iba AG has added a new fieldbus interface module to its ibaMAQS modular measurement system. The ibaM-EIP-S-1G captures cyclic EtherNet/IP communication data passively, connecting to industrial networks via a TAP interface and operating as a non-intrusive sniffer.
The module targets EtherNet/IP networks widely deployed in automation technology, monitoring cyclic IO data exchange, known as implicit messaging, between scanners (masters) and adapters (slaves). It supports networks with one or multiple scanners and integrates into existing infrastructure without modification. What's new here is the TAP-based passive approach: the module reads traffic without injecting packets or altering network behavior, a critical requirement on production lines where active probing can disrupt live processes.
Captured data feeds into ibaPDA, iba AG's data acquisition software, which runs on the ibaMAQS central processor module, the ibaM-DAQ. The ibaMAQS platform supports up to 15 I/O modules alongside that processor, and ibaPDA can pull in additional signals from controllers and sensors over Ethernet. The result is that EtherNet/IP communication data can be recorded isochronously alongside analog, digital, or other fieldbus signals and analyzed offline within the same iba ecosystem.
The addition addresses a specific pressure in industrial automation: as network topologies in manufacturing, power generation, and distribution systems grow more complex and interconnected, diagnosing communication faults without taking systems offline becomes harder. Passive TAP capture removes the need to insert an active device into the network path. iba AG describes the goal as providing "an essential foundation for in-depth process and system diagnostics," and the ibaM-EIP-S-1G extends that capability to one of the most widely used automation protocols.
