Simplify Your Network with Better Tools, Common Sense

Jim Montague Control Engineering January 1, 2001

Industrial networks are easier to build and optimize with fieldbus, Ethernet, and new hardware. But its still difficult
to learn, implement, and trust new networks enough to gain promised advantages.
Physically easier. Mentally tougher. Thats the assessment of users, integrators, and suppliers, who say
designing, building, and renovating industrial networks is becoming simpler and easier to optimize thanks
to Ethernets emergence, increased fieldbus compliance, and more suppliers developing improved
hardware and software tools.
This means far less hardwiring, which reduces labor,
Ethernet coordinates, smoothes
maintenance, training, and other expensive, physical needs. It dragon floats pneumatics
also helps plant-level networks reach up, connect, and deliver Many control systems move, some are
data to Ethernet-based administrative systems and vice versa. on the move, but only one animated a
'The main change is that management wants to see whats
60-ft dragon float in Detroits nationally
happening, and this is where we see the opportunity to use
televised Americas Thanksgiving
Ethernet to work with existing control networks,' says Paul
Parade. Flicker the Dragon was built by
Wacker, automation marketing manager, Lantronix (Irvine,
The Parade Co. with help from
Calif.).
Numatics Inc. (Highland, Mich.) and
The flipside, sources say, is that its psychologically harder to
Creative Software Inc. (Ypsilanti, Mich.)
overcome the initial learning curve required to implement
To smoothly coordinate pneumatic
fieldbus protocols, Ethernet, and other sophisticated
manifolds from Numatics that actuated
networking methods. Instead of traditionally dealing with one
Flickers moving tail, wings, head,
or two problems on many wires, some engineers headaches
eyes, ears, and other special effects,
now involve handling many problems on one or two wires.
Creative Software used the Snap-BThese challenges include configuring routers, resolving data
3000-ENet Ethernet I/O relay controller
traffic issues, and solving other communication and software
from Opto 22 (Temecula, Calif.). Dan
problemseven if they occur on one twisted-pair wire.
Katanski, Creatives owner, wrote
'Configuring a PLC is relatively easy compared to configuring
Visual C++ software on a laptop PC,
a network router. There are a lot more variables, and it
which choreographed and ran the
requires a totally different skill set,' says Bob Kirk, sales and
dragons moves, music, and sound
marketing manager, Spyne Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pa.), a four-yeareffects. Sending real-time commands
old network integration firm.
directly to the floats on-board relay
Fortunately, not only are new networking methods gaining
controller using 100 Base-T Ethernet
momentum among users, many suppliers are developing and
over a point-to-point network
delivering improved networking devices and infrastructure
connection using Microsoft Windows
equipment to satisfy users expected demands. These
98 communications software for
solutions and products can further simplify many networking
TCP/IP Ethernet networking greatly
projects, and help Ethernet and fieldbus achieve greater
simplified the software by eliminating
mainstream acceptance in manufacturing.
communications protocol coding.
'Using 100-Mbps Ethernet gave us
Climbing the learning curve
instantaneous control of all Flickers
'Using rack I/O devices, plugging in cards, and working with
movements. If not for Ethernet, we
PLCs may seem more straightforward, but users need to
would have used a much slower RSunderstand how flexible a fieldbus-based system can be,'
232 connections, which would have
says Charles Cook, advanced electronics products manager,
worked, but wouldnt have been nearly
Wago Corp. (Germantown, Wis.). 'Also, while fieldbus may be as effective,' says Mr. Katanski. 'The IP
easier for electricians, who dont have to haul as much wiring,
protocol on Ethernet simplified software
it may be an added burden for applications engineers, who
development, increased system
have to configure it. Thats a price of achieving greater longreliability, and provides expandability
term flexibility.
for enhancing Flicker for next years
'We support more than 10 fieldbus protocols, and so one of
parade.'
our biggest jobs is helping first-time users build these
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networks. Still, the learning curve is steep enough that initial fieldbus installations may not seem
worthwhile, and sometimes savings arent achieved until the second project.'
Getting started
If you know what you want to do and what you have, then you also have a better idea of what you need
and what you dont need. This is a simple rule, but it remains the most powerful tool in designing,
prioritizing, implementing, simplifying, optimizing, and maintaining industrial networks. Thoroughly
understanding your business and manufacturing goals and capabilities can help you draft common sense
specifications, resolve differences in networking methods, and secure the most efficient solution.
Besides simple awareness, several other guidelines can
Simple, appropriate network allows
simplify networking projects. These include:
two-week oven installation
Compliance counts. The promise of open, interoperable
Sometimes you dont need all the
networks is greater flexibility, simpler layouts, and increased
networking bells and whistles. Tara
component selection. However, communication obstacles
Materials (Lawrenceville, Ga.) had only
remain, and users trying to solve specific manufacturing
two weeks recently to install a new
problems often simplify to one or two suppliers and their
drying oven in its coated artists canvas
recommended networking methods that can handle most or all line. The oven had an Allen-Bradley
application requirements. Solving a networking problem today SLC 5/04 controller from Rockwell
is generally more important than having flexibility that may or
Automation (Milwaukee, Wis.) that had
may not be needed in the future. Again, truly knowing your
to be integrated with the rest of the 25application and its needed capabilities can resolve trade-offs
year-old lines hardwired, relay logicbetween openness and compliance.
based controls.
Beyond overall compliance, using single-source proprietary
Jim Pluth, Teras maintenance
device- and control-level networks can be less expensive in
manager, just needed a simple PLC
some cases than many 'open' networks because their
connection that was topologically
chipsets are often more costly, according to Dave
flexible and easily expandable because
Quebbemann, industrial marketing manager, Omron
the lines existing I/O count and sensor
(Schaumburg, Ill.). 'Users just have to make sure that theyre
locations were unknown. Faced with
comfortable being locked into one network or supplier.'
configuration, reliability, training, and
One more benefit of compliance is that devotion to one
topology obstacles posed by more
fieldbus protocol or other network technology helps
sophisticated networks, Mr. Pluth
concentrate development and education related to it,
selected an Actuator Sensor Interface
according to Mike Bryant, director, Profibus and AS-Interface
(AS-i) system able to connect a total
trade organizations (Scottsdale, Ariz.). 'As fieldbus protocols
248 I/O on a two-conductor cable at 5
mature, there are more adopters, which creates a software
msec in any topology. He also used I/O
and tools market, and a wealth of lessons learned and
modules, masters, power supplies and
instruction available,' says Mr. Bryant.
accessories from Pepprl+Fuchs
Some overkill OK. 'Simpler is not always best. For instance,
(Twinsburg, O.).
using Ethernet to replace an AS-i system (see sidebar) may
'A direct SLC 500 AS-i master was
be simpler, but it can cost more,' says Nick Jones, special
available for my PLC, and it didnt
projects manager, SST (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada). 'To
require any added configuration
achieve true optimization, networking projects must take into
software. I simply addressed the
account installation, training, and maintenance costs, as well
modules and connected them to the
as mean time between repair and mean time between failure
cable. Functions and setup were done
calculations. In the short term, for example, an Ethernet
with the SLC 500 ladder editor,' says
network may not be as easy to debug as a more traditional
Mr. Pluth, who adds that programming
one.'
with AS-i was simple because its
Mr. Jones adds that relatively smaller manufacturers may not
master is transparent and I/O data is
have as precise performance targets as larger organizations,
mapped directly to memory.
but that it doesnt matter as much if a smaller user installs
Wiring for AS-i was slightly more
more capabilities than needed. 'Its human nature to play it
expensive than conventional wiring, but
safe, but its not useful to design a network based on emotion
Mr. Pluth reports Tara saved 75% on
or fear,' he says.
labor during installation by cutting
Inherent compatibility. Much like settling on one supplier,
design and wire pulling time from two
users can also simplify their network projects by using
weeks to two days for each task.
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bridging and gateway devices equipped with inherently compatible fieldbus protocols, which usually
means they require little or no added configuration. For example, DeviceNet, ControlNet, and EtherNet/IP
share this compatibility; Profibus PA, DP, and ProfiNet are designed to work together; and Foundation
fieldbus H1 and High-Speed Ethernet protocols can function cooperatively. Users must then ask, 'How
much configuration, software rework, or added hardware is needed to allow different parts of my network
to communicate with each other at the speed, volume, and quality that they require?'
Inherent fieldbus compatibility can also reportedly help device- and control-level networks reach up
usually via Ethernetto enterprise and administrative systems. However, links between plant-floor and
administrative networks usually require an added gateway, firewall, or quarantine device, so upper-level
network traffic doesnt disrupt lower-level functions. 'Ethernet appears to simplify networks, but it also
moves a lot of responsibility up to the management information system (MIS) level,' says Mr. Jones.
Ethernet, Ethernet, Ethernet
Though it clearly has the greatest potential to aid network simplification and optimization, far more people
talk about Ethernet than have actually implemented it in plant-level applicationsso far. Critics usually
report that Ethernet lacks determinism, reliability, robustness, and redundancy. However, Ethernet
appears to be steadily proving itself industrial settings. For example, the increasing speed of many
Ethernet-based applications is already diluting claims of its non-determinism, says Eric Byres, research
team leader, Advanced Information Technologies Group, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT,
Vancouver, B.C., Canada). 'The criticism that Ethernet isnt deterministic is a giant red herring,' he says.
'Using Ethernet isnt as hard as its made out to be.'
Spynes Bob Kirk adds that, 'Ethernet can simplify your plantConnecting process control and IT
floor board room connections, but you must first get onto that
worldssafely
Internet protocol (IP) infrastructure. For instance, FisherUsing fieldbus, Ethernet, or even
Rosemounts (Austin, Tex.) DeltaV system has controllers that Internet-based methods to link
use IP to talk to workstations, which means its data is already
administrative and plant-level networks
available via Ethernet. What you need next is a secure,
is possible to varying degrees.
reliable connection between the IT and process control
However, despite the benefits, many
networks. Firewalls, network routers, and intrusion detectors
users are reluctant because enterprise
can provide reliable, secure, and safe Ethernet connections
systems might interfere with costly
that prevent these potential problems (see sidebar).'
manufacturing processes. To link these
Redundant processors and connectors, as well as enhanced
two realms safely and without slowing
power security, can also improve Ethernet reliability.
them down, Bob Kirk, of Spyne Inc.
'The main lesson is: Dont be afraid of Ethernet. You can do it. (Pittsburgh, Pa.), says there are at
Just get the right information and people to help you
least four basic requirements:
implement it,' says Mr. Kirk.
Gatewaysany one of several
boxed devices that regulates
Recent improvements
traffic between
Besides linking to Ethernet and increasing cooperation within
IT/administrative and process
fieldbus protocols, several organizations are trying to meet
control/plant levels;
users demands by improving communication between
Network routersusually
traditionally disparate protocols.
Internet-based hardware,
'Because some applications may need to services several
which communicates at the
protocols, we added multiple function blocks to Foundation
network level of the Open
fieldbus HSE that allow it to interface with other protocols,
Systems Interconnection (OSI)
such as ControlNet, DeviceNet, and Modbus' from Schneider
stack, and is configurable for
Electric Automation (North Andover, Mass.), says Stephen
specific users and functions;
Mitschke, applications engineer, Fieldbus Foundation (Austin,
Firewallssoftware or
Tex.). Function blocks are pieces of software that allow
hardware, usually embedded
devices on a network to identify themselves and their function,
or distributed behind a router,
which gives users a picture or model of the network that can
which limits network access to
help manage traffic on it. Consequently, the mental challenges
predefined users; and
of industrial networking may soon become easier too.
Intrusion detectionhardware
and software that monitors
networks for unauthorized
Page 3 of 3
users or events, and notifies
the system administrator when
any are found.