Industrial Ethernet switches are tough enough

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 1, 2004

A range of flexible edge-of-network Industrial Ethernet switches is available with three different levels of "toughness" covering applications ranging from the office to the great outdoors.

A range of flexible edge-of-network Industrial Ethernet switches is available with three different levels of "toughness" covering applications ranging from the office environment through industrial installations to the great outdoors.

This is believed to be the first time that low-cost switches have been offered meeting such a wide range of industrial applications environments.

The network edge is the point where IT networks hit the automation world, ie right at the PLC or controller level.

It is here that an explosion of activity is being seen as networks are expanded sideways to embrace other networks and downwards towards devices on the factory floor.

This inexorable expansion of Industrial Ethernet requires switches that can meet a wide range of applications environments at costs that are affordable without compromising quality or reliability.

The GarrettCom range covers two types of switch: first, basic four-port units that can extend networks sideways and downwards; and secondly a convertor switch that can handle both fibre and copper cables, to allow data transfer from WANs to LANs.

Magnum S14 is a low cost, four-port compact unit, which for ease of use has three connections at the front and one at the rear.

It uses IEEE802.3u auto-negotiation and MDI/MDIX autocross (auto-crossover) to enable connection of a 10 or 100Mbit/s device on any port.

Mounting options include stand-alone panel-mounting, DIN-rail or rack-mount tray.

The device is available in regular (office), hardened (factory floor) and premium rated (outdoor) versions.

Magnum CSN14 and CS14 convertor switches are all-in-one compact units that combine a two-port 10/100 copper switch with a 10 or 100Mbit/s fibre media convertor (respectively) costing no more than traditional media convertors.

The units have a range of fibre port choices for all multimode and single-mode fibre connector types and AC and DC input power selection.

As with the S14 switches, three types are available, for office, factory floor and outdoors.

In each product range, the regular format unit is housed in a robust metal case with convection cooling offering an ambient temperature rating of 0 to 40C.

All products in each range have the same small footprint (89 x 76 x 25mm).

The hardened and more robust variant is built with high-grade components (NEBS compliant) and constructed using special thermal techniques (patent pending) with a metal case for heavy-duty industrial jobs on the factory floor.

The ambient temperature range is -25 to +60C and the unit does not require any internal airflow for cooling and therefore resists dust, dirt, moisture, smoke and insects.

The premium rated switches are for temperature uncontrolled applications, typically located outdoors such as for traffic control, outdoor video monitoring on mechanical cranes or masts and even military applications.

These models are built with premium-grade extended-temperature components (NEBS compliant), and use similar thermal techniques (patent pending) as the hardened units.

The ambient temperature range is -40 to +75C.

All models come with AC power.

The hardened and premium rated variants also have integral DC terminal blocks.

Conformal coating is available on all formats.