J
Hi,
I have worked with Ethernet and serial communication devices. I referred various details on industrial networking and automation. When it is an industrial Ethernet, I understand it. However I get confused when it is related with other protocols like profinet, profibus, devicenet, EtherCAT etc etc. My basic questions are as below. Please help.
What is the basic purpose of building an industrial network. In a normal office / enterprise data networks, we build them to make the computers / servers communicate with each other to exchange the data. In the industry we do have only computers, but along with that many other devices like valves, motors, compressors, boilers, sensors etc. etc. Do we connect all them to each other to build an industrial network? and how?
(2) What topology is followed for industrial networks?
(3) If we connect various process control devices / valves / sensors / actuators etc. with each other and in turn with the control system / computers, how we are able to maintain the communication standards. As the different devices from different mfgr. may be able to communicate using one specific / typical protocol.
(4) Do we create different domain to define different segments to be created for building an industrial networks?
(5) What are the basic inputs / data at the bottom of the network. Like for certain process we are boiling a water in a tank up to 92 deg.C. Now we have installed a sensor which will generate corresponding signal for transferring it to the valve for necessary opening / closing. That would be routed through some controller which in turn will allow some electric / pneumatic power to finally actuate the valve to meet the process demand. Now this seems to be a close type of loop. How this is Physically as well as logically integrated with the control network. What signals / interfaces are used to connect them to the control system.
(6) What kind of wiring is used for connecting the devices.
(7) What is a fieldbus foundation, is it a wiring system or communication standard / protocol.
(8) How the PLC wiring is done from the field to the PLC?
(9) How we can select no. of analogue / digital IOs for PLCs being used.
(10) If we are using PLCs form different mfgrs., how we can connect them all to gather?
(11) Can we implement distributed network if the physical area to be covered is very large? What standards / rules we need to follow for wiring while installing a distributed network and finally drop them all to gather at central location?
Please help.
I have worked with Ethernet and serial communication devices. I referred various details on industrial networking and automation. When it is an industrial Ethernet, I understand it. However I get confused when it is related with other protocols like profinet, profibus, devicenet, EtherCAT etc etc. My basic questions are as below. Please help.
What is the basic purpose of building an industrial network. In a normal office / enterprise data networks, we build them to make the computers / servers communicate with each other to exchange the data. In the industry we do have only computers, but along with that many other devices like valves, motors, compressors, boilers, sensors etc. etc. Do we connect all them to each other to build an industrial network? and how?
(2) What topology is followed for industrial networks?
(3) If we connect various process control devices / valves / sensors / actuators etc. with each other and in turn with the control system / computers, how we are able to maintain the communication standards. As the different devices from different mfgr. may be able to communicate using one specific / typical protocol.
(4) Do we create different domain to define different segments to be created for building an industrial networks?
(5) What are the basic inputs / data at the bottom of the network. Like for certain process we are boiling a water in a tank up to 92 deg.C. Now we have installed a sensor which will generate corresponding signal for transferring it to the valve for necessary opening / closing. That would be routed through some controller which in turn will allow some electric / pneumatic power to finally actuate the valve to meet the process demand. Now this seems to be a close type of loop. How this is Physically as well as logically integrated with the control network. What signals / interfaces are used to connect them to the control system.
(6) What kind of wiring is used for connecting the devices.
(7) What is a fieldbus foundation, is it a wiring system or communication standard / protocol.
(8) How the PLC wiring is done from the field to the PLC?
(9) How we can select no. of analogue / digital IOs for PLCs being used.
(10) If we are using PLCs form different mfgrs., how we can connect them all to gather?
(11) Can we implement distributed network if the physical area to be covered is very large? What standards / rules we need to follow for wiring while installing a distributed network and finally drop them all to gather at central location?
Please help.