BECKHOFF DK9322-1109-0011 - Manual (Page 4)

TwinCAT
TwinCAT Supplement ‚RFID Reader Communication‘
Application Note DK9322-1109-0011
procured externally. The RFID reader is connected to the industrial PC either via a serial interface (KL60x1 Bus Terminal | EL60xx
EtherCAT Terminal) or via the COM port. If the range is not sufficient for serial transmission, the connection point of the RFID
reader can be distributed anywhere in the I/O field using the corresponding coupler. The selected system can be integrated into
the automation environment via TwinCAT and the RFID reader supplement.
Advantages
In conjunction with the serial interfaces in terminal form, the RFID reader can be used in any fieldbus. Several readers can also
be integrated in the simplest way in the TwinCAT-encompassing automation world; all that is required for integrating several
readers is to create multiple instances of a function block. This way, even extensive applications that use different functions
of the RFID reader can easily be implemented. The implementation expenditure is very low, because the manufacturer-specific
interface protocol does not need to be researched in detail and implemented.
The handling and the interface of the PLC library are the same for all the supported RFID reader models. The frame structure,
the composition of the telegrams, the command name and other protocol specifications are performed automatically by the
library. This saves the user valuable development and implementation time and he can concentrate fully on his application.
Access to the RFID reader with tools from the Windows environment is similarly not a problem with the ‘Virtual Serial COM
Driver’ supplement for virtual interfaces.
If networking takes place at process control level, then detection of the RFID tags can take place at each station in order to
implement the traceability of components within the production process.
Practical application: detection of the presence of components
RFID is used to detect the presence of individual components within a production line for wooden products. The RFID tag is
attached to each component and is read by readers at different stations.
New Automation Technology Beckhoff 4
For application notes see disclaimer on the last page