Scribd
Upload
53 views

A Bridge To Fieldbus Upgrades

This document discusses a technology called EtherHighway NetBridge that can upgrade older fieldbus networks to Ethernet by injecting Ethernet signals over existing wiring up to 2000 feet without needing new cabling. It reduces upgrade costs by eliminating the need for fiber or switches and maintains the deterministic nature of traditional fieldbus topologies.

Uploaded by

fawmer61
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
53 views

A Bridge To Fieldbus Upgrades

This document discusses a technology called EtherHighway NetBridge that can upgrade older fieldbus networks to Ethernet by injecting Ethernet signals over existing wiring up to 2000 feet without needing new cabling. It reduces upgrade costs by eliminating the need for fiber or switches and maintains the deterministic nature of traditional fieldbus topologies.

Uploaded by

fawmer61
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Control Exclusive

A Bridge to Fieldbus Upgrades


Ethernet is replacing many traditional industrial communication networks as automation suppliers move to
Ethernet for better performance and openness. The move to IP v6 is enhancing this move, since there will be
enough IP addresses to provide Ethernet to the Field Device for many years.

However, there are large

numbers of plants and existing devices within plants, which were designed with older fieldbus technologies

that pre-date Ethernet, and werent designed to be used with it.


These include Modbus Plus, Data Highway, GE Genius, Profibus, ControlNet, DeviceNet, InterbusS and many other RS232
or RS422 cables.
Some applications of the older fieldbuses have distances that
can exceed the 300-ft limitation of Ethernet over copper wire,
and, thus, will require fiber-optic cabling. The cost and complexity of running new cabling, especially if fiber is required,
has prevented upgrades of certain applications, as they are not
cost-effective
Aboundi, the creation of Hong Yu, one of the developers of
Modbus, is now attempting to remedy this problem. Its trademarked EtherHighway NetBridge will use the existing
communication cable by injecting a broadband communication over the wire, and operating at speeds up to 90 MBPS.
This will reduce the cost and potential disruptions when
installing new cabling for existing systems. It will also eliminate the need to use fiber for communication distances
greater than 300 feet, and you can keep your multidrop bus
architecture and eliminate Ethernet switches and complex
LLDP, DLR or rings, says Yu.
Ethernet topology is a major issue in wiring and installation
costs. Traditional fieldbus wiring was optimized to work off a
bus or daisy-chain wiring. Ethernet, on the other hand, is optimized to work in star or tree configurations. Creating a bus
configuration from a traditional star configuration is a major issue when applying Ethernet in traditional I/O applications with
distributed devices. Typically, users have had to use one Ethernet switch per bus drop, which obviously is extremely expensive.
Often it is far too costly to even attempt the upgrade to Ethernet.
Another choice has been wireless. Wireless bridges eliminate wiring costs, but create other problems, including intermittent loss of signal and bandwidth loss (especially in
802.11 networks) They also make the network link non-deterministic. Aboundis EtherHighway NetBridge operates at
90 Mbps UDP, which is two to four times faster than 802.11g
wireless without issues of security and dead zones and intermittent operation. It also maintains the deterministic nature
of the traditional fieldbus topologies.
Aboundi NetBridges layer Ethernet over high-frequency
(broadband) communication over the common power wires
52

Ethernet Wiring at the I/O level


Conveyor or manufacturing line

Device or I/O module


Ethernet
Power

PLC

Traditional Switch architecture


PLC

Low port count Switches in a Bus architecture or ring DLR


PLC

NetBridge configuration with Ethernet over Power EoP

Figure 1. NetBridge simplifies upgrading communication to older


fieldbus installations by eliminating the need for new cable.

(AC or DC voltages) and eliminate a need for a separate


communication wire in I/O networks. They can extend
wired communications to 600 m (2000 ft.) without fiberoptic cabling or network repeaters. NetBridges can create
isolated channels and allow VLAN communications over a
common wire by dividing broadcast frequencies into different channels.
Traditional fieldbus designs, such as Modbus Plus, Data
Highway and Profibus, are capable of operating at cable
lengths up to 2000 feet (610 m). While traditional Ethernet networks are limited to about 200 feet (61 m), Aboundis
NetBridges are capable of driving signals up to 2000 feet.
This means that devices can remain located further
apart than they would have to be with a standard Ethernet
upgrade, Yu says. All of this while using existing cable.
NetBridges can even inject communication with magnetic
coupling to eliminate the need to splice into existing wires.
For more information, go to www.aboundi.com.

www.controlglobal.com N o v e m b e r / 2 0 1 1

CT1111_52_Exclusive.indd 52

10/27/11 5:29 PM

You might also like