Industrial Ethernet

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Industrial Ethernet is the generic term for all efforts to make the Ethernet standard useful for networking devices that are used in industrial production.

Since companies usually already have an Ethernet LAN for networking employee PCs, with Industrial Ethernet it is possible to include devices in the existing LAN that are required for the control and monitoring of production processes.

General

Industrial Ethernet Hub

As part of Industrial Ethernet , switches , hubs and media converters are created that are adapted to industrial environmental conditions. This includes, in particular, mounting on a 35 mm DIN rail (mounting rail ), direct voltage supply (usually 24 V DC), increased EMC interference immunity, an extended operating temperature range, an increased degree of protection (protection against dust, splash water, etc.) , Resistance to various media such as oils, lubricants and acids, resistance to vibration and, in many cases, special precautions for failure safety .

For the high real-time requirements with isochronous cycle times of less than 1 ms (e.g. for motion control applications), special protocols are defined that are supported by hardware and special topologies . Systems such as SERCOS III , SafetyNET p , VARAN , Profinet , EtherNet / IP , Ethernet Powerlink or EtherCAT already achieve bus cycles of around 100  µs .

Since the network connection in the industrial environment is often from machine to machine in series, Industrial Ethernet networks are often implemented in a ring. This means that a fault can be limited to a maximum of one switch. If a line fails, the network can continue to work completely. The network separation in the ring takes place either through Rapid Spanning Tree or through a non-standardized protocol that enables a faster response time.

Potential-free signal contacts enable fast error detection. The network can also be monitored via the administration and the operator can be notified if necessary.

Despite many efforts, it has not been possible to define a uniform standard that enables devices from different systems to be operated together. Due to the higher data rates, field bus systems according to EIA-485 are being replaced by Industrial Ethernet in individual applications, despite the significantly higher costs.

Special features of the infrastructure

While Ethernet used to be the standard for data cabling only in office environments, it is now increasingly used for industrial applications. Here, however, the network encounters disruptive factors that can have a significant impact on the transmission quality. The risk of interference from vibrations, dirt, moisture or harmful substances is particularly high at the connection points. Depending on the requirements, a distinction is made between different types of protection . Connector providers have therefore developed special connection technologies for Industrial Ethernet. They can cope with the sometimes adverse conditions in light and heavy industry, in rail tunnels, on ships ( cruise ships ) or other environments such as highly hygienic operating theaters.

literature

  • Jürgen Jasperneite : Real-time Ethernet at a glance . In: Automation technology practice (atp). No. 3, 2005, ISSN  0178-2320 , pp. 29-34.
  • Arndt Lüder, Kai Lorentz (Eds.): IAONA Handbook Industrial Ethernet. Industrial Automation Open Networking Alliance eV, 150 pages, Magdeburg, 2005, ISBN 3-00-016934-2
  • Alexander Bormann, Ingo Hilgenkamp: Industrial networks / Ethernet communication for automation applications . 300 pages with CD-ROM, ISBN 3-7785-2950-1 .
  • Mark Metter, Rainer Bucher: Industrial Ethernet in automation technology. 2. substantially revised. u. exp. Edition, 2007, ISBN 978-3-89578-277-0 .

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