Cabling Systems For Industrial Ethernet

Originally developed in the 1980s to specify data transmission within localized computer networks - the LANs (Local Area Networks) - Ethernet technology has developed rapidly, especially in the past ten years. Industrial Ethernet has become an integral part of automation technology at the latest since the introduction of real-time capable protocols such as Profinet, Ethernet / IP or Ethercat. However, there are not only other requirements for data transmission rates and routes. Depending on the use at the control, control or field level as well as the industry, these requirements also differ fundamentally.

Customized solutions

Industrial Ethernet cannot aim to create a uniform, comprehensive communication standard. Rather, tailor-made solutions for the efficient connection to higher-level IT (information technology) systems and for the stable real-time communication of different decentralized field devices must be made possible. Thanks to its application-neutral infrastructure, the Ethernet protocol offers good prerequisites for making tailor-made solutions the new standard and thus opening up new areas of application. The infrastructure becomes application-neutral due to the almost unlimited number of possible communication participants and the different transmission media such as copper, fiber optic and radio.

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In the past, standardization was limited to the multiplication of data transfer rates with increased demands on cabling technology. The requirements for copper-based cabling were defined by ever higher performance classes - the so-called categories.

In the meantime, an opposite trend has emerged: In addition to new physical interfaces (PHY - physical layer) for high-speed Ethernet with transmission rates of 25 GBit / s, 50 GBit / s or 100 GBit / s, new standards for lower data transmission rates are also bringing significant benefits lower cabling requirements. For the first time, the focus is on areas of application and applications that were previously not covered by conventional Ethernet.

Additional information on RJ45 Industrial - Variants for different degrees of protection

The robust RJ45 connector range from Phoenix Contact already meets the increased requirements in the industrial environment. The new industrial connectors are particularly shock and vibration resistant, and thanks to their 360 ° shielding, they are also suitable for areas with increased electromagnetic interference. The full metal connectors are available as a one-piece IP20 version and as a variant with the designation "Push-Pull Advance" in protection class IP65 / 67. The special locking mechanism of the Push-Pull Advance variant offers increased protection against unintentional loosening of the plug connection. The connector can be assembled without special tools and can thus be easily and quickly integrated directly into the field cabling. The connectors cover a wire cross-section from AWG26 to AWG22.

Reduced wiring

For example, the IEEE 802.3bp was defined in 2014. The new standard describes the 1000Base-T1 Ethernet, which is also known as RTPGE (Reduced Twisted Pair Gigabit Ethernet). This technology was mainly developed in the automotive industry. The specifications apply to twisted unshielded wire pairs, with which a data transfer rate of up to 1 Gbit / s can be achieved over segment distances from 10 m to 40 m. This covers exactly those requirements of the automotive industry that have been solved, for example, in automotive infotainment by serial bus systems such as the MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) bus. The advantage of the RTPGE is obvious: the reduced cabling immediately reduces the material costs,and the manufacturers can reduce the overall weight of the vehicle and thus also the fuel consumption.

The reduced twisted pair is currently also considered by the Single Twisted Pair Ethernet Study Group. However, the focus here is not on gigabit Ethernet, but rather particularly high copper-based transmission distances of 1000 m and more - with a comparatively low data transmission rate of 10 Mbit / s. In the future, additional areas of application could be covered in which Industrial Ethernet has not previously been used - for example in process automation. Automation engineers mainly rely on classic fieldbus solutions such as Profibus PA or Foundation Fieldbus. These protocols enable the simultaneous transmission of data and power even in potentially explosive areas with intrinsically safe applications. Around 95% of all applications require trunk line lengths of up to 1000 m.

Connection technology

M12 connectors have many faces

Content of the article:

• Page 1: Cabling systems for Industrial Ethernet
• Page 2: New standards close gaps

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