How Moxa Is Transforming Industrial Networks

Evolution of industrial ethernet

Ethernet has played a significant role in business communication for over 40 years. Computers, printers, and other devices were able to take advantage of the fast, reliable communication that Ethernet provides.

Over time, Ethernet has been adapted into manufacturing, delivering the same benefits as seen in the office:  reliability, high-speed communication, large bandwidth, security, and simplified network management.

The best elements were taken from the office Ethernet environment and adapted for the plant floor. This was sufficient for a while, but the needs of manufacturing have rapidly outgrown the capabilities of standard Ethernet protocols.

Digital transformation, the prevalence of cloud-based data services, the need for high-speed analytics software, and the increased need for plant floor security demand better solutions while maintaining the benefits that ethernet has traditionally had.

Unified Networking beyond ethernet limits

Modern manufacturing networks with multiple protocols, multiple cabling types, and multiple connection types were developed to meet specific vendor needs.

Industrial Automation has had multiple communication protocols in its toolbox, including, but not limited to Profinet, DeviceNet, Foundation Fieldbus, and Ethernet/IP.

While these networks provided substantial benefits to the industry segments they served, all data had to be routed through intermediate devices.

This made it impossible to form large unified networks where all sensors, controllers, and other devices could talk seamlessly on a common network. Gateways, linking devices, and protocol converters were required, increasing complexity and overhead and reducing reliability and speed.

Moxa, a leading provider of industrial networking, computing, and automation has provided cutting-edge solutions to overcome these challenges and meet the current needs of high-speed, reliable communications in manufacturing.

Realpars has teamed up with Moxa to produce an in-depth course that focuses on several of these emerging technologies, including Time-Sensitive Networking and Single-Pair Ethernet.

Come over to Realpars.com and enroll in Unified Networking Essentials with Moxa: Transforming Industrial Connectivity to begin your learning journey into these important topics for automation engineers.

The first transformative technology for modern manufacturing is Single-Pair Ethernet or SPE.  SPE is defined by a set of new extensions to standard IEEE 802.3  and describes a new physical layer, providing advances in cabling and connector technology for Ethernet.

A single pair of wires is used to communicate as opposed to the four to eight wires traditionally used. Single-Pair Ethernet is separate from any Ethernet communications protocol.

Profinet, Ethernet/IP, Modbus/TCP, EtherCAT, and all other Industrial Ethernet protocols can all be used with SPE.

The second of the major networking advancement is Time-Sensitive Networking. TSN is an extension to the standard IEEE 802. TSN adds critical features to Ethernet that ensure that time-critical data is delivered accurately and on time.

Time-sensitive networking brings determinism to industrial networks. All messages communicated between nodes are synchronized according to a set timing structure, guaranteeing the delivery of messages according to a pre-defined schedule with no variability.

This is a game-changer for manufacturing networks. TSN provides global timing and scheduling that is shared between all network components.

Time-scheduled traffic, such as critical control data, can be partitioned from all other network traffic and is therefore immune from disturbances and data loss.

The role of new technologies in digitalization

Digital transformation is the process of using digital technologies and technology at scale to create new or to modify existing business processes, culture, and customer experiences to add value and to meet changing businesses and markets.

Many manufacturers have embarked on this journey to convert analog signals, sounds, images, texts, and other information into a computer-readable format. This allows manufacturers to use this data to facilitate real-time decision-making to improve operations.

One version of SPE, defined by standard IEEE 802.3cg, is the Advanced Physical Layer, or Ethernet-APL. Ethernet-APL is fully compatible with all Ethernet protocols.

Ethernet-APL operates over a single pair of wires at 10 megabits per second and up to 1000m in length, providing for a streamlined pathway to digitalization and the benefits of a fully “connected plant”.

Another benefit of Ethernet-APL is that it is a key enabling factor of the Industrial Internet of Things in process automation.

It provides the prerequisite to extend the digitized world from the IT and business world down to process automation and instrumentation on the plant floor.

Moxa leading the way in industrial networking

Moxa is a global technology company that specializes in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure solutions.

They provide world-class products for new networking technologies such as Time-Sensitive Networking and unified and open standard Ethernet infrastructures.

Manufacturers are installing more and more sensors and actuators, which provide a wealth of data on the plant floor.

To make sense of all these data, manufacturers must transport information from various sensors and equipment on the factory floor and process it for humans or machines to make real-time informed decisions.

It would be beneficial to have a unified network, with one network to serve all functions on the plant floor and provide deterministic data communication.

This would this simplify the design in many ways, such as requiring only one set of network cables instead of three to support the sensor, controller, and data presentation layers of a manufacturing network.

TSN-enabled managed switches, media converters, communication gateways, and wireless gateways from Moxa are one excellent way to bring unified networking to any manufacturing plant.

OPC-UA communication solutions can provide seamless integration of plant floor data to the cloud and enterprise-wide IIoT solutions.

Conclusion

Time-sensitive networking, Ethernet-APL, and Single-Pair Ethernet are transforming the industrial automation landscape.

As automation engineers, we should learn about these exciting technologies so that we can determine how these can be used in our own facilities to support our company’s digital transformation journey.

Ready to learn more? Come to Realpars.com and enroll in Unified Networking Essentials with Moxa: Transforming Industrial Connectivity and continue to sharpen your skills in digital transformation!

Upon completing the course, you will be issued an official certificate of completion from Moxa.

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