks module configuration. PROFIBUS segments and networks are connected to ComBricks via such modules as repeaters, fibre optic modules and others. Head Station 1B allows you to monitor one PROFIBUS network only. In this case, the screen displays only one tab. If you want to see other tabs, you need to have them unlocked by upgrading your 1B licence to 1C. With Head Station 1C, you will see all the four tabs. Head Station 1C enables you to monitor up to 4 different PROFIBUS networks (e.g. networks from various machines or networks from various PROFIBUS modules connected to a single CPU).

Statistics - ComBricks

This feature enables ComBricks to show you detected problems for each PROFIBUS Slave on the network – corrupted messages, the number of retries, station lost and others. In general, if your PROFIBUS network is healthy, the matrix will be empty for each statistic. If there is a problem with PROFIBUS telegrams on the network, it is exactly this matrix that will show you how many instances of a given problem have occurred for a particular device.

Message Recording - ComBricks

This feature allows you to set triggers for PROFIBUS telegram recording for 1–4 PROFIBUS networks. Message recording is always triggered when a problem occurs on the network (e.g. repeats, station lost, corrupted messages, syncs, etc.). When setting up message recording triggers for a given event, you should decide and set how many telegrams before the event occurs will be recorded. The default setting is 500 messages before an event, plus the event itself. To be able to configure message recording, you need to connect at least one ComBricks repeater or SCOPE repeater to the ComBricks backplane. All recorded events are saved to the head station's SD card (the card can store up to 1,000 files). All files can be opened in the ProfiTrace2 program (in the Downloads tab).

System Log - ComBricks

This screen displays a list of PROFIBUS events, for example ComBricks system startup.

E-mail & Log Event Configuration - ComBricks

ComBricks can notify you when a problem occurs on the network by sending you emails or generating entries in the event log. As regards event configuration, there are two types – system events and PROFIBUS events. Whenever an event occurs, ComBricks can notify you either once or repeatedly if the problem has not been resolved. For email notifications to work properly, you need to set the outgoing mail SMTP server in the Email Account Configuration page, as well as other parameters.

Output Control - ComBricks

Whenever a system or PROFIBUS event occurs, ComBricks can also notify you through its relay contact or digital outputs. The head station contains 1 relay contact. To extend the number of digital or relay outputs, you need to add extra ComBricks I/O modules to the backplane.

SNMP Configuration - ComBricks

ComBricks supports the SNMP v1 protocol. This feature allows you to enable events to be sent to SNMP systems, such as Kepware's SNMP Driver for KEPServerEX, via the SNMP protocol. The list of all supported SNMP events can be imported via the SNMP MIB file (available in the Downloads tab).

Tag Name Configuration

To make the overview of available PROFIBUS stations on the network more user-friendly, every station can be tagged with a name (to replace its number). The name can be maximum 16 characters long. In the Values box, you will find a list of PROFIBUS addresses (1–126). After each colon, enter the name of the station to help you to better identify that station.

General Configuration - ComBricks

This screen allows you to set the time and enter a description of a given ComBricks configuration – country, company, site name and other information. The description then displays in the very top table on each screen. You can also select the ComBricks configuration's start page, which is first displayed after entering the ComBricks IP address in the browser. The interface language can be selected at the bottom of the page. If the Czech language option is unavailable, you need to add it through FTP or upload it directly to ComBricks SD card. The file with the Czech language option is available for download in the Downloads tab.

Network Configuration

Monitored PROFIBUS networks do not necessarily have to be named "Network 1" or "Network 2", but can be named the way you need. The screen also shows what modules are inserted into which slots, and settings for a given module. Specifically, the settings include channel (what PROFIBUS network the module is assigned to; the channel can be set through the dipswitches on the front of the repeater and other modules), active termination status and the SW/HW setting method. If you set the H/S dipswitch on the front of any ComBricks module to the "H" position, the module will be assigned to the PROFIBUS network physically (i.e. through dipswitches). If you set the H/S dipswitch to the "S" position, the module will be assigned to the PROFIBUS network via the web server.

IP Configuration - ComBricks

This screen allows you to set fixed IP addresses and enable DHCP. You can also change server ports.

Password and User Configuration - ComBricks

ComBricks supports two types of users – Administrator and User. This feature allows you to set access rights for User to prevent them from deleting or viewing some of the Combricks configuration settings.

Email Account Cofiguration - ComBricks

If you want to receive event notifications by email, you need to set the SMTP server, as well as enter recipient email addresses for particular groups if necessary. Event notifications can be viewed and set on the E-mail / Log Event Configuration page.

Device Management - ComBricks

The SD card that comes with the ComBricks you have purchased contains a default settings backup for your head station. The Device Management screen enables you to restore and backup settings from/to the SD card. If you have your own SD card and need the default settings backup, you will find it in the Downloads tab. The Device Management page also allows you to remotely restart your ComBricks configuration.

User Messages - ComBricks

This is a useful tool for technicians that allows them to enter information about the PROFIBUS network, performed diagnostics or backup and other information.

Diagnostic Slave Configuration - ComBricks

This feature enables the use of the internal master in the head station, which retrieves diagnostic information from the PROCENTEC ProfiHub B5 / B2 multi repeaters. The diagnostic information includes various configuration faults, parameterisation faults and diagnostic faults.

Update license - ComBricks

The company PROCENTEC offers three head station types. If you have Head Station 1B and need to upgrade it to Head Station 1C, you purchase a license update, which you will enter in the box on this page. The upgrade will allow you to monitor up to 4 PROFIBUS networks.

Document Downloads Page - ComBricks

The SD card that comes with your ComBricks contains documents for given ComBricks modules. If you do not have Internet access, this is the page where you can open them and find what you need. If you would like to get the latest versions of these documents, the only way to do this is to upload the SD card image to the SD card (available in the Downloads tab).