In-Depth Analysis of Multi-Protocol Conversion for Ethernet Switche: Technological Breakthroughs and Practical Solutions for Modbus to TCP/IP Conversion
In a tunneling face of a coal mine in Shanxi, a gas sensor supporting only the Modbus RTU protocol suffered from limited communication distance, resulting in data transmission delays that nearly triggered a major safety incident. In contrast, at the intelligent dispatching center within the same mining area, the Modbus to TCP/IP protocol conversion achieved through a USR-ISG Ethernet switch enabled real-time uploading of sensor data to a cloud platform, supporting daily interactions of 500TB of monitoring data. This comparison highlights a core pain point in the field of industrial communication: in today's era of fragmented device protocols and complex network environments, how can seamless device interconnection be achieved through multi-protocol conversion technology? This article provides systematic solutions for enterprises from three dimensions: technical principles, application scenarios, and selection logic.
Modbus RTU, as a serial communication protocol, adopts a master-slave structure, with data frames encoded in binary and transmitted over an RS-485 bus, with a maximum communication distance of approximately 1200 meters and a common transmission rate of 9600bps. Its limitations include:
Distance Limitations: Unable to meet the needs of cross-regional, long-distance industrial scenarios;
Speed Bottlenecks: Low baud rates result in significant delays when transmitting large amounts of data;
Poor Compatibility: Difficult to directly connect to modern enterprise networks based on TCP/IP.
In contrast, Modbus TCP, based on Ethernet, transmits data through the TCP/IP protocol stack, supporting concurrent access by multiple master stations, with transmission rates reaching up to 100Mbps or even higher, and enabling unlimited-distance communication via existing local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). Its core advantages include:
Network Scalability: Supports interconnection of devices across regions;
Improved Real-Time Performance: High-speed transmission meets the low-latency requirements of industrial control;
Integration Convenience: Seamless integration with systems such as SCADA and MES.
Achieving Modbus RTU to TCP/IP conversion requires overcoming two major technological barriers:
Data Frame Reconstruction: Adding an MBAP protocol header (including a transaction identifier, protocol identifier, length, and unit identifier) to the original Modbus RTU data, converting the binary frame into a message compliant with TCP/IP standards;
Communication Interface Conversion: Converting the RS-485 physical interface into an Ethernet interface through the serial server function of an Ethernet switch, while also converting electrical level signals into digital signals.
Taking the WG series industrial intelligent gateway from Wutong Bolian as an example, its built-in protocol parsing engine can automatically identify the data format of Modbus RTU devices and control conversion delays at the microsecond level through hardware acceleration technology. In a practical application at a steel plant, this gateway connected 200 frequency converters supporting Modbus RTU to a TCP/IP network, increasing the data collection frequency from once per second to ten times per second and reducing fault response times by 80%.
In an 800-kilometer natural gas pipeline project, traditional Modbus RTU sensors, limited by communication distance, required relay stations every 20 kilometers, resulting in high operation and maintenance costs. By deploying USR-ISGX424-SFP fiber optic Ethernet switche and adopting a three-tier architecture of "control center-distribution station-valve chamber":
Valve Chamber Layer: Deploying 2-optical and 4-electrical switches supporting Modbus to TCP/IP conversion to transmit sensor data to distribution stations via single-mode fiber;
Distribution Station Layer: Aggregating switches uploading data to the core switch at the control center;
Control Center Layer: Real-time monitoring of pipeline pressure, flow, and other parameters through an SNMPv3 network management system.
This solution reduced leakage detection response times from 30 minutes to 5 minutes, decreased annual manual inspection mileage by 20,000 kilometers, and lowered operation and maintenance costs by 40%.
A certain automobile manufacturing plant possessed a large number of legacy devices (such as stamping machines and welding robots) supporting only Modbus RTU, whose data could not be directly connected to the newly built MES system. By deploying USR-ISG Ethernet switche, the following was achieved:
Protocol Conversion: Converting Modbus RTU data into TCP/IP messages;
Edge Computing: Filtering invalid data in the built-in edge computing module of the switch and uploading only key parameters (such as device status and production counts);
Cloud Integration: Pushing data to the Alibaba Cloud Industrial Internet Platform via the MQTT protocol to support real-time updates of production dashboards.
After the transformation, equipment utilization increased by 15%, and the response speed for production plan adjustments improved by 50%.
In the underground areas of a certain coal mine, traditional Modbus RTU devices, due to explosion-proof requirements, required explosion-proof designs, but the explosion-proof enclosures caused difficulties in heat dissipation, resulting in high equipment failure rates. The USR-ISG series explosion-proof Ethernet switche addressed these pain points through the following designs:
Explosion-Proof Certification: Passing Ex d I Mb certification to meet usage requirements in underground methane environments;
Wide Temperature Operation: A wide temperature design of -40°C to 75°C to adapt to high-temperature environments underground;
Protocol Conversion: Converting Modbus RTU sensor data into TCP/IP messages and transmitting it to the ground dispatching center via a fiber optic ring network.
In a practical application at a certain mining area, this solution increased the mean time between failures (MTBF) of equipment from 3000 hours to 12000 hours and reduced annual production stoppage losses by over RMB 5 million.
Among the 200 pumping stations managed by a certain water utility group, 80% are located in remote areas, and traditional Modbus RTU devices require manual inspections, resulting in low efficiency. By deploying USR-ISG Ethernet switches, the following was achieved:
Remote Monitoring: Converting Modbus RTU data from pumping station PLCs into TCP/IP messages and uploading them to the cloud via 4G/5G networks;
Intelligent Alarms: Setting thresholds in the switch to automatically trigger SMS alarms when parameters such as water level and flow are abnormal;
Reverse Control: Sending start/stop instructions to pumping station PLCs via the TCP/IP protocol to achieve remote control.
After the transformation, the frequency of pumping station inspections decreased from once a week to once a month, and labor costs were reduced by 70%.
Conversion Direction: Modbus RTU to TCP/IP or bidirectional conversion;
Number of Devices: The number of Modbus RTU devices to be connected;
Data Volume: The amount of data generated per second by a single device (such as parameters like temperature, pressure, and flow);
Network Environment: Whether cross-regional transmission is required and whether it involves fiber optic or wireless communication.
Conversion Delay: Prioritize switches supporting hardware acceleration (such as the USR-ISG series, with a delay of <1ms);
Port Density: Select the number of electrical and optical ports based on the number of devices (such as 8 electrical and 2 optical ports, or 16 electrical and 4 optical ports);
Environmental Adaptability: Whether explosion-proof, wide temperature, and anti-vibration characteristics meet scenario requirements;
Management Functions: Whether advanced functions such as SNMP, VLAN division, and 802.1X authentication are supported.
Protocol Support: Confirm whether the switch supports Modbus RTU, TCP/IP, and other required protocols (such as Profinet and OPC UA);
Manufacturer Case Studies: Prioritize manufacturers with successful application experiences in similar scenarios (such as USR Electronics' cases in the energy and mining sectors);
After-Sales Service: Whether 24/7 technical support and equipment replacement cycles are provided.
Initial Investment: Equipment procurement costs and installation and commissioning fees;
Long-Term Benefits: Reduced operation and maintenance costs, increased production efficiency, and decreased fault losses;
ROI Calculation: Evaluate the return on investment over a three-year period.
The USR-ISG series Ethernet switches are specifically designed for multi-protocol conversion scenarios and offer the following advantages:
Rich Protocol Support: Supporting over 20 industrial protocols, including Modbus RTU/TCP, Profinet, and OPC UA;
Exceptional Conversion Performance: Adopting hardware acceleration technology with a delay of <1ms to meet real-time control requirements;
Strong Environmental Adaptability: Explosion-proof certification (Ex d I Mb), a wide temperature range of -40°C to 75°C, and an IP67 protection rating;
Convenient Management: Supporting multiple management methods such as Web, SNMP, and CLI, enabling remote configuration and monitoring of device status.
In a practical project at a certain chemical enterprise, USR-ISG switches connected 500 instruments supporting Modbus RTU to a TCP/IP network, while isolating the production network from the office network through VLAN division, reducing the incidence of network security incidents to 0 and ensuring DCS instruction transmission delays of <5ms.
If you are facing the following challenges:
Incompatibility of legacy device protocols, preventing connection to newly built systems;
Limited communication distance, requiring expansion of network coverage;
High data transmission delays, affecting real-time control accuracy;
High operation and maintenance costs, necessitating a reduction in manual inspection frequencies.
Contact us, and PUSR will provide you with:
Free On-Site Surveys: Evaluating device types, network environments, and communication requirements;
Customized Solutions: Designing protocol conversion topologies, device selections, and configuration parameters based on scenarios;
Free Sample Trials: Providing a 7-day free trial of USR-ISG series switches to experience performance firsthand;
Technical Training: Training operation and maintenance personnel in protocol conversion configuration and troubleshooting skills;
After-Sales Support: A 3-year warranty and lifetime technical support to ensure long-term stable system operation.
In the era of Industry 4.0, protocol conversion technology is the key to breaking through the "last mile" of device interconnection. Choosing the USR-ISG series Ethernet switche is not just choosing a product but selecting a complete industrial communication solution.
