Al, this is another example I have seen in Design News of Ethernet being used in the industrial world. It is interesting to see how widespread ethernet's adoption has been. I worked with the very earliest implementations. Ethernet won the battle in the computer connectivity world because of its flexibility. It has been taking over the large scale telecom carrier world. Now, it seems to be making significant inroads in the industrial networking world. Not bad for an open standard.
Naperlou, I'd attempt to convince a customer who wanted something else to look at Ethernet for industrial automation.
The single significant weakness to using Ethernet in industrial applications, in my opinion, to Ethernet is the RJ45 jack. It was never intended for the factory floor environment.
I agree. The RJ45 physical connection standard is a definite weak link. Surprised someone hasn't worked out a solution, yet. Other than that Ethernet is really good at data transfer, but I still think it's iffy for real time control.
TJ - Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of that option. I can't help but wonder why it hasn't caught on. Cost? Lack of awareness? Any insight on that issue?
Ethernet protocols have developed and gotten to the point of near domination in plant networking including high performance motion control, and there really is not a lot of competition. Device networks is still an area in the factory where there are options like CANopen, etc.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
Andrew Morris designed a circuit that could detect a stroke victim's groan and convert the sound into a signal so caregivers would know when help was needed.
New disc magnet motors fit into the design trend of stepping up to closed loop performance while maintaining the cost advantage of stepper motor technology.
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For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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