EPN Industrial Automation Blog

SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2011: IO-Link conformance

A manufacturer’s declaration is asked by the IO-Link Consortium for all IO-Link Masters and Devices in order to get IO-Link conformity. Therefore, test equipment is neccessary which allows checking all relevant parameters. A major part is EMC conformity.

Free access to field devices

Specialists in fieldbus technologies don’t usually give anything away for free, neither as in free beer nor as in free speech, to quote Richard Stallman. Since manufacturers often even charge extra for supplying the (standard) software driver necessary to operate the devices they sell, any exception of that policy is remarkable.

Wires out of automation

There are various obstacles for a stronger perpetration of wireless networks in the process industry. Since RF communication would simplify life in many ways, there are efforts being made to overcome them. While a mesh architecture is a good way to get optimum coverage, common solutions are difficult to integrate in automation infrastructures.

Fast memory for Profibus

Many fieldbus systems originate in the last century, including the installed hardware basis. Slowly, the architectures are being enhanced to make use of modern technologies. As an example, PCI Express allows for transparent implementation of different interface techniques, including Profibus.

From Bus to Bus

In most cases traditional fieldbuses have been replaced by Ethernet-based solutions or demoted to inferior tasks. This could result in systems with three different Ethernet protocols and various subordinate fieldbuses. Modern automation components need to take care of those issues.

Repeating light

Today, fibre-optics based on polymer optical fibres - POF- are increasingly being used, not only because they are immune to electromagnetic interference but because they are also able to meet the demands of automated applications for greater data volumes. However, these fibres are subject to a natural aging process, which successively increases fibre attenuation. That in turn increases the need for exact diagnostics of the transmission path.

Death of the living dead

Fieldbuses have been dead for a few years now even though not everyone in the industry noticed that. Everything’s Ethernet now and even the toughest defenders of the old ways have to admit now that the Fieldbus times are over.

Profinet now safe

Developing safety-oriented technology is rather cost-intensive and carries a high investment risk which was the reason that companies from the automation industry hesitated for a long time

Building bridges

Even though »real« Ethernet is pervading all areas of industrial automation, in special application domains even old-fashioned fieldbus networks are still around, together with more modernized fieldbuses which have been adapted to Ethernet.

Functional safety as lifeguard

The new European machinery directive 2006/42/EG is initiating change: Many regulations already have changed; many others should have changed by now. Especially machine manufactures have to face this challenge. They have to find ways to optimise machine safety. Automation equipment vendors offer pre-packaged solutions which mostly follow – as usual in industrial automation – vendor-specific “standards”.