Project aims for new CIP network standard

A new project seeks to develop a network targeted at simple sensors and actuators.

ODVA has announced a new project to develop a network targeted at simple sensors and actuators.

This new network use the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP), a single, media-independent protocol that provides the interoperability essential to open networks and systems.

This new network technology, which is designed to complement and expand the CIP family of networks for automation - including DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP - is targeted at applications requiring large numbers of distributed sensors and actuators.

These include electrical assembly machines and conveyor systems.

The result will be a new CIP network that will enable manufacturers to transmit small packets of data quickly between controllers and sensors and actuators, and to connect these devices using cost-effective physical media that is simple to install.

ODVA has named this new activity Project CipNet SA.

Omron Corporation, one of the founding members of ODVA, has developed the technology for this new network concept, and has granted ODVA the right to this technology to develop a new CIP network standard.

"This new technology will expand the options available to users of CIP Networks and will empower them to choose the best network architecture for specific applications", said Katherine Voss, Executive Director of ODVA.

"In addition, this network will help us to continue meeting the needs of our members and their customers, and thus will contribute to the continued growth of the organisation".

"Omron has recognised that open and interoperable network technologies are the future for industrial networks, and that CIP is the world's best-in-class protocol to achieve this goal", added Fumio Tateishi, Industrial Automation Business Unit President, Omron Corporation.

"In addition, ODVA provides the organisational strength needed to ensure that this technology is made available and successfully deployed to industry".

CIP Networks allow manufacturers worldwide to integrate their automation applications - including control, safety, configuration and diagnostics, information, synchronisation and motion - with enterprise-level Ethernet networks and the Internet.

A proven and future-proof network architecture with an installed base of nearly 10 million nodes, CIP allows users to benefit today from the many advantages of open, interoperable networks while protecting their existing automation investments when upgrading in the future.

The next step in creating the open standard for this new network technology is the formation of an ODVA Special Interest Group (SIG) for Project CipNet SA.

This SIG will create the necessary specification enhancements needed to add the new network technology to ODVA's suite of network specifications.

Operating under the authority of ODVA, this SIG will help accelerate the adoption of CIP and the new network technology by developing and maintaining the specification for the network.

ODVA will publish the specification as a part of its CIP Networks Library.

ODVA expects that this specification could be published as soon as the first quarter of 2006.

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