This application note targets Leroy Automation’s RIOM product range as an EN 50155-compliant Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) with integrated I/O interfaces for controlling and monitoring on-board train subsystems and equipment.

This product line features a CAN 2.0A Fieldbus communication port with a dedicated CAN interface and DB9 connector. It is able to manage both CAN and CANopen communication messages.

We demonstrate how to use CANopen communications between 2 VCUs as « Masters » (VCU_1 & VCU_2), and CANopen I/O devices as « Slaves ». In each VCU device, the redundancy mechanisms are in place to cope with hot redundancy techniques. If a single VCU fails, the full TCMS system is recovered by the redundant VCU device. Several activity modes are considered such as nominal operating mode, standby modes, safe and active modes.

The redundancy process management tasks run onto the VCU devices, as well as high-end automation algorithms programmed with IEC 61131-3 STRATON PLC integrated development environment (IDE). This STRATON IDE integrates a user-friendly graphical Fieldbus editor, as well as real-time monitoring tools for debugging, software project validation, train commissioning, and TCMS supervision tasks.