Industrial Ethernet Connections

Larry Komarek
Manager, Automation Product Marketing Phoenix Contact Inc.

components are hubs, switches, connectors and, of course, cables.

Hubs
Ethernet hubs amplify and strengthen the signal and can extend the wiring distance through the use of segments. The cost of hubs is significantly lower than switches, and they are used as a method of connecting multiple Ethernet devices to the segments controlled by switches. Because hubs retransmit all messages to all ports, as more hubs are added to a segment, the increased traffic can cause collisions. This has an impact on response times and consistency of upgrade times. Recently, switches have been emerging with a reduced connection cost. It is now becoming increasingly possible to use switches (with significant performance benefits) in places where cost constraints formerly required the use of hubs.

Industrial Ethernet connections are available for the interconnection of hundreds of control devices.
Communication networks have been used to control plant floor manufacturing processes since the late 1970s. The interconnection of PLCs, PCs, batch controllers, motion controllers and I/O devices was first accomplished using proprietary remote I/O and highways. Over the past five to ten years, the use of industry-standard fieldbus or device-level networks has been rapidly expanding. They are primarily used for distributing small, real-time control devices, both intelligent devices (AC drives, DC servos, etc.) and basic I/O interfaces to digital/analog sensors and actuators. The use of Industrial Ethernet to interconnect higher level PLCs and PCs has also been expanding, driven by the demand for plant floor connectivity and decreasing cost curves. The advantages of using Industrial Ethernet are high data rates (up to 100,000 Kbps vs. typical device-level network data rates of 500 Kbps), the capability to connect hundreds to thousands of control devices and freedom in wiring layout. Industrial Ethernet systems are laid out in a point-to-point cabling scheme with one cable being used for each control device being connected. These individual connections are coordinated through infrastructure components such as Ethernet hubs or switches in a star cabling topology. With the star approach, multiple infrastructure components are interconnected and each component connects in a star fashion to a group of control devices. This approach provides a flexible, distributed control architecture. Troubleshooting and installation problems are simplified by the star approach. The infrastructure components also boost the signals, allow easier mixing of copper and fiber optic cables and manage traffic to optimize performance. This approach is different than traditional plant floor trunk-and-drop or daisy chain networks. The major Ethernet infrastructure

Switches
Like hubs, switches also amplify and strengthen the signal. However, their main function is to send data received at one port to a specific port where the target station is connected. This is done by knowing what control device addresses are connected to which ports. The ports on switches typically communicate using half- or full-duplex communication, whereas hubs communicate using half-duplex communication. When switches with full-duplex communication are used, the traditional carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) mechanism is disabled so that collisions are impossible. Preventing collisions is one of the most important mechanisms to provide real-time capability for Industrial Ethernet systems. If the data load increases on any one segment so that performance is affected, a switch may be added to split the data load between two or more segments, resulting in higher throughput. In a typical Industrial Ethernet system, a backbone of switches is connected with 100 Mbps fiber optic cables, where each switch isolates a machine or major part of a machine. The other ports of the switch can be connected using unshielded twistedpair (UTP) copper or fiber optic cables to the control devices for that part of the machine or manufacturing process.

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Cables and Connectors

UTP cables allow flexibility and ease of installation and maintenance. They support the original network speeds of 10 Mbps as well as the 100 Mbps speeds used in Industrial Ethernet systems. The maximum UTP cable length for 10, 100 and 1,000 Mbps data rates is 100 m. Only the highest quality Category 5 or 5e cables should be used in Industrial Ethernet applications. Shielded twisted-pair cables should be considered for use in high noise environments. The RJ-45 connectors are the standard for UTP cabling. For connecting machine-mount control devices or junction boxes, IP67 sealed RJ-45 connectors are available. Through-panel connections that can mix RJ-45 and fiber optic connectors are also available. The use of preterminated cables should be considered, especially for 100 Mbps segments. Improperly terminated cables can degrade the signal or provide a path for electrical noise to enter, causing intermittent communication or reduced throughput as the control devices are forced to retransmit a higher percentage of messages. Unlike device-level networks, different types of Industrial Ethernet control devices require different pin-to-pin connections. The connection of infrastructure components (e.g., hubs to switches or switches to switches) requires the use of crossover cables where the transmit pin at one end of the cable is connected to the receiving end of the other connector. The interconnection of other components (e.g., a switch to an Ethernet I/O module or PLC) requires a one-to-one, straight-through cable where the transmit pin at one end is connected to the transmit pin. Switches are available that can automatically sense what type of device is connected and can automatically compensate for the changeover (known as auto-crossover or auto-MDI/X capability). The fiber optic cable typically used in 10 and 100 Mbps Industrial Ethernet systems is based on 62.5 m duplex multimode glass fiber optic cable. Maximum cable lengths are based on the type of

cable used and whether half- or full-duplex communication is used. Cable lengths of 2,000 m using multimode fiber in full-duplex 100 Mbps applications are possible. The use of preterminated glass fiber optic cables is recommended as well. Given the 100 m maximum copper cable length, the use of fiber optic cable mixed with copper cable is popular in Industrial Ethernet systems. Media converters and infrastructure components with both copper and fiber optic connections are available. For cabling within cabinets or short distances in conjunction with media converters, the use of plastic fiber optic cables provides noise immunity and easier connection capability, especially if custom cables need to be used. Polymer (980/1,000 m) fiber optic cables can be used up 50 m, while HCS (200/230 m) fiber optic cables can be used up to 100 m.

Selecting Components
Electrical noise immunity and physical mounting space should be considered when selecting Industrial Ethernet infrastructure components. Compared to the office environment, the plant floor is noisy. Sources of noise include arcing devices such as motors, motor starters and disconnect switches; devices that inject or conduct noise on power lines such as AC drives, DC servos and certain switching power supplies; noise that is radiated when signals or low power lines run close to 120, 220 or 480 V lines; and noise that is radiated from wireless communication devices. Each of the wires connecting sensors, actuators and control devices can be an antenna that captures noise. The extra circuitry used in industrial-grade infrastructure components (typically based on the IEC 61000-4 standard) can provide up to three times the noise immunity of office-grade infrastructure components in the areas of immunity against electromagnetic fields; power and data lineshigh-frequency asymmetrical noise and immunity against fast transients (burst); and data line surge (signal to ground). The risk of noise-induced problems is

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affected by what types of devices are mounted in the cabinet, the location of the cabinet relative to motors, and how the cables are routed in the plant. The installed cost (parts plus labor) of adding more noise suppression devices to office-grade equipment should be compared with the installed cost of industrial-grade equipment. The physical mounting space needed for infrastructure components is also key. If an infrastructure component is installed in a main control cabinet, a 19" rack-mount form factor may be fine. DIN rail-mounted devices are needed when distributing Industrial Ethernet into small cabinets or junction boxes. When evaluating the temperature specifications, consider how many heat-generating devices are mounted inside the cabinet, the location of the cabinet next to a machine as well as the temperature fluctuations inside the plant. Most Industrial Ethernet devices are rated up to 55 or 60C and 85 to 95 percent relative humidity. Office-grade infrastructure components may require that an air conditioner be added to the cabinet. Finally, if the devices are going to be mounted near moving machinery, the shock and vibration ratings need to be considered.

Conclusion
Advances in low-cost switched Ethernet capability and the availability of industrial infrastructure components are driving the use of Industrial Ethernet into highly distributed control applications formerly done solely via industry-standard fieldbus or devicelevel networks. Industrial Ethernet connection solutions are now available for applications that require the interconnection of hundreds of control devices. LARRY KOMAREK is Manager, Automation Product Marketing, Phoenix Contact Inc., P.O. Box 4100, Harrisburg, PA 17111; (717) 944-1300; Fax: (717) 944-1625; E-mail: lkomarek@ phoenixcon.com; Web site: www.phoenixcon.com

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