EtherNet/IP: Embedded switch technology: Flexible topology options
Integrating embedded switch technology into devices eases configuration, says Rockwell Automation.
Mark T Hoske
Embedding Ethernet technology into end devices enables greater topology configuration choices for EtherNet/IP applications, including linear and ring topologies, says Rockwell Automation. Such embedded technology allows for a make/break of less than 3 ms with diagnostics and fast recovery to decrease downtime. Embedding technology can put popular switch features into hardware, providing features for higher performance applications without configuration, the company says.
For example:
- The 1783-ETAP 3-port EtherNet/IP module allows single-port devices to connect to a ring and/or linear topology;
- Optimized for EtherNet/IP I/O and motion applications; and
- Typical recovery rate for a 50-node device-level ring is less than 3 ms. Fast recovery rate makes failures appear transparent to most networked devices. Machines often continue operations without system interruptions. Open standard technology is available to third-party vendors, allowing EtherNet/IP interoperability. It also supports IEEE 1588 precision time protocol (PTP) for precise time synchronization and quality of service (QoS) to help prioritize data transmission, Rockwell Automation explains. Learn more at www.ab.com/networks/switches/embedded.html.
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- Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor in chief, Control Engineering , www.controleng.com