To understand what industrial ethernet is, you first need to understand what ethernet itself is. The year is 1973. The company Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, cradle of inventions that revolutionized the modern world, such as the mouse and laser printer. It was in a simple report that Robert Metcalfe described the potential of LAN technology.
He created what most people nowadays know as LAN – Local Area Network. They are devices that are physically interconnected. Also known as ethernet, an architecture technology for connecting local area networks.
What Is Industrial Ethernet
Now that you understand what ethernet is and how the technology came about, it’s much easier to understand its industrial variation. There are some main varieties of ethernet used in industries: Profinet, Ethernet / IP and Ethercat. Today we will deal with Ethernet / IP, one of the most widespread.
You already know that ethernet is a physical means of interconnection, correct? This space can be your home, a store or even a factory. The creators of Ethernet / IP wanted to develop a new protocol specially designed for industrial applications, and that’s where it came from.
It is necessary to connect the devices that are on the factory floor with each other and also with the PLCs.
How Does This Network Apply To Industrial Automation?
Understanding what industrial ethernet is is essential to understanding its application and importance in industry 4.0. With it you have the possibility of having a large data availability, providing access points in different locations of the production line. In addition, it also starts to transmit image and text data, developing detailed and rich diagnostics and reports.
We can also highlight the possibility of remote configuration, support and maintenance. It should be noted, however, that if your goal is to use an ethernet network in your factory, search for and install protocols specifically developed for this purpose. There is no point in implementing a commercial network, as you will not be able to achieve your goals.
