Ethernet goes way beyond control
A
System Devices product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Aug 4, 2000
There's no doubt that Ethernet has a fantastic future and one which will go way beyond industrial control, says System Devices MD Roger Williams
As summer arrives and rivers begin to dry out, how do water companies know if there is a chance of drought? How does your office or factory reconcile rising outside temperatures with a comfortable working environment? The answer is via the Ethernet.
Originally developed in the late 1970s as part of a US research project into how the office of the future might function, the Ethernet's high speed, low cost and ease of installation meant that it was always going to have popular appeal across many sectors.
The Ethernet is essentially a local area network (or LAN) that transmits information between computers at very high speeds.
From the time of the first Ethernet standard, its specifications have been freely available.
This openness, together with its ease of use and robustness, has resulted in widespread acceptance of the technology by the computer industry.
So most vendors equip their products with Ethernet attachments, allowing a wide range of computers to communicate and giving a high degree of network interoperability.
Today, water companies use it to relay remote information from their monitoring stations.
Building managers use it to pass information from external sensors so that heating, ventilation and lighting can be maintained at the correct levels.
According to a survey by Automation Research Company, 96% of the world's networks use Ethernet TCP/IP.
In fact the Internet-led convergence of voice, data, broadcasting, cable and all manner of wireless technologies today is all being made possible by the Ethernet.
System Devices believes that the future for control automation lies with the Internet too.
The UK's sole supplier of Opto 22 products offers a range of products from the company which has chosen the Ethernet as the driving force for its next generation of Fieldbus products.
"The choice was easy really," explained System Devices MD Roger Williams.
"Almost all PCs today are equipped with an Ethernet TCP/IP port and the network components are available everywhere." A new development, FactoryFloor 3.0 integrates closely with Opto 22's world class control hardware, including the SNAP I/O line of industrial controllers and I/O modules.
The new release will make automation projects both faster and cheaper.
However, as uptake of Opto 22's SNAP Ethernet I/O is showing, the Ethernet has an equally bright future in non-industrial automation applications.
Telephone companies, Internet service providers and OEMs are just some of the many users now taking up the technology.
"There's no doubt that the Ethernet has a fantastic future and one which will go way beyond industrial control," concluded Williams.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Google Ads
Contact System Devices
Related Stories
- Moeller gives Wiring Regulations guidance
- IEE regulations recognise flaw with static UPS
- Siemens outlines MES business benefits
- Networking technology can bring oil prices down
- Explaining worldwide fieldbus differences
Articles by product category
- Consultancy and Services (903)
- Machine Building (4,517)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,179)
- Engineering Design Software (12)
- 2D CAD software (200)
- 3D CAD software (1,157)
- FEA and structural analysis software (369)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (914)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (196)
- Materials design and moulding design software (151)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (258)
- Electrical design software (164)
- Publishing and documentation software (229)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (317)
- Data, document management software (310)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (568)
- File conversion software, data capture (351)
- PLM and collaboration software (649)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,361)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Precision Motors and Gears (411)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,276)
- Linear Drives and Motors (114)
- Industrial Motors (497)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,060)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,975)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,028)
- Plantwide control (1,324)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,174)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (387)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (184)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (201)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (562)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (294)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (806)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,459)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (494)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (472)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (630)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (703)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (440)
- Data loggers (422)
- Materials testing equipment (421)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (154)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (500)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,222)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,160)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (555)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (679)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (709)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (420)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (798)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (369)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (630)
-
Materials and Processing (2,963)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials and components (2,215)
- Rapid Prototyping (458)
- Materials processing and testing (285)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,093)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (562)
- Engineering Conferences (425)
- Engineering Seminars (400)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (633)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (349)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Training Courses (433)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (838)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (113)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (175)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (277)
-
Powertrain Design (3,598)
- Powertrain Design (2)
- Bearings (939)
- Chains and belts (326)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,441)
- Hydraulic Components (471)
- Lubricants (418)
-
Capital Equipment (3,387)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (468)
- Production line blowers and fans (62)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (510)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,093)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (930)
-
Sensors (7,080)
- Sensors (8)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (427)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (699)
- Pressure sensors (621)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (618)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (527)
- Linear Position Sensors (399)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (546)
- Proximity Sensors (700)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (284)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (152)
- Temperature sensors (612)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,384)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,623)
