Users will benefit from new features in CIP Safety™ for process and wireless applications and the ability to integrate Modbus® serial devices with CIP Networks

Hannover, Germany – April 21, 2008

ODVA announced today that it will publish new editions of the specifications for the family of CIP Networks, enhancing the EtherNet/IP™, DeviceNet™, CompoNet™, ControlNet™ and CIP Safety™ technologies. Consistent with ODVA’s record of delivering open network standards that are focused on bringing long-term benefits to the industrial automation industry, the latest editions of the CIP Networks specifications include new capabilities that extend device interoperability and application coverage to an even greater range of devices and applications.

Each network in the family of CIP Networks uses the same, media-independent protocol – the Common Industrial Protocol (or CIP™). This approach provides significant advantages to users including, among others, a comprehensive suite of messages and services needed for control, configuration, information, safety, synchronization and motion as well as topology options for network adaptations to meet specific application requirements. With the publication of these editions of the specifications, users can look for device suppliers to begin offering some of the following features in their products:

• CIP Safety on DeviceNet and CIP Safety on EtherNet/IP. Introduced in 2005, CIP Safety is certified to be compliant with the functional safety standard IEC 61508 up to SIL 3. The latest edition of this specification includes new functionality to support network features often needed in process and SCADA applications as well as installations utilizing wireless. These features include increased granularity in error detection and more flexibility in configuring safety reaction times. 
  
  
• Integration of Modbus serial devices into CIP Networks. Modbus translation services for Modbus TCP devices were added to CIP in the previous editions of the specifications published in November 2007. In these editions of the specifications, a new “Serial Link Object” has been added to round out the Modbus translation services supported by CIP. Both users and vendors will benefit from the ability to integrate Modbus and CIP devices into a unified network architecture that retains one of the key advantages of CIP – seamless bridging and routing.
  

Collectively these new editions of the specifications include 18 enhancements.

The specifications are organized as a group of publications entitled The CIP Networks Library. Each specification is made up of one or more volumes of The CIP Networks Library. The latest editions of the specifications are:

• The EtherNet/IP Specification
  Comprised of The CIP Networks Library:
  Volumes One (Edition 3.4), Two (Edition 1.5) and Seven (Edition 1.1)
  
  
• The DeviceNet Specification
  Comprised of The CIP Networks Library:
  Volumes One (Edition 3.4), Three (Edition 1.5) and Seven (Edition 1.1)
  
  
• The ControlNet Specification
  Comprised of The CIP Networks Library:
  Volumes One (Edition 3.4), Four (Edition 1.1) and Seven (Edition 1.1)
  
  
• The CompoNet Specification
  Comprised of The CIP Networks Library:
  Volumes One (Edition 3.4), Six (Edition 1.3) and Seven (Edition 1.1)
  
  
• The CIP Safety Specification
  Comprised of The CIP Networks Library:
  Volume Five (Edition 2.1)
  

ODVA expects that devices containing new enhancements found in the latest specifications will be available in 2008. Specifications are available on a subscription basis, subject to a Terms of Usage Agreement. For more information on how to obtain a copy of any of these specifications, visit ODVA’s web site at www.odva.org.  

About ODVA
ODVA, founded in 1995, is an international association comprised of members from the world's leading automation companies. Collectively, ODVA and its members support network technologies based on the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP™). These currently include the network adaptations of CIP—EtherNet/IP™, ControlNet™, DeviceNet™ and CompoNet™—and major application extensions to CIP—CIP Safety™, CIP Motion™ and CIP Sync™. ODVA manages the development of these open technologies, and assists manufacturers and users of CIP Networks through tools, training and marketing activities. In addition, ODVA offers conformance testing to help ensure that products built to its specifications operate in multi-vendor systems. ODVA also is active in other standards development organizations and industry consortia to drive the growth of open communication standards. For more information, visit its web site at www.odva.org.  

For more information, contact:

Adrienne Meyer
Manager, Marketing Communications
ODVA
4220 Varsity Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, MI 48108-5006 USA
tel +1 734 975 8840; fax +1 734 922 0027; email ameyer@odva.org

or

John Jackson
ODVA Communication Officer EMEA
43 Quarry Bank, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2QZ UK
tel: +44 (0) 1732 352 371; email jjackson@odva.org

CIP, CIP Motion, CIP Safety, CIP Sync, CompoNet, ControlNet, DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP are trademarks of ODVA. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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