FEATURE COMMUNICATIONS & NETWORKS Becoming increasingly versatile HARTING in two different designs,
Kevin Canham of HARTNG explains how Ethernet switches are providing a cost effective solution within industry
E
thernet has long since established itself as the standard for networking
solutions in offices or in private households. Ethernet-based transmission methods are also replacing existing technologies employed in long distance networking in the WAN (Wide Area Network) sector. A similar trend is now under way in the industrial sector. The simplest and most cost effective Ethernet integration can be implemented using switches, with unmanaged switches the simplest and most economical solution. Ethernet switches are fundamental
network infrastructure components - they link controllers, field devices and higher level control and monitoring levels. The importance of switches and the demands placed on them have changed dramatically in recent years. Nowadays, switches have a significant impact on network infrastructure due to their functionality and technical capabilities.
optimised for different applications. ●
The eCon 3000 family is based on a
very narrow form factor which permits high packing density in the control
cabinet, helping users to save costs. ●
The eCon 2000 family has a flat
design which permits greatly reduced installation depth at the point of utilisation. These two ranges of switches include
systems in which a growing number of end subscribers communicate with one another. The networking of the entire system takes place primarily via managed switches, since administrative and diagnostic functions are essential for the requirements of the application, such as high up-time through redundancy mechanisms. Within these systems, unmanaged Ethernet switches are used for local port duplication in the control cabinet, directly on the machine or on a
Above: industrial Ethernet switches form the heart of a modern network, including 1) smart control and regulation; 2) video surveillance of buildings and machines; 3) flexible communication infrastructure and 4) vision applications
So-called ‘unmanaged’ Ethernet
switches represent the simplest form of this family of devices. They are cost effective compared to managed switches since there is no need for an expensive processor or memory devices. Nevertheless, they fulfil all the standard functions such as auto-crossing, auto- negotiation and auto-polarity. In addition, the reduced range of functions offers additional advantages. The switches can be installed with no configuration effort, which makes them ‘plug and play’ capable in the broadest sense of the phrase. These simple components even boast port speeds which range from Fast Ethernet to Gigabit Ethernet, which means that they meet current market requirements and are adequate for most applications. In the past, the dependency of individual
machines (and therefore their networking) was often limited to a small manageable range. Today, however, we encounter increasingly widespread
24 APRIL 2014 | AUTOMATION
robot, for example. Since the port costs of unmanaged eCon switches are lower, this approach can be found in many applications in different markets. This allows a large number of additional subscribers to be integrated into the network without huge increases in costs. Another area of application for
unmanaged switches is the cost effective changeover from the medium of copper to fibre optic links, in which the switches are used as media converters. The connection to a higher network level is very often effected via optical ports. The advantage here is that longer routes and distances can be covered and that EMI effects need not be considered. This characteristic significantly facilitates the planning and design of the system and helps to prevent problems caused by electromagnetic interference.
COMPACT AND VERSATILE A new range of switches designed for ‘top hat’ rail mounting are available from
Above: the HARTING Ha-VIS eCon 2000 and 3000 unmanaged Ethernet switches offer a choice of formats to meet customers’ requirements
more than 200 models with both RJ45 and fibre optic cable ports to enable the efficient set-up and expansion of Ethernet networks. Units in the Ha-VIS eCon 3000 family each feature up to ten Fast Ethernet ports and offer economical and fast options to expand or set-up network infrastructures. Full Gigabit switches are available with up to seven ports each for applications with high data throughput. The slim design of the switches also allows them to be positioned on the carrier rail with a very high packing density. Thanks to the DIN rail clip that is integrated into the housing, these switches can be swiftly and simply installed in the field, which consequently helps save money and time. Switches in the Ha-VIS eCon 2000 family each offer up to 16 Fast Ethernet ports and are also available in a 7-port full Gigabit version. This allows customers to expand or set-up network infrastructures in a time saving, economical way. Owing to the extremely flat design, the switches can also be accommodated in installations where space is restricted towards the cable connection at the front. RJ45 and fibre optic ports are located on the front of the switches, allowing cables to be connected quickly and simply.
POWER EFFICIENCY Power over Ethernet (PoE) allows power to be supplied to end devices directly via the Ethernet data cable. PoE+ is a standard for the parallel transfer of energy and data using twisted pair cables. Switches based on the PoE+ standard offer more power for optional end devices. The new eCon ranges include switches with a 54V supply voltage and models with integrated voltage converters which allow the use of standard 24V power supplies. Using these switches consequently reduces the cabling effort, while saving time and money.
HARTING
www.harting.co.uk T: 01604 827 500
Enter 211 /AUTOMATION
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