Remote I/Os are more open to communication

An IMS Research product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Dec 2, 2002

Although the most popular method of networking PLCs on the factory floor is still via proprietary networks, the remote I/O modules used with PLCs are more commonly networked using open fieldbuses.

Even with the passing of a decade since the introduction of open fieldbus protocols, the most popular method of networking PLCs on the factory floor is still via companies' proprietary networks.

However, research conducted by IMS Research has found that by comparison the remote I/O modules used with PLCs are more commonly networked with other, more open, fieldbuses.

For example, over a third of the remote I/O units shipped in Europe last year used Profibus-DP (36.6%), making it the most commonly used communication protocol for this task.

Also Interbus, DeviceNet and CAN Open all have a significant share of the market.

Since the introduction of digital communications the increased competition from third party I/O suppliers, such as Beckhoff, Wago and Phoenix Contact to the traditional automation suppliers has seen the PLC remote I/O market evolve rapidly.

The result of this is a more fragmented supplier base.

In fact, the ten largest PLC remote I/O companies account for 77.5% of the market, more than 10% lower than the equivalent share for PLCs.

According to IMS Research analyst, John Devlin, "These third party companies have promoted the use of more open networks, such as Profibus-DP, Interbus, DeviceNet and CAN Open.

Between them, these four protocols were used with over 60% of the remote I/O shipped in Europe for use with PLCs last year".

The results of a pan-European survey of automation customers reinforce these findings.

Devlin adds: "It is apparent that this is becoming a more important issue.

Almost without fail, the customers foresee much higher use of remote I/O within their PLC automation networks.

By the end of 2004 nearly half of the companies surveyed expected remote I/O to account for more than 60% of the total I/O connected to their PLCs".

The customers' responses also showed that this is all set to change in the near future since the companies surveyed expected to use fieldbuses to a lesser extent by 2004.

20% fewer respondents expected to use Profibus-DP.

Devlin adds a cautionary note, saying: "This reduction corresponds with an anticipated uptake of Ethernet within industrial automation.

However IMS Research believes that such a change may take a little longer to penetrate down to the device level than is indicated by these results".

(This was Engineeringtalk's Top Story on 29 November 2002).

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