Industrial Ethernet: Most important for process automation system buyers

-- Control Engineering, 2/6/2008

Oak Brook, IL — Industrial Ethernet connectivity is, by far, the most important integration-related feature, according to respondents of a recent survey of Control Engineering readers saying they buy or specify process automation systems. How important?

Among respondents, 68% said industrial Ethernet protocol was very important. Device-level network support was second at 48%.

Those saying the following integration features were very important:
68% Ethernet protocol (industrial);
48% Device-level network support; 
41% Ethernet protocol (commercial);
41% Sensor-level network support; 
33% Fieldbus support;
30% Standards support (OPC-UA, OAGi, S95, S88, and similar); 
23% Wireless; and
23% Other connectivity.

Control Engineering print edition, available about Feb. 10, 2008, will include wider “Product Research” coverage of process automation systems, along with related product introductions from leading companies, according to survey respondents. The article will be posted in the Control Engineering online archive area.
 
— Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor in chief 
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