Ethernet Interface Board offers plug and play installation.

Press Release Summary:



Ethernet communications daughter board brings internet connectivity to MC206 and MC224 Motion Coordinators, enabling remote performance monitoring, Trio BASIC program up/download, maintenance, diagnostics, and program development. Motion controllers may be connected to factory Ethernet network, enabling communications with any PC or other node on network.



Original Press Release:


New Ethernet Interface from Trio


April 22, 2002; Leading motion control manufacturer, Trio Motion Technology, has announced that the company will launch a new Ethernet communication daughter board at the forthcoming Drives & Controls Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, UK.

Further expanding the unique daughter board concept, the new Ethernet board features "plug and play" installation simplicity and brings remote monitoring and control over the web for the established MC206 Motion Coordinator and the new MC224 Motion
Coordinator.

Trio's comprehensive Motion Perfect(TM) Windows(TM) integrated development environment (IDE) and ActiveX communications control now includes TCP/IP network protocol support. This enables remote debugging and development of Trio BASIC programs using Motion Perfect(TM), and the ActiveX component will assist end-user development of PC-based interface applications.

Network-enabled motion controllers run an industry standard TCP/IP protocol stack, including a web server. Controllers can serve webpages with dynamically updated real-time information to anyone on a local area factory or office network (LAN) or across the Internet using a standard HTML web browser. The webpages provide read and write access to a number of variables and table data on the selected controller. Software also supports a TCP socket which enables users to open a 'telnet' session and access the controller commandline interface - freeing the user from the limitations of an RS232 serial lead.

Trio's ActiveX component removes the complexity of developing PC-based machine interface applications. These can be developed using a high level Rapid Application Development (RAD) tool, such as Microsoft's Visual Basic, with the network communications handled by simple method calls to the ActiveX control.

Ethernet daughter boards use the 10Base-T physical layer designed to connect to other stations with simple twisted pair copper wires and RJ-45 connectors. There is an industry standard RFC compliant TCP/IP stack and protocol support for HTTP server, TCP, UDP, DHCP, ARP, ICMP and IP, providing fast, easy connection with wide ranging compatibility in modern network systems.

Trio recognized the benefits a TCP/IP interface can provide now that Ethernet networks are increasingly found on the shop floor. The Ethernet daughterboard brings internet connectivity to the MC206 and MC224 Motion Coordinators, enabling remote performance monitoring, Trio BASIC program up/download, maintenance, diagnostics, and program development. Motion controllers may be connected to the factory Ethernet network, enabling communications with any PC or other node on the network. In
addition, if an Internet gateway is available anyone with access to the network can communicate with individual controllers via the web.

Further data on this new interface board will be found on the Trio Motion Technology website, www.triomotion.com, which also contains comprehensive information on the company's full range of innovative motion control products.

For further information, contact Ed Novak, Trio Motion Technology. Tel: 412.968.9744 Fax: 412.968.9746 Email: enovakgtriomotion.com

Trio Motion Technology is a leading British manufacturer of motion control systems with a full complement of products capable of controlling from one to 24 axes per controller.

The unique Daughter Board concept pioneered by Trio Motion Technology permits a wide range of communications functions to be configured by simply inserting into a controller the selection of cards required to meet application needs. In this way, control systems can be changed and upgraded easily to meet new machine requirements.

Trio Motion Technology was formed in 1987 and now operates from modem purpose-built premises in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, U.K. and Pittsburgh, USA. The company markets its products exclusively through a world-wide distributor network, providing
local technical support as required.

With a well-founded reputation for high performance products, reliability and rapid response, Trio Motion Technology places considerable emphasis on maintaining a significant level of development activity to meet the needs of its customers.

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