Ethernet
Control Engineering 2019 Engineers' Choice Awards
Ethernet February 4, 2019

2019 Engineers’ Choice Awards

Spotlight on innovation: Best automation, control, and instrumentation products in 26 categories.

By Amanda Pelliccione
Remote I/ O of CC-Link IE Field Basic was first developed by Tianjin Sentinel Electronics. Courtesy: Control Engineering China, CC-Link
Ethernet February 3, 2019

Low-cost field control network

International: CC-Link IE Field Basic is an option for smart factory network architectures where low-cost control networks are needed.

By Stone Shi
Figure 1: Global Controls Solutions LLC (GCS), a system integrator, helped achieve a food supplier’s goal of improved energy efficiency with an industrial Ethernet network, Profinet, to improve overall operational efficiency. One of the control panels for the refrigeration system is shown. Courtesy: Global Controls Solutions (GCS)
Ethernet February 2, 2019

Profinet network, control system upgrade helps reduce energy costs

A system integrator deployed a Profinet industrial Ethernet network and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for a food supplier looking to expand its facility. The integrator used the Ethernet network to improve communications and optimize operational efficiency for $125,000 in annual energy savings.

By Nelly Ayllon Lazo
Brooks Instrument's SLA5800 Series of mass flow controllers (MFCs) has added the EtherNet/IP digital communications interface for improved interactivity. Courtesy: Brooks Instrument
Ethernet January 29, 2019

Mass flow controller with EtherNet/IP

Brooks Instrument's SLA5800 Series of mass flow controllers (MFCs) has added the EtherNet/IP digital communications interface for improved interactivity.

By Brooks Instrument
During the fourth industrial revolution, the implementation of automation and network technologies is essential for businesses to remain competitive. Courtesy: CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA)
Ethernet January 25, 2019

Industrial networks open up to the future

Open industrial networks are fundamental components of the Smart Factory and Industrie 4.0 will play a key role in the factory of the future.

By John Wozniak
Figure 1: According to a survey by the Eclipse Foundation, messaging queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) is the most-used messaging protocol for an IoT solution. Courtesy: Eclipse Foundation Inc.
Ethernet January 21, 2019

Top 5 Control Engineering articles January 14-20

Articles about MQTT's role as an IoT message transport, industrial controller selection, hot Control Engineering topics for 2018, improving industrial network communications, and IIoT software's future were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from January 14-20. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra
OPC Foundation represented discussed the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) technical roadmap on Sept. 13, part of the Hannover USA conference at IMTS 2018. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, CFE Media
Ethernet January 13, 2019

Software helps industrial network communications

Industrial network stacks and other industrial connectivity software work to enhance connectivity among devices and systems. OPC UA, MTConnect, EtherNet/IP, and CC-Link are among software that organizations provide. Middleware also provides connectivity between the plant floor and other systems.

By Mark T. Hoske
Figure 2: ETG-diagnosis-interface-2: Both hardware and software diagnostics are available through EtherCAT, including cyclic and acyclic information. The new diagnosis interface software gathers disparate information in one location. Courtesy: EtherCAT Technology Group
Ethernet January 12, 2019

Software unlocks EtherCAT Ethernet protocol diagnostics

Through a vendor-independent diagnosis interface, an EtherCAT master can provide detailed slave diagnostic information and network health status via human-machine interfaces (HMIs) or third-party tools.

By Robert Trask, PE
A conceptual toolbox provides methods and guidance for the selection of the appropriate network infrastructure in a technical document, the Industrial Internet Networking Framework (IINF), which is under development from the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC). Courtesy: IIC
Ethernet January 11, 2019

The significance of industrial networking for the IIoT

The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) focuses on the role of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in industrial networking.

By Dr. Michael Hilgner
Hugo Benzing LLC manufactures fasteners for the automobile, aerospace, fine mechanical, and electrical industries and uses Ecoclean’s new remote support capability at the Hugo Benzing manufacturing facility in New Hudson, Mich. The plant uses a Profinet network, allowing Ecoclean technicians to connect remotely to the network and cleaning machines by using a self-contained, secure TosiBox VPN router. Courtesy: PI North America
Ethernet January 9, 2019

Industrial Ethernet enables smarter, more reliable machines

Machine builder uses industrial Ethernet for remote monitoring and diagnostic services to improve machine reliability and uptime.

By Michael Bowne