Industrial communication

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With Industrial communication is the transmission of data and information in an industrial environment, mainly meant in the manufacturing and process automation. In a production process, different tasks arise in order to exchange data between production levels or to connect individual electronic devices such as controls, sensors, I / Os. Networking takes place using standardized industrial networks , which can be either wired or wireless networks.

Typical examples of industrial communication

  • The connection of sensors and actuators to the control level
  • Networking of decentralized units
  • Connection between two or more PLCs
  • Communication to the control room and building management systems
  • Data transfer within a machine
  • Connection of measuring devices to test stands
  • IT / OT: Integration of process data in ERP or production management systems
  • Remote maintenance : Remote data access to analyze, control and maintain a machine remotely

The field devices are connected to one another via field buses and increasingly via Industrial Ethernet .

Standardization of industrial protocols and their committees

The network protocols used have been standardized worldwide by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) since 1999 . The individual field buses are listed in the IEC 61784-1 standard as Communication Profile Families (CPF). The new real-time capable Ethernet-based fieldbuses are compiled in the IEC 61784-2 standard. Each protocol family can define further fieldbuses.

The bodies responsible for standardizing the protocols have the following responsibilities:

  • The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is responsible for communication and networks between the individual countries.
  • The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines local networks for machines and office environments.
  • The networks in the field of automation are standardized in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) by the Technical Committee TC65C.
  • In addition, various associations have set industry standards that are based on less strict rules.

Coupling of network protocols

Due to the large number of different network protocols used by automation devices and controls, it is often necessary to connect data of different network types with one another. Measured values, control characters, status messages, alarms, in short, any kind of process data should be exchanged between devices and networks. This can e.g. B. be the connection of a Profibus with a CANopen network. Typically, gateways or communication assemblies for controls are used for this task , which convert the data of a specific network protocol into the format of the other network protocol and thus make it available in the correct data format.

outlook

One of the main objectives of Industry 4.0 is the continuous networking of all machines and plant parts involved in a process with higher-level control systems. If required, the data can also be made available on the company's own intranet. In order to implement this task in practice, industrial communication components are increasingly being used. The importance of 'industrial communication' in the industrial environment thus increases with increasing device networking.

Industry 4.0 and the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) bring with them not only constant growth but also new demands on industrial communication. The intended connection of the automation systems to the ERP systems and to private or public clouds brings the topic of cyber security into focus.

A trend that is becoming more and more apparent in the networking of devices in the industrial environment is the displacement of wired forms of transmission in favor of the use of wireless technologies. The main technology used here is W-LAN and Bluetooth . The current market growth for wireless technologies is 32% per year in 2016.

literature

  • Werner Kriesel , Otto W. Madelung: ASI - The Actuator-Sensor-Interface for Automation. Hanser Verlag, Munich, Vienna 1994. AS-Interface - The actuator-sensor-interface for automation. 2nd edition 1999, ISBN 3-446-17825-2 . In English: ISBN 3-446-18265-9 .
  • Werner Kriesel , Tilo Heimbold , Dietmar Telschow: Bus technologies for automation - networking, selection and application of communication systems (with CD-ROM). Hüthig Verlag, Heidelberg 1998, 2nd edition 2000 (with Rüdiger Eikmeier, Dirk Lippik, Ulrich Wagner, Alfred Wölfel), ISBN 3-7785-2778-9 .
  • Werner Kriesel , Frank Sokollik , Peter Helm, Ralph Seela: KNX / EIB for building system technology in residential and functional buildings. Hüthig Jehle Rehm Verlag, Heidelberg, 5th edition 2009, ISBN 978-3-7785-4054-1 , 6th edition 2017, ISBN 978-3-8007-4033-8 .
  • Frithjof Klasen, Volker Oestreich, Michael Volz (eds.): Industrial communication with fieldbus and Ethernet. VDE Verlag GmbH, Berlin, Offenbach 2010, ISBN 978-3-8007-3297-5 .
  • E. Abele, G. Reinhart: Future of Production. Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-446-42595-8
  • T. Bauernhansl, M. Ten Hompel, B. Vogel-Heuser (Eds.): Industry 4.0 in production, automation and logistics. Wiesbaden 2014, ISBN 978-3-658-04681-1 .
  • Alexander Bormann, Ingo Hilgenkamp: Industrial networks / Ethernet communication for automation applications . 300 pages with CD-ROM, ISBN 3-7785-2950-1 .
  • Gerhard Schnell: Bus systems in automation and process technology. Basics, systems and trends in industrial communication. Ed .: Bernhard Wiedemann.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Frithjof Klasen, Volker Oestreich, Michael Volz (eds.): Industrial communication with fieldbus and Ethernet. VDE Verlag GmbH, Berlin, Offenbach 2010, ISBN 978-3-8007-3297-5 , p. 13.
  2. ↑ Industrial Ethernet and Wireless are growing fast - Industrial network market shares 2017 according to HMS , accessed on May 30, 2017 (English)