Industrial Ethernet Switches From Weidmüller Take It up a Notch
Weidmüller has added to its network switches with the EcoLine Series B. The new series of unmanaged switches for industrial Ethernet promises longer uptime and fewer disruptions.
Industrial networking capacity and security are growing every year. There was a time when automation equipment only had a few Ethernet devices. Now, most devices have an Ethernet component. To meet growing network demands, Weidmüller has expanded its offerings of network switches with the EcoLine Series B, which features increased network availability.
Weidmüller’s EcoLine Series B of unmanaged switches for industrial Ethernet. Image used courtesy of Weidmüller
EcoLine Series B
One of the new features of Weidmüller’s EcoLine Series B unmanaged switches is the quality of service function, which analyzes each message through the switch and assigns a priority to each message. By regulating and prioritizing messages, the switch can ensure that real-time messages achieve their destinations before non-time-sensitive messages, such as ping requests. The EcoLine Series B switch uses this feature to conform to PROFINET conformance class A, a requirement when designing real-time data collection systems.
Switches enable the connection of devices and controllers across a network. Image used courtesy of Unsplash
Network Stability
Machine downtime will cost companies and customers money, so companies must ensure that the industrial network being built is stable. Robots, servo drives, and I/O modules communicate over Ethernet protocols, so a company's entire machine will come to a grinding halt if the network goes down.
Weidmüller’s EcoLine Series B switch has a function that protects the network from "broadcast storms." These "storms" occur where broadcast and multicast network traffic accumulates, which can consume network resources and sometimes result in a network crash. This Broadcast Storm Protection (BSP) function actively detects message flooding and automatically limits the number of messages sent. The BSP function can reduce network troubleshooting and prevent machine downtime or even cyberattacks.
Compact Size
The new series of Ethernet switches are compactly designed to fit in small, confined spaces. The DIN mount features are spring-loaded and rotatable, allowing for a flexible mounting orientation. The switch's housing is made from durable metal, ensuring a dependable, long service life with minimal downtime. The Series B has an operating temperature of -10 °C to 60 °C and comes in seven variations with 4-16 port designs and variations of fast Ethernet or gigabit Ethernet connections. All variations are unmanaged switches, so no complex configuration is required.
The Series B Switches from Weidmüller promise longer uptime and fewer disruptions. Image used courtesy of Weidmüller
Network Design
Designing network infrastructure for equipment never required as much thought as it does today. With most components being connected over Ethernet and utilizing real-time communication protocols, designing a proper network infrastructure is a requirement.
Most people think of an Ethernet switch as just a means of connecting multiple devices, but there is much more to industrial Ethernet switches. How the devices connect and communicate over the network will dictate the type of equipment required. Servo drives and any devices that require real-time Ethernet messaging will need a switch capable of supporting priority messaging.
With more devices than ever before offering an Ethernet communication path, network stability can completely disrupt equipment for some time. Choosing a network switch, such as the Series B from Weidmüller, with network stability and real-time Ethernet communications, could result in longer equipment uptime and fewer network outages.
