Description
BRAD Communications DRL-DPM-BKF
Key Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Product Model | DRL-DPM-BKF |
| Manufacturer | BRAD Communications / Woodhead / Molex lineage |
| Product Type | PROFIBUS communication / scanner card |
| Form Factor | PC/104 |
| Network | PROFIBUS-DP |
| Channel Configuration | 1 PROFIBUS channel documented for DRL-DPM-BKF-B |
| PROFIBUS Connector | DB9 on DRL-DPM-BKF-B |
| Host Interface | PC/104 bus |
| Intended Host | PC/104-based industrial computer |
| Housing Configuration | Beckhoff housing specified for DRL-DPM-BKF-B |
| Lifecycle | Legacy / discontinued |
| SAP Number | 1120130008 for DRL-DPM-BKF-B |
The manufacturer advisory is the strongest available technical reference located for this family. It describes the card as a PROFIBUS Master card, 1 channel, DB9 connector, PC/104 bus for Beckhoff housing.
Product Introduction
The BRAD Communications DRL-DPM-BKF is a legacy PC/104-based PROFIBUS communication card used in embedded industrial control computers. Its primary job is not to perform PLC logic or field I/O itself, but to provide the host PC with a PROFIBUS network interface for communication with distributed PROFIBUS devices.
This distinction matters during replacement. The documented DRL-DPM-BKF-B version is a one-channel PROFIBUS master card intended for a PC/104 bus and Beckhoff housing, with a DB9 PROFIBUS connection. Molex’s own advisory confirms that the older PROFIBUS card family was discontinued and that no drop-in replacement was proposed.
DRL-DPM-BKF
Application Scenarios & Field Pitfalls — The Engineer’s Perspective
Engineering Pain Point
The main difficulty with the DRL-DPM-BKF is legacy host compatibility, not simply obtaining a card with the same PROFIBUS connector. The card sits inside a PC/104 architecture, so the host computer, PC/104 electrical interface, operating environment, PROFIBUS driver, configuration software, and application project all affect whether a replacement will actually communicate. Molex specifically advised maintaining existing maintenance stock rather than proposing a drop-in replacement for these older PROFIBUS cards.
Typical Applications
- Legacy PC-based control systems — provides PROFIBUS master/scanner functionality to an embedded PC/104 controller.
- Distributed I/O networks — connects a PC-based control application to PROFIBUS-DP field devices.
- Machine-control equipment — useful where the original PC/104 architecture remains in service.
- Beckhoff-based embedded systems — the documented -BKF-B version was specifically associated with Beckhoff housing.
Technical Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not substitute a generic PC/104 I/O card. The documented device is a PROFIBUS master/scanner interface, not simply a digital I/O board.
- Verify the exact suffix. DRL-DPM-BKF and DRL-DPM-BKF-B appear in aftermarket documentation as related identifiers, but the official Molex advisory gives the precise orderable designation as DRL-DPM-BKF-B / 1120130008.
- Check the host PC/104 implementation. A physically compatible PC/104 slot does not by itself guarantee driver or software compatibility.
- Preserve the PROFIBUS configuration. Station addresses, master parameters, baud rate, GSD-based device configuration, I/O mapping, and application software need to be recovered from the existing system before changing hardware.
- Inspect the PROFIBUS connector and termination arrangement. A DB9 connector alone does not identify the complete network implementation. Check shielding, cable type, termination, grounding, and segment topology.
- Do not assume modern replacement cards are drop-in replacements. Molex explicitly stated that it would not propose drop-in replacement solutions for these older applicomIO PROFIBUS cards.
Related Products
- DRL-DPM-104 — documented one-channel PROFIBUS master card using the PC/104 bus with DB9 connection; it is a different mechanical/configuration variant from the BKF version.
- DRL-DPM-104-RB25 — PC/104 PROFIBUS master variant using a ribbon-cable connector; not equivalent to the DB9 BKF configuration.
- DRL-DPM-104-R-B25 — another ribbon-cable PC/104 PROFIBUS variant documented in the same product advisory.
- DRL-DPM-BKF-B — the specifically documented one-channel PROFIBUS master card for PC/104 and Beckhoff housing, SAP 1120130008.
- PC104-DPIO — used in some aftermarket references as a family designation for DRL-DPM-BKF, but the exact relationship should be confirmed against the installed hardware label before treating it as an equivalent.
Procurement Note
For a replacement request, specify DRL-DPM-BKF, then provide a photograph of the card label and connector side if available. Pay particular attention to whether the installed card is actually DRL-DPM-BKF-B / SAP 1120130008, because that documented version is specifically a one-channel PROFIBUS master, PC/104, DB9, Beckhoff-housing configuration.
For a live system, also capture the host computer model, PC/104 stack, operating system, PROFIBUS driver/configuration software, master configuration, and connected slave list before replacement. The card is a legacy item, and the available manufacturer documentation does not establish a modern drop-in successor.
