Industrial Ethernet

Introducing Reliable Industrial Ethernet Solutions from Weidmuller

One of the biggest challenges facing process control and manufacturing automation managers today is how to minimize unplanned downtime and the associated losses in production. There are many causes of unplanned downtime in industrial operations, ranging from faulty mechanical and electromechanical systems to power systems used in these environments.

Responding to these issues, Weidmuller’s Research and Marketing teams, backed by experienced Applications Engineers and a knowledgeable Commercial Support staff, have developed a full complement of Reliable Industrial Ethernet Solutions.

In analyzing the cause for unplanned plant standstills, Weidmuller identified a number of problems attributed to customers’ migration to new industrial communications infrastructures. In particular, migration from older communications systems such as RS485-based communications, HART systems, and others, to Ethernet-based communication networks poses a number of challenges to industrial network planners, engineers, and technicians. Although Information Technology (IT) groups in organizations are experienced with the successful design and deployment of Ethernet-based communication networks, the deployment of these next-generation networks in industrial settings and on the plant floor remains a challenge.

Many problems found in Ethernet-based industrial networks are rooted in faulty design of their physical infrastructure. Added to this is the confusion about best deployment practices to ensure the reliability of newly launched networks. Since reliability is key for any communications network, Weidmuller developed their new industrial Ethernet Solutions with high network uptime as a primary objective. Each and every infrastructure component was designed from the ground up to work together as a cohesive communication system. This approach provides customers the ability to obtain everything they need from a single source, eliminating the potential compatibility issues of components sourced from multiple suppliers.

Weidmuller’s Industrial Ethernet solutions enable users to address network design issues including determinism, efficient traffic management, quick recovery from network faults, and integrity of the physical infrastructure. Their Ethernet product line can outfit customers with most of the elements needed for the successful design and deployment of industrial Ethernet networks, and include Ethernet switches, media and protocol converters, electrical and optical Ethernet cables (both patch and network cables), cable entry systems, connection modules, breakout cables, cable testers, Ethernet outlets, connection sockets, front plate interfaces, markers, RJ45 dust caps, couplers, plugs, installation flanges, Class 2 approved 24V DC power supplies, Ethernet OVP modules, and installation tool kits.

In addition to this full range of infrastructure components, Weidmuller provides each customer with a set of network design and installation guidelines as an added resource for the design and ongoing integrity of newly deployed industrial Ethernet networks.