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2017 State of Technology

Industrial Networks
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 www.controlglobal.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The world wide wait revisited 5

Open the borders 7

Open up the options 13

How to manage the Ethernet spectrum 18

Redefining determinism 20

Ethernet comes in many colors 22

Wireless when? 30

The final control element frontier 32

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2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 3

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 www.controlglobal.com

The world wide wait

revisited
by John Rezabek

R
emember the world-wide-wait? You may recall a time before Google, when a frequency-
shift-keying (FSK) device called a modem connected to a broader network, be it Com-
puServe or AOL. Modems let users employ their twisted-pair phone lines as a segment
to communicate with other computers. Speeds of 300 baud (bits per second) were possible
with FSK, and later technologies stepped up to 1,200 and 2,400 baud and beyond.

At the same time we heard our modems sing a tune over the phone lines, the HART protocol
was created to interact with smart transmitters. HART also employs FSK, using twisted-pair
cable employed for 4-20 mA analog signals, and superimposing a low-amplitude, 1,200-baud
signal consistent with contemporary technologies. Not coincidently, HART was derived from
a Bell protocol (for after-Google folks, thats the phone company). Aside from compatibility
with 4-20 mA signals, HARTs other important property was hazardous-area capability.

The idea of using existing infrastructure was not lost on the ISA SP50 committee, tasked
with creating a specification for fieldbus to become the digital equivalent of 4-20 mA.
Speeds of 31.25 kHz preserved some of the same priorities as HARTs FSK, enabling it to
use existing cables and limit voltages for hazardous-area classifications. Speeds that were
25 times faster than 1,200 baud FSK seemed adequate, especially when the nerdier among
us were using a 56K dial-up modem. Todays Profibus PA and Foundation fieldbus physical
layer communicate over twisted-pair cable, using a pure digital protocol and trapezoidal,

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 5


Innovations to allow 4-20 mA or fieldbus infrastructure
for high-speed Ethernet in hazardous areas are being
prototyped and demonstrated.
nominally one-volt peak-to-peak square
wave that increases its robustness and
noise immunity.
After first being deployed on fat and thin
coaxial cables, Ethernet began its rise to
ubiquity when it moved to cheaper, more
readily available, twisted-pair copper cables.
Named for the luminiferous ether that
18th century scientists postulated to explain
transmission of light waves, Ethernet was
created as a network for office computers.
It didnt take control manufacturers long
to develop Ethernet networks for industry.
Beginning with the operator interface (HMI)
and later extended to controllers and I/O
subsystems, Ethernet is employed in almost
every modern control system. Nearly all have
their own customizations, and limit the
choice of topologies to ensure time-critical,
deterministic communications.
If you havent noticed yet, theres been a
little arms race going on to offer Ethernet-
connected field devices. The latest incar-
nation of leading Coriolis flowmeters are
all touted for their easy interconnection to
control systems that support industrial
Ethernet protocols like Profinet and Ether-
Net/IP. These products have found a mar-
ket among end users and system integra-
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 6
www.controlglobal.com
tors in food and pharmaceuticals, and some
in upstream oil and gas. Theyre finding it
easy to integrate Coriolis flowmeters using
a familiar Ethernet connection.
But for many, deciding to deploy field devices
with Ethernet connectivity means a potential-
ly substantial investment in infrastructure and
power supplies. But what if analog, twisted-
pair cabling could be repurposed for indus-
trial Ethernet? Consumer products that use
phone or power lines have been available for
years, and the most recent generations are
achieving reasonable transmission rates.
The obstacle to using this technology in
process plants has been hazardous area ca-
pabilitykeeping energy levels low enough
to prevent it from becoming an ignition
source. Today, innovations to allow 4-20
mA or fieldbus infrastructure for high-speed
Ethernet in hazardous areas are being pro-
totyped and demonstrated.
Pioneering end users aiming to employ
device intelligence have been reliving the
world-wide-wait when gathering and
viewing device information. The network
isnt always to blame, but any improvement
in bandwidth for accessing field devices
would be welcome.
 www.controlglobal.com

Open the borders

FieldComm Group technologies let information flow throughout the Indus-
trial Internet of Things.

I
n essence, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a network, which means it needs in-
put from plant-floor devices and systems, so users can make more profitable decisions.
Data is what fills IIoTs tanks and gets it on the road, and much of that data has long
been available from FieldComm Group technologies including Foundation Fieldbus, HART
and WirelessHART.

Foundation Fieldbus, HART and WirelessHART are the granddaddies of IIoT because
theyre the backbone that gets data to places that need to know whats going on with re-
mote operations, says Dave Lancaster, PE, certified Foundation Fieldbus instructor at Trine
University (www.trine.edu/fieldbus). In the past, much of this data wasnt available, so we
might not be able to tell what was happening. For example, a failing resistance temperature
detector (RTD) on a gas dryer wouldnt be detected until after it shut down. Now, that RTD
is one of five or six Foundation Fieldbus devices on one pair of wires with diagnostic data
tied to graphics in the control room. When we see its temperature isnt as low as required,
we click on the temperature sensor, pull up its diagnostics, and it reports theres a sen-
sor failure. So we send out the maintenance guy, and he tightens the loose wire in the RTD
without a costly shutdown. This whole problem is analyzed and fixed in 20 minutes, which
isnt possible without Foundation Fieldbus.

Its good that FieldComm Group protocols are so proficient at delivering information, be-

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 7

 www.controlglobal.com

Value

Intelligent
decisions Data
collection
Cloud-based
network

Data XXX XXX X XXX X X XX XXXXX

Data
sharing analysis

Data
visualization

cause IIoT is going to want a lot of it. Oil
prices have been down for 18 months, so
theres pressure to eke out the last bits of
profitability, but most want to do it with
existing applications, says Arnold Offner,
strategic marketing manager for Phoe-
nix Contact (www.phoenixcontact.com).
This is why IIoT and its users want digital
data. We can remind them that Foundation
Fieldbus and HART have been providing
behavioral information from flowmeters,
pressure transmitters and valve positioners.
However, its going to take a lot of educa-
tion, so we produced a video, Introduction
to HART Technology (www.youtube.com/
watch?v=JL9ev5yElK4HART). We also in-
troduced a combined-function HART Multi-
plex Master last year, which can interrogate
up to 40 devices, each with its own HART
master (modem); get process data from
anywhere; and scale it onto any device. This
is what IIoT is.
FROM EDGE TO ENTERPRISE
To streamline the trip from field or opera-
tions levels to business and management
levels, FieldComm Group has also developed
its HART-IP (Internet Protocol) specification.
HART-IP simplifies and provides complete
access to data in devices via local automa-
tion networks and the Internet to enable
tasks like predictive maintenance. It extends
HART communication to the IP protocol,
and that means worldwide access, says
Kurt Polzer, senior consultant for device
Data
integration systems at Siemens Industry
Visualizationv
(www.siemens.com/us). This lets operators
talk to a HART device just by using Wire-
lessHART adapters like Sitrans AW210. At
the front-end, they can use our Simatic PDM
software and the HART server provided by
the FieldCom Group. Another big benefit
is that data can be sent from the field to
cloud applications like Siemens MindSphere

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 8


Asset
SCADA CMMS management
system
Ethernet TCP/IP
Data
Remote I/O
Multiplexers
systems
Devices
service that allows deeper insight into pro-
cesses, and if needed, enables direct access
to HART devices.
Jianwei Wei, industrial communications
manager at Microcyber Corp. (www.microcy-
ber.cn/en) in Shenyang, China, says the two
main options for delivering field data to the
enterprise are via gateways from fieldbuses
to Ethernet or though a programmable logic
controller (PLC) or distributed control system
(DCS) that can communicate with a fieldbus,
which can be done with components like Mi-
crocybers Fieldbus Interface Module.
These newer solutions are easier because
they dont require as many communica-
tion details. You just connect and integrate,
which is helpful because Chinas market for
fieldbus and IoT is growing fast, says Wei.
Traditional field devices with analog inter-
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 9
www.controlglobal.com
DCS ERP
Wireless
gateway
Wireless
mesh
Wireless
network
devices
faces and 4-20 mA networking only provide
process values and only let users receive
limited information, but dont have informa-
tion about the device itself and whether those
values are good or bad. The reason digital
data from Foundation Fieldbus, HART and
WirelessHART are so valuable to the IIoT is
because they provide much more process
and device information, so users can know
much more about whats going on in the field,
which means better operations and main-
tenance. By using an intelligent transmitter
with a gateway interface module and these
protocols, users can gather information about
whether pipes are blocked, for example, get
operating data as it happens, or configure
field devices from the control room.
Some devices have built-in Ethernet capa-
bilities, such as ST100 flowmeters from Fluid
Components International (FCI, www.fluid-
 www.controlglobal.com

components.com), which use Ethernet utilities as a remote Your Global Automation Partner

configuration tool and bus communication protocols that

can communicate with Ethernet networks via gateways.
Were sending data to PLCs and DCSs via HART and
Foundation Fieldbus, and merging multiple signals, devices
and platforms. This lets users do real-time diagnostics, per-
form tasks like predictive maintenance, and send informa-
tion to where its needed, says Darrius Nowell, U.S. field
service manager for FCI. Our flowmeters have manufac-
turer-specific commands, which communicate a devices Not suitable for repairing
bus address, slot and index number, and ask about issues flimsy connectors
(or your reputation).
like deterioration, process flow, temperature and pressure.
Together, HART and Foundation Fieldbus are tremen-
dously capable of accessing process data, such as device Rugged, reliable industrial
automation products from Turck
status, loop checks, simulation, signal integrity, etc., and
are built to perform in the toughest
these are vital to the future of IIoT. conditions, and our engineered
solutions are customized to meet your
application challenges. Cheap knock-
STANDARDS SIMPLIFY DEVICE INTEGRATION offs cant compare. Turck works!
One of the major forces straightening and shortening the
path between field devices and the enterprise is increas-
ingly uniform and standardized programming and data
presentation methods, culminating recently in the Field-
Comm Group Field Device Integration (FDI) program and
standards effort. Once process data is gathered and stan-
dardized, Ethernet gateways can move it to upper levels
via Foundation Fieldbus established High-Speed Ether-
net (HSE) protocol, or send HART data using HART-IP.

Once data reaches Ethernet, it can go anywhere, says

Custom Connectivity
Chuck Carter, consultant, teacher and former director of
Whether its a harness with
the Fieldbus Center at Lee College (www.fieldcommgroup. custom wiring topology or a
custom cable color for a standard
org/schools/fieldbus-center-lee-college). This means connector, Turcks expertise
temperature data can help determine if a thermocouple creates your best solution.

is degrading; alert local operators to be ready to fix it via

Ethernet; share the overall failure rate of this thermocouple
type with the purchasing department; and help users de-
Call 1-800-544-7769
or visit info.turck.us/connectivity

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 10
 www.controlglobal.com

Using smart instruments for Your Global Automation Partner

configuration is really just the tip

of the iceberg when you can also
automate diagnostics, predictive
maintenance and ordering.
cide if its time to change to another type. This is the true
gist of what IIoT can do. However, its FieldComm Group

WARNING
protocols that bring disparate parties and devices togeth-
er, and let them coordinate their efforts.
Not suitable for repairing
flimsy connectors
Thad Frost, fieldbus and I/O connectivity director at (or your reputation).
Schneider Electric (www.schneider-electric.us), adds that,
Using smart instruments for configuration is really just
the tip of the iceberg when you can also automate diag-
Rugged, reliable industrial
nostics, predictive maintenance and ordering. Knowing automation products from
the number of times a valves has opened and closed, or Turck are built to perform in
that it will fail in three months, can increase purchasing the toughest conditions, and
lead times and maintenance flexibility. However, many us- our engineered solutions
ers arent prepared for all that instrument and asset data are customized to meet
coming in, so we recently established our Maintenance your application challenges.
Cheap knock-offs cant
Response Center to help analyze and use fieldbus data,
compare. Turck works!
and troubleshoot more effectively by identifying what
equipment needs to be fixed. It includes a software inter-
face to smart devices and dashboard to help identify and
solve problems. (A video about the center is at www.
youtube.com/watch?v=DP9Xy_ExJcQ.)
M8 Ethernet
Connectivity
IIOT GOES WIRELESS Turcks smallest Industrial
Because wireless sensing prices have dropped in recent Ethernet connectivity solution
to date, with uncompromised
years, users can add eyes and ears more easily and inex- functionality and the ability to

pensively, and collect many more measurements. This is transfer up to 100Mbps of data.

where WirelessHART comes in and enables IIoT because

its a cost-effective way to add more sensors, adds Bob
Call 1-800-544-7769
or visit info.turck.us/connectivity

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 11
 www.controlglobal.com

Karshnia, vice president and general manager of the wire- Your Global Automation Partner

less division at Emerson Process Management (www.em-

ersonprocess.com). Its simple because users dont have
to learn a lot. Its security is built-in at a lower level. And,
its robust, self-organizing, mesh technology is tolerant of
things in a plant that often cant be controlled. This lays
the groundwork for implementing analytics-based soft-
ware, which can decide which better equipment perfor-
mance will improve financial value. IIoT is even changing
the whole supplier business model because many are re-

WARNING
taining equipment ownership, and instead selling answers
and performance to their customers.
Not suitable for repairing
cheap controls
CONTROLS HELP HART ADD VALUE (or your reputation).
To remove even more old hurdles between operations
and business levels, some control systems are adjust-
ing how they interact with HART to make it easier to pull Rugged, reliable industrial
in data, according to Mike Cushing, product marketing automation products from
manager, Experion and I/O group at Honeywell Process Turck are built to perform in
Solutions (www.honeywellprocess.com). the toughest conditions, and
our engineered solutions
For instance, our Field Device Manager (FDM) software did are customized to meet

maintenance by extracting process data via a multiplexer, your application challenges.

Cheap knock-offs cant
but now that information can go directly to the control-
compare. Turck works!
ler without a multiplexer and the time, labor and hardware
it requires, says Cushing. One of the biggest traditional
maintenance costs is for valves. If one is offline, then its data
is usually pulled from its positioner. Now, with data coming
in from a whole group of 25 valves and their positioners, for
example, we can look at all of their open/close curves over FEN20-
4DIP-4DXP
time, and see which curves are changing due to loosening Multiprotocol
Ethernet I/O Module
packing or seal loss. We can also check their stiction, travel Compact version of plug-and-play FEN20

and behavior, and know ahead of time which five need to be devices with integrated web server, designed
to make standard switching signals quickly
pulled and repaired, instead of pulling all of them as we used and effectively bus-capable.

to do. We can also see which parts will be needed, which

means faster turnarounds.
Call 1-800-544-7769
or visit info.turck.us/networks

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 12
 www.controlglobal.com

Open up the options

FDI eases integration, supports full functionality, and opens
the floor for IIoT

HART and FOUNDATION Fieldbus are highly effective, but sometimes it takes more to
integrate sophisticated field devices with the multitude of networks, operating systems and
control systems used in the process industries. The Field Device Integration (FDI) specifica-
tion helps bring previously inaccessible data into commonly reported and displayed infor-
mation, so it can be used to add value for applications and businesses.

Now administered by FieldComm Group, FDI technology was developed and is supported
by leading foundations and suppliers. FDI combines the advantages of an FDT Device Type
Manager (DTM) and Electronic Device Description (EDD) in a single, scalable solution to
handle the entire lifecycles of both simple and complex devices, including configuration,
commissioning, diagnosis and calibration. EDD continues to be supported, ensuring back-
ward compatibility.

The value of FDI is especially realized by end users, in that devices across the spectrum
of industrial standardsHART, foundation Fieldbus and PROFIBUScan be engineered
and maintained with a common, system- and device-independent set of tools, says Paul
McLaughlin, director of architecture, Honeywell. Equally important, FDI marries the simplic-
ity and platform independence of EDD with the powerful functionality of FDT in a secure
manner, providing end users with an open, future-proof standard for integration and supe-
rior user experience.

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 13

 www.controlglobal.com

Published as the IEC 62769 standard, the

FDI Specification is available from four Device with
comprehensive
owner organizations: FieldComm Group, functions

PROFIBUS & PROFINET INTERNATIONAL

(PI), FDT Group and the OPC Foundation. It Authenticity
integrity
supports FOUNDATION Fieldbus, HART and FDI Device Package

WirelessHART, and PROFIBUS and PROFI-

NET. ISA100.11a is under preparation, and
FDI also specifies gateway packages that
allow data mapping between different com-
munication protocols.
FDI brings field devices to the Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT), says Frank Fen-
gler, head of device integration manage-
ment, ABB. FDI architecture foresees that
each device type is represented by a device
package. FDI specifies a Device Information
Model, and uses OPC-UA communication to
enable other applications to access it. This
model is the single access point for external
application, and can ensure security and
protect the automation system against un-
wanted access.
PUT IT TO WORK
In practice, device vendors provide a pack-
age that virtually represents the device, and
presents all the information needed by a
host system. Running the FDI package pro-
vides all the device functionality, such as pa-
rameterization, diagnosis and maintenance.
For example, text-based EDD might be
used to set up a device to measure physical
properties like flow, pressure and tempera-
EDD UIP Attachments
(mandatory) (optional) (optional)
Device description: device Certificates, data sheets,
data, functions and user protocol-specific files
interface (GSD, CFF, ...)
Programmed functions
and user interface
POWERFUL PACKAGE
The core of the FDI Specification is the FDI
Device Package, which is equivalent to a
field devices organizational structure at its
software level. It contains all the files a host
system needs to talk to the device, such as
electronic device descriptions (EDDs), user
interface plug-ins (UIPs), attachments and se-
curity certificates. Source: FieldComm Group
ture, but to calculate mass flow requires pa-
rameters from a database. FDI can combine
text-based functions from the device and
the database, then display parameters like
mass flow. It can also support other func-
tions such as valve diagnostics.
EDD is text-based and independent of the
Hosts and Operating Systems. However, in
some cases it lacks the programmatic capa-
bility that may be needed for complex de-
vices or diagnostics, says Scott Hokeness,

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 14

 www.controlglobal.com

Global Adoption Accelerating

FieldComm Group recently completed contracts between it and PROFIBUS & PROFINET INTER-

NATIONAL (PI) to manage the IP rights, roadmap and distribution of FDI technology, tools and

host components; and between it and FDI technology partners PI, the OPC Foundation and the

FDT Group to govern the process of FDI specification enhancement and leverage its Integration

Working Group as the venue of collaboration.

FieldComm Group also completed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ISA100 Wireless

Compliance Institute (WCI) to engage in technology discussions to incorporate ISA100 Wireless

support into FDI Technology. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the

FDI Technology standard in Plenary SC65E, Device and Integration in enterprise systems, and

NAMUR endorsed FDI Technology in its WG 2.6 Fieldbus Position Paper, Requirements on an

Ethernet Communication System for the Process Industry.

business development manager, Emerson.
DTMs provide the programmatic applica-
tions for advanced and complex operations,
but come with potential compatibility and
cybersecurity issues. FDI adds this pro-
grammatic capability to EDD, but only when
its needed. FDI also addresses cybersecuri-
ty with manufacturer-signed packages that
hosts validate to ensure theyre genuine and
havent been altered. This reduces the main-
tenance costs and market confusion.
FDI wraps all this functionality in a single file.
No more search for the right integration
software product or the right device that
comes with the required integration software
(FDT/DTM, EDD) thats supported by the
control/asset management system, says Al-
exander Kaiser, head of product management
and marketing, CodeWrights GmbH. No
more search on websites for manuals, certifi-
cates, GSD files (PROFIBUS) or CFF (founda-
tion Fieldbus), etc. Everything you need to
work with a device can be contained in the
FDI Device Packagea single *fdix file.
Combining the benefits of EDD and FDT/
DTM in one file means simple devices that
can be presented with EDD technology
can be represented with FDI User Interface
Descriptor (UID), while complex devices
that need DTMs to present the functional-
ity completely can be presented with FDI
UID+FDI User Interface Plugins (UIP).
Process industries thus need to deal with
one technology instead of two, says Chris
Schneider, senior product marketing man-
ager, Honeywell Process Solutions. More-
over, the FDI package the device vendor
delivers can include attachments like cali-

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 15

 www.controlglobal.com

No more search on websites for manuals, certificates,

GSD files (PROFIBUS) or CFF (foundation Fieldbus),
etc. Everything you need to work with a device can be
contained in the FDI Device Packagea single *fdix file.

bration certificate, user manuals, images,
etc., which can be opened in the FDI host
without additional applications.
Device vendors use the same development
software to create HART, FOUNDATION
Fieldbus, PROFIBUS and PROFINET FDI
packages. This simplifies their work effort,
reduces engineering hours, and speeds
time-to-market, allowing for a more agile
supplier better able to support users evolv-
ing requirements. Similarly, process control
engineers can use the same Host for devices
supporting these protocols with transpar-
ency of the protocol underneath. And offline
configuration brings in the benefits of both
EDD and DTM.
The major process automation host system
suppliers are already behind FDI; weve all
helped to develop it. We believe NAMUR
has a similar vision for FDI.
Wilhelm Otten, chairman of the board,
NAMUR, agrees that standardized, intel-
ligent interfaces are the key success factor
to achieve the benefits of Industrie 4.0 in
the process industries. Theyre the basis to
make our core processes, supply chain and
asset lifecycle, as well as vertical integra-
tion, more transparent and efficient, Otten
says. FDI is a big step to integrate field de-
vices into automation systems automatical-
ly with standardized, vendor-independent
tools and procedures.

READY FOR IIOT To achieve a long-term benefit, certifications

FDI will play a critical role in the realization
of IIoT and Industrie 4.0. Multiple commu-
nication protocols exist and thats not going
to change. However, FDI has the potential
to be the single integration technology that
can translate the binary data delivered by
any communication protocol into tangible
information that can be displayed and used
by the end user on systems at varying levels
throughout the enterprise, says Hokeness.
of host systems and device packages and
implementation of an open, vendor-neutral
interface (OPC UA) are the important steps.
NAMUR as a user association of automation
technology has driven this activity to merge
existing standards and tools and will conse-
quently promote and implement FDI.
If the control system or asset management
tool supports the OPC UA interfaces, De-

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 16


vice health and topology data can be ac-
cessed via OPC UA mechanisms for further
use in higher-level systems, says Kaiser.
We believe that FDI is the future standard
for device integration and management
for the process industry, but also beyond
because the flexibility and scalability of the
technology and FDI-based solutions will al-
low us to describe almost every device type
available, in any automation context. We
also see a big potential for IIoT and Indus-
trie 4.0 applications because of the open
and very well specified data model.
Thoralf Schulz, global technology manager,
process automation, ABB, says, FDI is the
key technology to overcome the ever-re-
peating efforts for integrating field devices
into control systems and asset optimization
tools. In addition, FDI is the migration path
for traditional field instruments into the In-
ternet of Things, Services and People.
NEXT STEPS
Leading vendors are pressing on with ad-
ditional FDI-enabled field devices, control-
lers and hosts. The Process Device Manager
Simatic PDM was the first Siemens prototype
utilizing FDI functionality, says Axel Lorenz,
vice president, process automation, Siemens.
This universal parametrize and service tool
could already import FDI packages in No-
vember 2013. Siemens will release the first
host system with FDI, as well as correspond-
ing FDI packages to the field devices in 2017.
We consider FDI as a decisive step towards
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 17
www.controlglobal.com
less complexity and optimized customer
service, and well continue to strengthen the
joint activities accordingly.
Hokeness adds that Emersons Instrument
Inspector application configuration tool is
the first HART and FOUNDATION Fieldbus
host based on the FDI standard. Well also
support FDI with our premier intelligent
device management package, AMS De-
vice Manager. This will deliver support for
any connected host system. Emerson field
devices will also support FDI in the near
future.
According to McLaughlin, Honeywell ac-
tively plans uniform adoption of FDI tech-
nologies in its SmartLine instruments, its
Experion DCS, and its Field Device Manager
asset management suite.
At Endress+Hauser, Seamless interoperabili-
ty and data transparency on all levels are key
factors in customer acceptance of upcoming
technologies, says Rolf Birkhofer, managing
director, process solutions. Through its sim-
plicity and ease of use, FDI enables custom-
ers to exceed their needs and requirements.
Also, a second version of ABB Field Infor-
mation Manager FDI-based host software
adds functions for easy device management
and supporting use on handhelds. Generic
Device Packages for ABB devices are now
available for HART 5 and HART 7, as well as
for pressure, level, temperature, flow and
 www.controlglobal.com

How to manage
the Ethernet spectrum
by Ian Verhappen

I
t seems every controls-related publication contains at least one article on the Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT). However, almost all are vaporware or exist in PowerPoint only,
with few implementations that couldnt have been done with existing, typically SCADA
technology applied in new ways. One thing they all have in common, however, is they rely
on Ethernet as their backbone.

As we know, there are different local area networks (LAN)/metropolitan area networks
(MAN) defined by the IEEE 802 standards (www.ieee802.org) covering the data link (Layer
2) and physical (Layer 1) layers of the OSI Networking reference model. The most common
ways of referring to these standards are by their physical mediafiber, copper and wireless
each with different bandwidths and design constraints. However, because a typical industrial
network, especially one with a wireless sensor network, combines all three physical layers, the
differences between each type of network needs to be managed from the design stage.

Fortunately, in most networks, the media we use tend to increase in capacity as we move
from the wireless sensor in the field to the access point and then to the interface room.
The wireless sensor network (WSN) is likely to be based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
And then, from the access point in, the protocol will be IEEE 802.11 (wireless)if not from
the WSN access point, then soon after from the Wi-Fi hub to IEEE 802.3 copper or fiber to
the interface room. Once connected to a physical layer, the slowest speed is likely 100

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 18


One way to manage a site Ethernet spectrum is
allocating different portions of the Industrial, Scientific
and Medical (ISM) license-free bands to specific uses.
MB/s in the copper CAT 5e or CAT 6 cable.
Fiber is frequently used in the facility for
its noise immunity, as well as its ability to
handle long distances. Copper Ethernet
is typically constrained to approximately
100 meters (300 feet or one football field).
Fiber selection itself requires design choices
from diameter (50 and 62.5 m are the
most common options) to materials (glass
or plastic). Next, users choose step or grad-
ed index, and single- or multi-mode, with
their selection typically based on corporate
specifications and, often, on an agreement
between the IT team and other users.
These teams often want to use the same
media, not only fiber, but more impor-
tantly wireless, where the signals cant be
contained, so its critical that each facility
have some mechanism to manage the site
Ethernet spectrum. One simple way of do-
ing this is to allocate different portions of
the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM)
license-free bands to specific uses. Because
recent versions of the IEEE 802.11 series can
use both 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz, if you have
the option, reserving the 2.4 GHz band for
other uses is one easy option, then all you
have to do is manage the channels within
2.4 GHz for the various users in that band.
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 19
www.controlglobal.com
Managing traffic is critical because the chance
of a self-inflicted network failure increases
with too many packets and not enough band-
width. Think of this as a traffic jam, where a
multi-lane road is designed for n cars per
hour. After an accident (collisions), one or
more lanes are out of service but the number
of cars does not change. Unfortunately, just
like a traffic jam, once a network exceeds a
traffic threshold, collisions start to collide with
themselves (gawkers causing more acci-
dents), and the problem gets worsequickly.
The good news is that most network traffic
management tools, such as switches, have
intelligence to warn of this condition before it
gets out of control.
Everyone expects their Ethernet to always
work. However, without careful planning,
keeping your end-to-end connections work-
ing and secure isnt as easy as it appears.
Compounding the problem will be increased
demand for not only more information, but
also for improved integration throughout an
organization and potentially with clients. All
of them using Ethernet as their base reaf-
firms, at least in my mind, the importance of
getting the foundations right, or everything
will come tumbling down.
 www.controlglobal.com

Redefining determinism
by Ian Verhappen

A
s automation professionals, one issue we have about control loops is ensuring were
able to support real-time control. Back when Ethernet was 10 MB/s with multiple drops
on one port, collisions were a concern and impediment to its adoption because we
couldnt guarantee delivery of every message, every time, at a repeatable frequency. Ether-
net wasnt real time enough, and hence not deterministic, or so we believed. So we waited
until we got faster switched networks that almost eliminate the chance of a message not
getting where it should be when it should. We still lose packets, but we can recover fast
enough to satisfy our definitions of determinism and real time.

In fact, what were really doing is confirming that the definition of determinism depends on
the application. In factory automation or robotics, response times often need to be in mil-
liseconds, while continuous processes, being essentially analog, are scanned at high enough
frequency to allow us to model the system, with high enough generally accepted as six
times (6x) the process frequency/response time (process time constant plus process de-
lay). Many use a rule of thumb of 10x, though I suspect its to provide a margin of error,
and its easier to move the decimal point than divide by 6.

Another underlying assumption in conventional PID is that control is executed on a periodic

basis, which implies a regular scan and update rate. Fortunately, the scan rate for continu-
ous processes, where flow is likely the fastest changing loop, is normally seconds long.

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 20


The control system can easily be made to believe
that updates are as regular as necessary to be viewed
as deterministic.
Control systems and their networks are com-
plicated enough to design and build without
having to calculate the definition of deter-
minism for every loop, and then design hard-
ware to match. So instead, we configure our
systems to scan the I/O at one or perhaps a
few different scan rates, based on the appli-
cations in the facility. This is one reason why
the scan rates for PLCs are in milliseconds
(as required by factory applications from
which they evolved), while a DCS, which
scans many more points per cycle, can have
scan rates of seconds. A continuous process
doesnt change that much that quickly, and
if it does, a different system such as an SIS,
provides the necessary extra protection.
Wireless sensor networks (WSN), on the other
hand, have update rates of 15 seconds or
longer (updating only when the process has
changed outside the prescribed window,
resulting in a non-periodic basis to preserve
battery life). And since theyre mesh systems,
the signal itself is retransmitted multiple times,
increasing the risk that an update can be lost,
so the control system and algorithm must also
be able to handle a loss of communications.
If this sounds similar to some of the chal-
lenges associated with legacy 10 MB/s
Ethernet, where updates can be affected by
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 21
www.controlglobal.com
a collision or a node malfunction, perhaps
our systems arent, nor need to be, as de-
terministic as we think. As long as we have
reliable communications with the WSN ac-
cess point, the control system can easily be
made to believe that updates are as regular
as necessary to be viewed as deterministic.
Terry Blevins, Mark Nixon and Marty Zielinski
published an interesting paper, Using Wire-
less Measurement in Control Applications,
(www.controlglobal.com/articles/2012/ad-
dressing-control-applications-using-wireless-
device/) describing one approach to modi-
fying the PID algorithm, and in particular
the reset (integral) component, for irregular
signal updates. Other manufacturers are tak-
ing different approaches, and if your system
does not have a specific solution, with the
processing ability of todays control systems,
theyre able to create simple process models
to fill in the gaps between the updates, much
like weve done with manually analyzed
samples for many years.
In the end, as demonstrated above, ev-
eryones definition of real time and hence
determinism depends on the application.
Or perhaps we can argue that determinism
no longer has the same clout as it did when
things were slower.
 www.controlglobal.com

Ethernet comes in many

colors
Do they all taste the same? Protocol organizations report
their progress toward process control proficiency.

by Bob Sperber

M
any industrial networks solutions built on IEEE 802.x Ethernet standards are
available to vendors and end users. Even as vanilla Ethernet evolves with the
support of organizations such as the Ethernet Alliance (www.ethernetalliance.
org), many Ethernet-based standardsor more accurately, Ethernet-based industrial net-
working protocolshave emerged. They help developers use commercial IT economies of
scale, and future-proof networks as Industrie 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
redefine smart manufacturing across industry lines.

Industrial Ethernet solutions serve diverse needs, and speeds, which typically range from
10 Mbit/s (megabits per second) to 1 gigabit per second (a.k.a. Gigabit Ethernet), while
100 Mbit/s is the most common speed for communicating control data from field to host
devices.

Some solutions are tailored to process applications, while others are best known in the
discrete world. Generally, its not the technology, but market factors that give each solution
its momentum. The key is vendor support, says Harry Forbes, research director with ARC
Advisory Group (www.arcweb.com). If the solution is widely used in the end users vertical
industry, and its also an important part of their vendors offering, then theyre much more
likely to adopt it, explains Forbes. They dont want to be the only plant in their industry or
region thats running their process with a particular platform.

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 22

 www.controlglobal.com

As a result, process industry profession-

als would do well to become familiar with SCADA CMMS
Asset
management DCS ERP
system
developments from several industrial Eth-
Ethernet TCP/IP
ernet consortia, including those that cross
industry lines.

Data
Remote I/O Multiplexers Wireless
systems gateway

HART-IP, Foundation Fieldbus HSE

As the digital transformation of IIoT and
Wireless
Industrie 4.0 emerges, End users are in- Wireless
devices
mesh
network
Devices
creasingly interested in gathering diagnostic
data from their HART instruments, says
Paul Sereiko, marketing director, FieldComm QUICKER, SIMPLER HART

Group (www.fieldcommgroup.org), which ad- Figure

Operator 1: The HART-IP
Engineeringapplication layer Plantuses
asset
management
ministers the HART and Foundation Fieldbus Ethernet physical media and standard
Industrial Ethernet TCP/IP
with speeds from 10 Mbit/s to Plant1Gbit/s,
access which
protocols. HART-IP multiplexers, RTUs and eliminates the
Profinet
Controller
time and errors point
of data map-
WirelessHART gateways provide a simple, ping, and simplifies set-up and use of a back-
Remote I/O Proxy Switch ?
haul network for WirelessHART gateways
easy way to capture this information. Profibus PA
and wired HART multiplexers and remote
I/O. Source: FieldComm Group
Traditional I/O MCC Profibus PA Profinet "Two-wire" Profinet field
Field device Field device device for hazardous area
The most recent Ethernet-enabled develop-
ments at FieldComm Group include HART- HART multiplexers and remote I/O. Security
Internet protocol (IP). Similar to the hybrid continues to evolve for HART-IP (Figure 1).
analog-digital HART communication proto-
col, HART-IP communicates between intel- Meanwhile, for Foundation Fieldbus users,
ligent field instruments and host systems, Foundation Fieldbus High-Speed Ethernet
such as DCSs, asset management, safety (HSE) specification has been available since
and SCADA systems, and mobile devices the early 2000s, is standardized as IEC
from laptops to handheld configurators. The 61158, and uses Ethernet to connect plant
application layer for HART-IP is the same communications from fieldbus to higher-
for all HART protocol-enabled field devices, level devices such as controllers and remote
but employs Ethernet physical media and a I/O using a 100 Mbit/s solution tailored for
standard TCP/IP protocol in a solution with process plants.
speeds from 10 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s. There-
fore, it eliminates the time and errors of data In addition, FieldComm serves as clearing-
mapping, for example with Modbus RTU, house for Field Device Integration (FDI),
and simplifies setup and using a backhaul which allows integrating competing elec-
network for WirelessHART gateways, wired tronic device description language (EDDL)

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 23


and field device tool (FDT)
device data standards into
one platform for greater in-
teroperability, adding value
to higher-level Ethernet
solutions.
PROFINET PROVES
PERVASIVE
Mike Bowne, executive di-
rector of PI North America
(www.us.profinet.com), says
more than 3 million Profinet
devices went to market in
2015a 30% increase over
the previous year. And
2016 is on pace to beat that
again, he adds. The latest
news is that a new, intrinsi-
cally safe (IS) version of PIs
Profinet industrial Ethernet
protocol is being devel-
oped that will be based on
Advanced Physical Layer
(APL) technology. It will
employ a two-wire connec-
tion with limited current/
voltage to be IS, while still
providing power and seg-
ments longer than Ether-
nets present, 100-meter
wired limit (Figure 2).
In related news, work on
Profinet includes Process
Application (PA) Profile
Wireless
devices network
Devices
www.controlglobal.com
Plant asset
Operator Engineering management
Industrial Ethernet
Controller Plant access
point
Profinet
Remote I/O Proxy Switch ?
Profibus PA
Traditional I/O MCC Profibus PA Profinet "Two-wire" Profinet field
Field device Field device device for hazardous area
SAFER PROFINET
Figure 2: An intrinsically safe (IS) version of Profinet is being
developed based on Advanced Physical Layer (APL) technol-
ogy. It will employ a two-wire connection with limited cur-
rent/voltage to be IS, while still providing power and seg-
ments longer than Ethernets present 100-meter wired limit.
Source: PI North America
3.02, which eases replace- PA. In these hazardous
ment of aging instruments environments, Profibus PA
by eliminating reconfigura- cables can land directly on
tion of the DCS or device by an instrument; Ethernet
automatically assuming the cables cantyet, explains
parameters of the (older) Bowne. This is partly due to
device theyre replacing. PI North Americas support
A pending PA Profile 4.0 of FDI technology.
will be released in the near
future, Bowne adds, with While work continues to
further developments for bring Ethernet-based solu-
process control users. tions to the field, Bowne
says inexpensive sensors
Profinet can connect to and actuators without
devices, controllers, I/O a Profinet interface can
and field devices, the latter employ the point-to-point
through the use of prox- communication IO-Link
ies to access data from IS standard (IEC 61131-9),
fieldbuses such as Profibus which uses the same, com-
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 24

In these hazardous environments, Profibus PA
cables can land directly on an instrument; Ethernet
cables can'tyet.
mon, three-wire cable that many sensors
already use.
ETHERNET/IP EVOLVES
ODVA (www.odva.org), formerly the Open
DeviceNet Vendors Association, was found-
ed in 1995, and evolved to support Ether-
Net/IP. It adapts the Ethernet standards
for TCP/UDP/IP to its own Common Indus-
trial Protocol (CIP), which includes device
profiles, objects and services for real-time
control of production applications for
process and discrete/factory automation.
ODVA publishes new editions of its specifi-
cation twice yearly. The latest news was the
December publication of its cybersecurity
services, CIP Security, which provide secu-
rity between two EtherNet/IP devices with
encryption and authentication capabilities.
When combined with best practices for
defense-in-depth mechanisms to enhance
cybersecurity, CIP Security allows users to
reduce their risk from cybersecurity threats
to their production processes, says Kath-
erine Voss, president and executive direc-
tor, ODVA.
Voss cites a 2016 report from analyst firm
IHS Markit (https://ihsmarkit.com) showing
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 25
www.controlglobal.com
EtherNet/IP led industrial Ethernet solu-
tions with a nearly 25% share of new nodes
shipped in 2015. This news may chip away
at process plant users traditional reluc-
tance to change, and help them consider
Ethernet to accelerate the time clock for
achieving 100% digitization, and work to-
gether to refine requirements for an Ether-
net communication system for the process
industry.
This possibility is demonstrated by a new
partnership between ODVA and NAMUR
(www.namur.net), the international process
industries automation association, develop-
ing an EtherNet/IP installation at the pro-
cess automation lab at Industriepark Hch-
stin Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to include
field devices, controls and infrastructure
from Cisco Systems, Endress+Hauser, Rock-
well Automation, Schneider Electric and
other ODVA members.
MODBUS/TCP OPEN AND FREE
The Modbus Organization (www.modbus.
org), like its Modbus/TCP protocol, is unlike
other standards organizations because
Modbus is an open protocol and free to
use, says Lenore Tracey, executive direc-
tor. Introduced in 1979 by Modicon (now
 www.controlglobal.com

OPC UA: Friend to all industrial Ethernet solutions

The OPC Foundation (www.opcfoundation.org) OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) isnt an

Ethernet-based technology, but its a key, complementary technology that provides a vendor-

and platform-independent industrial automation protocol for any and all industrial Ethernet-based

solutions. This is because it opens communication from sensors and fieldbuses up through plant

and enterprise systems. This allows, for instance, historical data to be stored in cloud-based ap-

plications for better decision-making.

The OPC Foundation collaborates with fieldbus organizations as well as all the industrial Ether-

net-based organizations, says Thomas Burke, president and executive director, OPC Foundation.

These include FieldComm Group, PI North America, Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group,

EtherCAT Technology Group and the CC-Link Partner Association.

Our latest news is all about adoption and the embedded world, Burke says. Ongoing work

continues with OPC UA being embedded into field devices employing industrial Ethernet-based

communications. Also, the organization recently added a publish/subscribe architecture to sup-

port Industrie 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) efforts to enhance real-time processing.

This, and the OPC Foundations work on time-sensitive networking (TSN) standards from the IEEE

802.1 working groupand collaboration with industrial Ethernet organizations to create com-

panion data-mapping standardspromise breakthroughs for bringing determinism to industrial

Ethernet-based networks.

Schneider Electric), Modbus is available member activities (and product releases),

free of licensing fees for users to adopt
and adapt. While theres no requirement
for testing and conformance, firms taking
advantage of the optional Modbus Confor-
mance Testing Program can provide inde-
pendent verification of compliance with
Modbus specifications.
The organizations main role is educational,
with support for members at its web-
site, which offers newsletters highlighting
discussion forums and a new Technical
Resource Page for developers and users. It
hosts links to specifications, a TCP toolkit,
conformance testing details, and an offsite
resources list.
The Modbus Organizations latest activities
include work on security issues and a pend-
ing announcement of a guideline for de-
veloping Foundation Fieldbus and Modbus
gateways to WirelessHART.

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 26

 www.controlglobal.com

TSN and APL: tomorrows deterministic Ethernet fieldbus?

For decades, automation systems have adapted Ethernet network configurations and device be-

haviors, so Ethernet behaved like a deterministic network by limiting the number of nodes and the

types of traffic allowed on their networks. However, a new set of time-sensitive networking (TSN)

standards under development by IEEEs 802.1 working group is a very important development

because the technology could enable future networks to support all kinds of traffic while still

providing deterministic performance for critical types of traffic, explains Harry Forbes, research

director with ARC Advisory Group (www.arcweb.com).

In addition to the OPC Foundations work to extend OPC UA for TSN, Forbes adds that, End us-

ers should expect that existing protocols like ODVA CIP, Profinet [and other solutions] will persist

in the new TSN world, but without the need for special network configuration rules or special net-

work hardware. A second major development is an effort to develop a standard, referred to as

Advanced Physical Layer (APL), which would represent a breakthrough because it uses two-wire

Ethernet with limited current and voltage.

The vision of APL is to get Ethernet to process field devices, says Forbes. Why? Because the

process fieldbus solutions available today are not true multi-protocol, multi-service networks

the way IP-based networks are. While Ethernet interfaces are available for some devices in

non-hazardous locations, its difficult to develop them for network-powered field devices for
Continued on next page

ETHERNET POWERLINK AND nous phase, and adds openSafety integrat-

SAFETY
Ethernet Powerlink was developed by B&R
Industrial Automation (www.br-automation.
com), and launched with the 2003 forma-
tion of the Ethernet Powerlink Standardiza-
tion Group (EPSG, www.ethernet-powerlink.
org). Based on Ethernet and CANopen
standards, it offers speeds up to 1 Gbit/s, or
Gigabit Ethernet.
It supports determinism with an isochro-
ed safety that eliminates added cabling and
hardware safety functions. This provides
functional safety conformance with IEC
61508 and SIL 3 functional safety standards.
Efficient safety communication minimizes
shutdowns, offering the potential to en-
hance plant and communication efficiency.
Among the latest news from EPSG is In-
dustrial Ethernet Facts (www.ethernet-
powerlink.org/en/downloads/industrial-

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 27

 www.controlglobal.com

Continued from previous page

use in hazardous locations. Specifically, Forbes says IEEE 802.3 standards define the more-

than-50 Ethernet physical layer standards, but none address the requirements of hazardous

locations and wont anytime soon. So APL has to extend IEEE standards, and in these types of

initiatives interoperability cant be assured just by compliance to IEEE 802.3.

This effort could take years, but the challenge could be met. For instance, at the Achema 2015

event, Pepperl+Fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.com) demonstrated its version of APL using Eth-

ernet over twisted-pair wiring for process field devices to connect instruments from Emerson,

Endress+Hauser and other vendors. It met intrinsic safety (IS) requirements in a network, albeit

with a distance limit of 200 meters. At the time, the demo was hailed as a potential game changer

that could extend the reach of IIoT and Industrie 4.0.

Progress is planned in two phases, according to IEEE 802.3 Advanced Physical Layer Study

Group members from Endress+Hauser. In the first phase, still underway, the emerging standard

targets solutions based on currently available technology (including IS concepts) supporting 2

Mbit/s and 10 Mbit/s communication. A second phase will seek to develop APL solutions for 100

Mbit/s communications.

ethernet-facts), a 40-page PDF comparing with the OPC Foundation (https://op-

Profinet, Ethernet Powerlink, EtherNet/IP,
EtherCAT and Sercos III (primarily for servo
applications). It also covers Profisafe and
openSafety, and offers insight on OPC UA in
relation to industrial Ethernet.
cfoundation.org), demonstrating at in-
dustry expos how interface-free OPC
UA-based solutions provide platform-
independent communication for Ethernet
Powerlink networks.

EPSG members lean toward discrete auto- CC-LINK IE EMERGES

mation, including B&R along with ABB Ro-
botics, Yaskawa and Festo, but participants
familiar to process users include Schnei-
der Electric, Phoenix Contact, Baldor and
Pepperl+Fuchs.
Also, EPSG has been an active partner
Like other industrial Ethernet developers,
the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA,
www.cc-link.org) offers varieties of its
protocol: CC-Link, CC-Link IE and a new
specification, CC-Link IE Field, which John
Wozniak, P.E. and manager of CLPA in the
Americas, calls the worlds first and only

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 28

 www.controlglobal.com

Though EtherCAT systems found their way into many

process applications, several ETG members and vendors
introduced added devices that meet the environmental
certifications of some process industries.

open gigabit Ethernet Industrial Automation ETHERCAT CROSSES

field network. This 1 Gbit/s network has
separate bands for cyclic communication
for real-time data and transient messaging
for diagnostics and other data.
The latest CC-Link news comes in the
form of partnerships. Woszniak says CLPA
prefers cooperation, and welcomes col-
laboration with all organizations including
the FieldComm Group. In November, CLPA
completed a yearlong collaboration with
Profinet on a specification that enables
transparent, bidirectional communication
between CC-Link IE and Profinet. OPC is
beginning similar cooperative work within
its OPC Foundation to create an open
specification for OPC UA as the path that
will allow communications from devices
to plant information management systems
such as MES and up to office type TCP-IP
networks, says Wozniak.
Progress also continues on security to allow
anyone with a TCP-IP or UDP-IP network,
including those with legacy RS networks,
to access that token network of CC-Link,
adds Woszniak.
INDUSTRY LINES
The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG,
www.ethercat.org), with more than 4,000
members, is the worlds largest fieldbus or-
ganization, says Joey Stubbs, North Ameri-
can representative of ETG.
EtherCAT wasnt developed for any par-
ticular industry, but for ease of use, low
cost and openness, which led to its use in
many fields, Stubbs says. Though Ether-
CAT systems found their way into many
process applications, several ETG members
and vendors introduced added devices that
meet the environmental certifications of
some process industries.
EtherCAT has been used for digital I/O,
analog I/O, temperature, pressure, servo
drives, stepper drives, condition monitor-
ing, data acquisition, robotics, HMI and
other applications. When used with OPC
UA, EtherCAT provides a real-time net-
work for machine and plant control, and
OPC UA provides a platform for data
transfer up to MES/ERP systems and into
the cloud.

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 29

 www.controlglobal.com

Wireless when?
by Ian Verhappen

T
he process-based wireless sensor networks (WSN) WirelessHART and ISA-100.11.a have
been on the market for more than seven years, yet true to form, most facilities have not
yet fully adopted them. I suspect many are still from Missouri, the Show-Me state, as
in, Show me in someone elses facility the exact application Im considering running.

Being engineers, were averse to risk, and because we rely on sensors to keep our facili-
ties within safe operating conditions, we need to know wireless works before installing it
in more than monitoring applications. Even then, we need to be careful which applications
because if we start measuring, well also have to report it if asked. However, its somewhat
ironic that the majority of users are still in this mindset because ISA-dTR84.00.08, Guid-
ance for Application of Wireless Sensor Technology to Non-SIS Independent Protection
Layers is presently with ISA-84 for ballot until July 11.

The HART 7 specification defining WirelessHART was released in 2007, with the first product
from Emerson in September 2008, while Yokogawa released the first ISA100.11a products
in September 2009. So we can safely say products have been available for more than five
years. Looking back at Fieldbus days, WSNs are at about the same level of acceptance, and it
took about 10 years for folks to get to the this stuff works mindset. I say this based to some
extent on what I observe in the market. When I approached the consortia supporting these
technologies, they were unable to provide information on installed base, though they did con-

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 30


Some folks are getting their sensor nodes for less
than $50 (obviously not the process market).
firm that each technology is dominated by
one supplier. During the fieldbus wars, they
were trumpeting their market shares, so the
good news is that the wireless wars, if they
exist, are being fought differently this time.
One place where I was able to get some
information on wireless adoption was from
On Worlds Enterprise IoT Survey, inac-
curately named because it was all about
wireless, though the majority of pundits
agree wireless will be a critical part of IoT
in whatever shape it evolves. Some of the
interesting statistics from the survey were:
WSN protocol usage had 802.11 at 38% (I
dont know of many process WSN devices
using Wi-Fi), but WirelessHART was at
18% and ISA100.11a at 14%, so they were
pretty close to each other. (This question
asked if you used the technology, but not
how many devices were installed);
One in three use mostly mesh networks,
but one in four have no mesh nodes;
30% of wireless sensors have some form
of energy harvesting; and
The most commonly named future appli-
cations for WSN technology were environ-
mental monitoring (49%), asset monitor-
ing (45%), process monitoring (41%) and
www.controlglobal.com
then, much lower in the rankings, process
control (19%).
Remember that process market is but one
small fraction of the total wireless market.
This appears to be reflected in the survey
numbers.
The survey also asked what is the largest
impediment to greater adoption (lowest
satisfaction), and respondents indicated
battery life, cost and integration caused the
most grief, while the most highly ranked
important features were reliability, security
and cost. The next set of data showed that
some folks are getting their sensor nodes
for less than $50 (obviously not the process
market), while approximately 20% of the
respondents are paying more than $1,000
(probably the process market).
You coud likely see a $50 node if you looked
at the light poles on your block, and noticed
that one of them has what appears to be a
Wi-Fi access point for the local utility meter
reading system (no power problems there).
All these statistics have me wondering just
where we are today on the acceptance
curve. I certainly know its not the plateau
of productivityunless, of course, you know
otherwise and are willing to take me to
Missouri.
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 31
 www.controlglobal.com

The final control element

frontier
by Ian Verhappen

W
ireless final control elements, which by their nature require some form of power
to actuate, may not be considered a natural fit for wireless communications. How-
ever, just as wireless adoption is growing, so too are options to incorporate end
actuation devices into the control mix.

As discussed in a previous column (Refining determinism, www.controlglobal.com/ar-

ticles/2016/defining-ethernet-determinism-depends-on-the-application), wireless sensor
networks (WSN) can be used for closed-loop control with appropriate compensation in the
control algorithms to compensate for the inherent lag times associated with signal collection
(AI), output publication (AO) and the inherent response time characteristics of the field devices
themselves.

A less arduous application for WSN and final control element is for on/off valves where a
discrete (digital) output (DO) opens or closes the valve. WSNs have the advantage over plain
old relay outputs of being intelligent, so they can report back if the device actually opened or
closed without additional hardware such as limit switches, cables and discrete input (DI) inter-
faces. They accomplish this with only tag assignment and some configuration of the wireless
actuator and host system.

Though they use their own proprietary networks, some manufacturers have been selling similar
systems since at least 2009 and continue to offer them for niche applications. However, if you
already have an installed WSN such as WirelessHART or ISA100.12a, the infrastructure is in place

2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 32


If you already have a wireless sensor network, the
infrastructure is in place to confirm the status of on/off
valves that are only controlled by local switches.
to connect your devices to an access point
able to confirm the status of on/off valves
that are only controlled by local switches.
Installing an actuator indicator with WSN
support on the valve provides local indica-
tion of open or closed, and can also connect
to the abovementioned infrastructure to
convey status. An alternative, if necessary to
confirm the physical position, would be to link
a WirelessHART or ISA100.12a field adapter
with one or two limit switches and associated
contact(s) to provide positive identification of
the actual valve stem position.
Being able to confirm status of isolation
valves would be beneficial to verify proce-
dures during normal operations and plant
outages, especially for those valves that
should always be open or closed, then change
during the shutdown or startup. Of course,
these valves normally have locks to confirm
their status, but this could be a backup sys-
tem for relatively low cost.
This can be done using the WSN access point
as an open-protocol-based signal multiplexer.
The same concept can and has been used
to combine signals from isolated pieces of
equipment, then transmit them farther than
the conventional mesh network distance to
2017 State of Technology: Industrial Networks 33
www.controlglobal.com
additional repeater points. For example, col-
lected signals can go from barges in tailings
ponds or settling basins to the nearest on-
shore pump station connected to the control
system as either a remote node or extension
of the network via conventional means such
as copper or fiber.
Building systems such as this requires using
design tools to confirm the network will be
able to effectively update the number of sig-
nals at the required rate and, equally impor-
tant, that the signal will be strong enough to
be transmitted between the points. The nec-
essary inputs to the program for signal cal-
culations are obviously the distance between
each point as well as the terrain, as at typical
power levels, WSN remains a line-of-sight
application. Program outputs will include the
number and location of the repeater points as
well as information on antenna requirements
to increase signal gain.
Wireless sensor networks are approaching
the final frontier with more applications
pushing the envelope beyond being used
as a replacement for wires. Though not yet
the killer app, theyre enabling unique ap-
plications that cant be done with conven-
tional systems at close to the same cost/
benefit ratio.