11/12/19 Expand the potential of your project with the new dual-Ethernet Unipi Axon S155.
When a single Ethernet is not enough
By default, all Unipi controllers feature a single Ethernet port for network connectivity. In some projects, however, a situation may occur when a single network interface is no longer enough. Typically, such a situation arises in a distribution box with primary connectivity already wired, that requires installation of an additional network device. Creating a separate local network within the distribution box while retaining the network communication with the PLC may be also desirable. The usual solution is to purchase a network switch - however, this solution is not universal and may not be always possible for various reasons.
The new Unipi Axon S155 controller now offers you a smart solution for both of the aforementioned problems. Aside from the primary 1Gbit Ethernet the controller also features a secondary 10/100Mbit Ethernet port. This secondary interface can be configured to a "bridge" mode in which both network interfaces act as a network switch.
The second option is to use the secondary interface to create a separate local network for other devices in the same distribution box.
Axon S155 technical description
Features of the S155 are not limited only to the dual Ethernet. The controller also offers a set of digital I/O and single analog input and output. Digital outputs are useful for reading data from various digital devices and sensors (switches, motion sensors etc.) while digital inputs can be used for controlling two-state devices (lighting, locks, shutter drives etc.) or for an analog control through the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) function. The single analog input is designed for measuring voltage or current while the analog output will allow you an incremental control of three-way valves, frequency inverters and other similar devices.
Aside from the I/Os the controller is also provided with three serial interfaces (RS485 + RS232) through which you can connect various devices such as Unipi Extension modules, gateways for other communication protocols, HMI panels, energy meters, other PLCs etc.
The S155, as well as all Axons, features high computing performance due to a quad-core 1.2GHz CPU and 1GB RAM. Standard features include 8GB eMMC onboard memory and a pair of USB 2.0 ports. All components are encased within a durable aluminium chassis (IP20). The controller is designed for easy DIN rail installation.
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Digital inputs: 4× |
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Software solution
As a preinstalled solution. the S155 comes with Mervis, an officially supported SW platform for programming Unipi controllers under the IEC 61131-3 standard. The 2.2.0 version of the Mervis IDE development environment then features the option to configure the secondary network interface directly in the PLC properties.
If the secondary interface is enabled, you can configure it either for a static IP (including IP address and network mask settings) or as a DHCP client. If disabled, both primary and secondary Ethernets will switch to the "bridge" mode. More detailed info about this feature is available in the corresponding tutorial on the Unipi Knowledge Base
Note: In the Mervis IDE the S155 cannot be configured as a DHCP server or as a firewall/router.
