BACnet Communication Products & Solutions

The Cimetrics BACstac is the leading 3rd party BACnet protocol stack (SDK) with a customer list that includes many well-known brands in the HVAC, lighting control and physical access control industries world wide. We started development of the BACstac in 1995, and we continue to update it as the BACnet standard evolves.

Our state-of-the-art implementation is designed for use in Windows and Linux based workstations and in embedded controllers. We pride ourselves on supplying a solution which is compatible with MANY versions of the WIndows OS and MANY versions of Linux. The BACstac has also been ported to MANY 32-bit embedded operating systems.

In fact, we have just launched our native 64-bit BACstac for our more advanced customers !

Resources:

BACnet's Continuing Growth: Article published by AutomatedBuildings.com. April 2011.

BACstac Update 2011: Recent improvements to the Cimetrics BACstac products. April 2011.

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We know that adding BACnet capability to an existing product is challenging ! To make this task easier, we have created IC and module solutions that save you man-years of software development.

Now that the BACnet protocol is so common in building control architectures, there is a need for many more systems to participate in the central control network. Vertical transport, lighting, security, energy, fume hoods, and many other subsystems within buildings need to have BACnet interfaces to enable centralized control.

As you probably know, the BACnet standard is a 600+ page document, so the learning curve for your software developers is a significant challenge. Our BACnet module products implement the BACnet communications so that your programmers concentrate on other challenges.

Our EasyBAC product is a perfect example of our design philosophy of making things SIMPLE ! This is a small module (see image above) which lets a manufacturer add basic BACnet server functionality to a product in just a few weeks. The EasyBAC module communicates using BACnet/IP on the Ethernet side, and your product's microcontroller communicates with the module using simple TTL-level serial port commands on the other side.

If your product needs SIMPLE BACnet connectivity, then we have a SIMPLE solution for you !

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What do you do if there is a BACnet problem ? The modern equivalent of a "screwdriver" is a piece of software called a "Protocol Analyzer". This is a program that you connect to a BACnet network and it reads all of the "ones and zeros" and decodes them into the BACnet language !

Cimetrics "BAS-o-matic" product is the leading troubleshooting tool in the BACnet community. This powerful analyzer shows you ALL of the details (the good and the bad !) so you have a chance of finding out why there might be disruptions in the communications between devices.

BAS-o-matic supports decoding of 50+ protocols so this is an excellent tool for both IT troubleshooting as well as BACnet and Modbus. Our MS/TP option lets you de-bug twisted pair networks as well.

Cimetrics also has a BACnet Explorer product. This allows one to connect into any BACnet network and perform what is called a "DISCOVERY". One click starts an automatic process of discovering and displaying ALL of the devices, objects, and properties of ALL of the BACnet devices on the network. This discovery process can sometimes be "technically challenging", but our software automatically tries multiple ways to get the configuration data and status from each and every device.

The Cimetrics BAS-o-matic and Explorer have been proven as

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Cimetrics is a firm believer in Ethernet DIRECT to sensors !

We have a series of analog and digital I/O products that connect directly to a BACnet/IP network. Installation of this device is extremely easy due to browser-based configuration screens, simple dedicated connectors, and a removable screw terminal strip for easy attachment to internal digital inputs and relay contacts.

Our B6040 and B6050 are products that include internal RELAYS that have high contact pressure, low contact bounce, and wiping operation which makes them resistant to contact welding. These are rated for 8A 250V AC so they are appropriate for controlling many "line powered" devices such as smaller lights or motors. The B6050 contains QTY 2 of these relays, and the B6040 contains QTY 6 of these.

Just connect these to your BACnet network and you are ready to control your world !

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Cimetrics Routers solve your connection problems !

The Cimetrics B6000 is one of the most sold BACnet Routers in the HVAC industry. This product connects any BACnet MS/TP network to a BACnet/IP network. Several prominent HVAC brands recommend the B6000 to all of their Field Offices as their "router of choice" when connecting field bus networks into the BACnet/IP management network.

Our BR2-A Router converts Trane BCU's (BACnet Arcnet) to the more common BACnet/IP used by almost all HVAC manufacturers.

The Cimetrics BR2-E is a dual port BACnet/IP Router. This is primarily used by our customers as a way to seemlessly connect two BACnet networks over the Internet (using the BACnet BBMD technology).

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Cimetrics connects industrial SCADA systems to BACnet!

By adding our Cimetrics BACnet OPC Server, you can enable an factory automation system or process control system to communicate with BACnet devices.

Unlike many vendors of OPC software, who offer a large catalog of OPC servers for many different protocols, we have focused on offering a great OPC server that was specifically designed for BACnet. Our latest software now includes an innovative "TRAFFIC LIGHT" indicator for every configured BACnet object so installers can get much more information when system troubleshooting is required.

Years of experience interfacing BACnet and OPC means that our support staff is capable of guiding you through the initial setup phase of your installation. The help files offer product details including a basic primer on "What is BACnet?"

Try our DEMO software for free and see the difference when you are able to SEE the BACnet side of your OPC connections !

Suggested Product(s):

B2100 - BACnet OPC Server

Cimetrics works with Utility Meters every day !

Since part of our company performs turnkey metering installations, we have developed one of the EASIEST TO INSTALL meter interfaces on the market today. If you have an electric, gas, steam, or water meter that is able to output data via Modbus RTU or Modbus TCP, then we probably have a pre-made template that converts your meter's data to BACnet/IP ! We also have a product for pulse meters.

Mappings for MANY of the most popular power, energy and flow meters are built into our B6030 and Mega B6030 devices so that all you have do is select from a drop-down menu to activate the proper conversion of your meter's Modbus data to BACnet. An example of our extensive list of meters supported is shown here. As many as 40 parameters from each meter are converted to standard BACnet objects. One Cimetrics B6030 device can convert the data from as many as four Modbus RTU or Modbus-TCP meters to BACnet/IP, and the Cimetrics Mega B6030 can support as many as 99 Modbus-TCP meters.

If you have meters with pulse outputs, one Cimetrics B6070 device can convert the pulse data streams from as many as four pulse-output meters to standard BACnet objects.

This is the easiest and most reliable way to get meter data into your BACnet-based control system !

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You can READ & WRITE to FACILITY systems without learning BACnet !

Using simple SOAP/XML or REST commands (URLs), you can interface to BACnet equipment without learning all about the BACnet protocol rules.

This interface lets you read or write to "present value" points AND you can also create a BACnet Firewall that stops 3rd parties from communicating with points other than the few values that you allow them to read.

Cimetrics is the INVENTOR of the BACrest protocol. Look how easy it is to read & write to BACnet sensors using simple URLs:

BACnet read command:

http://10.1.68.2/BACrest/Occupancy_sensor_1

XML Return information:

Click here to read more about this powerful technology !

Suggested Product(s):

B6080 - BACnet Interface to Web Sites

Cimetrics has been involved in many projects where industrial equipment and HVAC equipment need to be connected together to make a centrally controlled and monitored solution. To accomplish this connection, we have products that perform the following functions:

1) Interfacing BACnet devices and OPC based SCADA systems

2) Connecting Modbus RTU (twisted pair) to Modbus TCP (Ethernet)

3) Troubleshooting Modbus communications issues.

Our BACnet OPC Server product is based on the same "state-of-the-art" BACnet protocol stack that we sell to MANY of the leading companies in the HVAC industry. One of the unique characteristics of our BACnet OPC product is our "traffic light" indicator (red,yellow,green) on EVERY point. This visualization system is a huge TIME SAVER when installers are diagnosing sensor communications issues !

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Cimetrics has a proud heritage of supplying networking solutions for embedded systems.

Before focusing on the development of the BACnet standard, we were leaders in networking solutions using what is called "9-bit" serial communication.

What is 9-bit? Several prominent microcontroller manufactures (for example Intel and Motorola) included a 9-bit serial communications mode in the built-in UART of many of their microcontrollers, which made it easy to network those microcontrollers using an external RS-485 (EIA-485) transceiver. Cimetrics developed a network protocol (the Nine-bit Serial Protocol), a thin software stack (the Nine-bit Solution Network Software) and several 9-bit compatible RS-485 PC serial cards which enhanced the functionality of this communication mode for use in distributed control applications.

Despite the fact that Cimetrics stopped development of new 9-bit products about 10 years ago, several of our customers still have an on-going need for 9-bit serial RS-485 hardware interfaces for PCs. We understand how costly it can be to redesign existing systems, so we have tried to help our customers by continuing to supply these products as long as we can.

Cimetrics 9-bit RS-485 products included the NBS-2, NBS-10, NBS-11, NBS-12, NBS-20, NBS-41, NBS-42, and RPT-485. Unfortunately we are no longer able to produce the NBS-20 and the RPT-485, and we do not maintain an inventory of most of the other products. If you have a need for a Cimetrics RS-485 product, please contact us.

Customers have been extremely thankful that we believe in LONG TERM commitments!

Resources:

"UARTs make possible low-cost networks of embedded systems," EDN Magazine, March 30, 1995.

Suggested Product(s):

A1042 - 9-Bit Compatible PCI RS-485 Interface - NBS-42L

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