Industrial Ethernet is an industrial network developed based on Ethernet and TCP/IP technologies. Previously, Ethernet was generally used as an office network in commercial applications. Currently, Ethernet is gaining popularity in industrial applications, and in the future, Industrial Ethernet may become the main form of industrial control network architecture, creating a seamless, end-to-end network.
Why are people trying to use Ethernet in industrial applications? This is because Ethernet is currently the most widely used type of local area network. Ethernet's huge commercial success, high awareness, and technological advancements mean that using Ethernet in the industrial field will bring many benefits.
1. Using Ethernet is easier than using other fieldbuses.
This is reflected in several aspects: Generally, users have some knowledge and experience with Ethernet, which can reduce the time and money required for user training; the widespread use of Ethernet technology has enabled humans to accumulate a lot of related knowledge, making it easier to solve problems; Ethernet products are diverse, with many related software and hardware products, making Ethernet technology easy to use; there are many types of Ethernet, supporting multiple transmission media and multiple transmission rates to meet the needs of various applications.
2. Ethernet products are relatively inexpensive.
Because of the large market potential of Ethernet, Ethernet products can typically be produced in large quantities. Furthermore, the large number of Ethernet product suppliers leads to intense competition and low product prices, thus reducing costs. While commercial Ethernet products are currently very inexpensive, industrial Ethernet products remain relatively expensive. However, if industrial Ethernet becomes widely adopted, costs and prices will naturally decrease.
3. Ethernet technology has developed rapidly and is technologically advanced, which is unmatched by fieldbus.
In terms of transmission rate, Ethernet currently has a transmission rate of 10 Gbit/s, while fieldbus transmission rates are generally below 10 Mbit/s.
4. Information integration is more convenient.
Since many enterprise LANs use Ethernet, and Ethernet is also used in industrial applications, it makes information integration more convenient. Furthermore, integrating industrial networks with enterprise intranets, and even the Internet, makes the implementation of e-commerce, electronic manufacturing, and other applications easier.
5. It meets the requirements for a flattened control network structure.
Currently, control networks have multi-layered structures; the more layers there are, the more complex the system becomes and the more difficult it is to maintain. If industrial Ethernet is used, it can fully realize the functions required by both the information layer and the control layer networks. Therefore, it may eventually be flattened into a single layer, resulting in a situation where Ethernet "covers everything."
However, the widespread adoption of Ethernet in industrial applications faces two major challenges. First, Ethernet was initially developed for office automation applications, making it a non-deterministic network operating in typically favorable environments. Industrial applications, however, require highly real-time data transmission to prevent accidents; furthermore, industrial environments are often harsh, including strong vibrations, extreme temperatures, high humidity, and strong electromagnetic interference. Second, Ethernet is a general term for networks using Medium Access Control (MAC) with Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD), and it doesn't inherently provide standard application-layer protocols for industrial applications. Therefore, to meet the requirements of industrial applications, further work must be done on top of Ethernet and TCP/IP technologies. In summary, for the first problem, the solution is to make improvements that enable Ethernet to achieve deterministic communication and function properly in harsh environments. For the second problem, there are three solutions: one is to integrate existing industrial application protocols with Ethernet and TCP/IP; another is to install gateways between Ethernet and existing industrial networks for protocol conversion; and the third is to simply develop a completely new application-layer protocol.
For more information, please visit the Industrial Ethernet channel.
