Harting is launching the Ha-VIS FTS 3100s-A as the first switch in its range of industrial Ethernet switches to offer the company's Fast Track Switching technology; this is said to satisfy the majority of performance and determinism requirements in Ethernet networks for automation applications.
With Fast Track Switching technology, the switch detects real-time automation frames and uses the cut-through method to accelerate their transmission. These automation frames are always forwarded before other types - in other words, they always have the right-of-way over non-real-time frames.
The FTS 3100s-A incorporates 10 Fast Ethernet ports, and is an unmanaged switch that can be configured with the FTS Manager via a USB interface. It combines the simple handling of a 'plug-and-play' device with individual setting options tuned to the particularly automation application.
Port-related settings - such as data rate, duplex mode and port mirroring - are said to be easy to set up. The FTS Manager enables users to select the automation protocols that are to be detected and put on the fast track. Profinet, Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP protocols are currently available, and can all be pre-configured and then activated with a single click.
Versatile options are also available that enable other profiles to be detected and transported in FTS mode. This means users may profit from FTS, even for their specific protocols: the switch can simply be optimised to almost any application, although the factory setting can handle the requirements in most cases.
An optional pluggable memory card also provides users with a safe and reliable means of saving and loading the settings.
For more information, visit www.harting.co.uk
