HMS Anybus Communicator Modules: AB7013-C

Technical Dossier

Product Details And Specifications

HMS Anybus Communicator Series: Comprehensive Module Range and Technical Overview

The HMS Networks Anybus Communicator series is one of the most widely deployed protocol gateway product lines in global heavy industry. Installed across petrochemical complexes, nuclear power facilities, offshore platforms, and continuous-process refineries, Anybus Communicators serve as the translation layer between fieldbus networks and higher-level control systems. Their role is deterministic: convert device-level data from one industrial protocol to another without requiring PLC reprogramming or hardware replacement. The AB7013-C specifically functions as a serial-to-fieldbus gateway, enabling legacy serial devices to participate in modern industrial network architectures. HMS Networks, headquartered in Halmstad, Sweden, has maintained backward-compatible firmware and hardware support for this series across multiple decades, making it a preferred choice for lifecycle extension programs in brownfield installations.

The Evolution of Anybus Communicator Architecture

The Anybus Communicator product line was introduced in the late 1990s as a response to the fragmentation of industrial fieldbus standards. Early units supported point-to-point serial conversion to PROFIBUS DP and DeviceNet. The architecture at that stage was fixed-function: one serial master port, one fieldbus slave interface, no user-configurable logic.

The second generation introduced the ABC (Anybus Configuration Center) software tool, enabling parameter-based configuration without firmware modification. This allowed the same hardware platform to be reconfigured for different baud rates, data formats, and node addresses in the field. The AB7013-C belongs to this generation, supporting RS-232/422/485 serial interfaces on the device side and a specific fieldbus protocol on the network side.

The third generation, represented by the Anybus Communicator CAN and Anybus Communicator for EtherNet/IP, introduced Ethernet-based network interfaces and expanded memory buffers. These units are not backward-compatible at the hardware level with first- and second-generation units but share the same configuration software ecosystem.

Current production units in the Anybus Communicator line support PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, and EtherCAT on the network side. Legacy units supporting PROFIBUS DP, DeviceNet, and CANopen remain available as spare parts through authorized distributors and specialist suppliers such as DriveKNMS. Compatibility between generations is limited to the serial device-side interface; network-side interfaces are generation-specific.

Anybus Communicator Full Catalog & Functionalities (SKU List)

The following SKUs represent verified, commonly stocked models within the Anybus Communicator product family. Units are classified by network-side protocol.

PROFIBUS DP Gateway Units

AB7000: Serial RS-232/422/485 to PROFIBUS DP V0/V1 slave gateway, DIN-rail mount.
AB7001: Serial to PROFIBUS DP, extended I/O data length, up to 244 bytes input/output.
AB7007: Serial RS-232/485 to PROFIBUS DP, supports sub-network master mode for multi-drop serial.
AB7013-C: Serial RS-232/422/485 to fieldbus communicator, configurable via ABC software, DIN-rail, 24VDC.
AB7014: Serial to PROFIBUS DP slave, compact housing, supports Modbus RTU sub-protocol on serial side.

DeviceNet Gateway Units

AB7002: Serial RS-232/422/485 to DeviceNet slave gateway, up to 128 bytes I/O data.
AB7004: Serial to DeviceNet, supports explicit messaging and polled I/O connections.
AB7015: Serial to DeviceNet slave, configurable data mapping, 24VDC supply.

CANopen Gateway Units

AB7003: Serial RS-232/422/485 to CANopen slave gateway, NMT slave operation.
AB7016: Serial to CANopen, supports PDO and SDO communication, DIN-rail mount.

Modbus TCP / EtherNet/IP Gateway Units

AB7072: Serial RS-232/485 to Modbus TCP server gateway, 10/100 Mbit Ethernet.
AB7074: Serial to EtherNet/IP adapter, supports Class 1 and Class 3 connections.
AB7079: Serial to PROFINET IO device gateway, 100 Mbit, supports MRP media redundancy.
AB7080: Serial to EtherCAT slave gateway, distributed clock support, DIN-rail mount.AB7085: Serial to Modbus TCP/EtherNet/IP dual-protocol gateway, simultaneous network access.

CC-Link & Other Fieldbus Units

AB7005: Serial RS-232/422/485 to CC-Link slave gateway, Ver. 1.10 compliant.
AB7008: Serial to ControlNet adapter gateway, NUT-based scheduling support.
AB7010: Serial to Interbus slave gateway, remote bus interface, DIN-rail mount.

Sourcing Hard-to-Find & Obsolete Anybus Communicator Parts

Several first- and second-generation Anybus Communicator units, including the AB7013-C, AB7000, AB7001, AB7002, AB7003, AB7004, AB7005, and AB7008, have reached end-of-production status. HMS Networks no longer manufactures these units, and standard distribution channels carry limited or zero stock.

DriveKNMS maintains a dedicated inventory of legacy Anybus Communicator modules sourced through controlled secondary market channels. All units are subject to pre-sale inspection and functional verification. For installations where a direct replacement is not feasible due to PLC program dependencies, network topology constraints, or site certification requirements, DriveKNMS provides like-for-like replacement units with original firmware versions where required.

For sites requiring long-term maintenance contracts covering Anybus Communicator spares, DriveKNMS offers reserved stock agreements with defined lead times and condition guarantees. This service is designed for operators of continuous-process facilities where unplanned downtime carries significant financial and safety consequences.

Quality Control for the Anybus Communicator Range

Anybus Communicator units present specific verification challenges due to their dual-interface architecture. A unit may pass basic power-on self-test while exhibiting degraded performance on either the serial device-side interface or the fieldbus network-side interface. DriveKNMS applies a structured test protocol to all Anybus Communicator units prior to dispatch.

Serial interface verification is performed using a calibrated RS-232/422/485 test harness. Baud rates from 1200 to 115200 bps are tested across all supported modes. Data integrity is confirmed using a loopback test with known data patterns. Fieldbus interface verification is performed using a network analyzer connected to the relevant fieldbus (PROFIBUS DP, DeviceNet, CANopen, or Ethernet variant). Node address assignment, data exchange cycle, and diagnostic response are all confirmed against the HMS Networks published specification for the specific model.

Configuration memory is verified by loading a known-good configuration file via the Anybus Configuration Center software and confirming that the unit retains and executes the configuration correctly after a power cycle. Units that fail any stage of this protocol are quarantined and not offered for sale.