GSD files PROFIBUS: exam questions with worked answers

Questions for the "GSD files" topic

1. Q01

   A PROFIBUS GSD file (Generic Station Description) is a standardised ASCII file supplied by the device vendor; it contains the device characteristics (vendor, ident_number, supported baud rates, modules, parameters) needed to integrate it in the PLC project.

   TrueFalse

   4. GSD files· ASCII-Format· Medium

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   Correct answer

   True

   Learning tip

   PROFIBUS GSDs are plain ASCII key=value text files, not XML; PROFINET uses GSDML in XML, but classic PROFIBUS keeps the human-readable text format. Key sections include General (Vendor_Name, Ident_Number, Hardware_Release), DP-Slave (Modular/Compact, Modules, User_Prm_Data, Diag_Text) and DP-Master (Max_Slaves, capabilities). The engineering tool (STEP 7, TIA Portal, SIMATIC Manager) imports the file once into its hardware catalogue and then offers the device for use in any project.

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2. Q02

   A compact PROFIBUS DP slave has an I/O configuration that is frozen at manufacturing time (e.g. a 32-bit encoder, a 4-module pressure transmitter), which simplifies configuration but limits flexibility.

   TrueFalse

   4. GSD files· Kompaktslave· Medium

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   Correct answer

   True

   Learning tip

   A compact slave is the "all-in-one" pattern: a single configuration is declared in the GSD, the engineer has no module choices to make in the engineering tool, and the trade-off is the absence of any future I/O extension. Typical examples are encoders, process transmitters and basic drives where the device function is fixed by design.

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