The DigiGate Profibus is a gateway for connecting a Profibus DP network and a Modbus RTU network. It is a cost-effective solution on the market to search factory floor data, generally used by instruments in Modbus networks, for the level of control in Profibus DP. The gateway treats the networks separately, because they are different speeds, functioning as a master in the Modbus network and slave in the Profibus network.
Data exchange takes place through tables in the instrument's internal memory, shared between the Profibus side and the Modbus side. The read table is responsible for making available the data read from the Modbus network to the Profibus network, and the writing table is responsible for passing data from the Profibus network to the Modbus network. These tables are configured using the DigiConfig software. This mode of data exchange is very simple because the Profibus control system should only read the data from this table, which is continuously fed and updated by the readings on the Modbus side, according to the speed of each network. Likewise, Profibus can write the data in this table so that Modbus passes the new values to the correct registers of the corresponding slaves.
The DigiGate is fully configurable by the DigiConfig software, making it very easy to access and change all its parameters. The configuration is done via Modbus interface, being necessary to put the device in "Configuration mode". In this mode, the device no longer behaves like a master in the Modbus network and starts behaving like a slave, in order to accept commands from the configuration software, which becomes the master. DigiConfig has a complete help file, with all the necessary information for its full use and contains a description of all operating parameters.