Uniting SPE with Norms and Standards: Where Open Systems Start
While the benefits of Single-Pair Ethernet (SPE) are valuable on their own, the technology is particularly useful when it’s used in combination with norms and standards that go beyond physical connections. This combination enables open, interoperable systems.
A technology stack that includes SPE has great potential, especially when it’s accepted by many industrial automation stakeholders:
- Construction and installation professionals
- Network administrators
- Application programmers and operators
- Data scientists
(This is usually the case when technologies are standardized by consortia, user groups or associations or internationally standardized by IEC.)
Let’s look at some of the norms and standards being considered alongside SPE, including the stakeholders who will see value from these technology stacks.
Single Pair Ethernet + IEC/IEEE 60802, IEEE 802.1DG and IEEE 802.1DP
The transition from fieldbus systems to Ethernet technology offers significant advantages, particularly for network administrators who maintain network security, availability and transmission performance. The physical transmission standard (i.e. single-pair Ethernet, multi-pair Ethernet or fiber optic-based Ethernet) chosen is of secondary importance. They can all be linked to the same set of IEEE 802.1 standards.
A network administrator’s tasks are made considerably easier through Ethernet implementation and compliance with IEC/IEEE 60802. This standard integrates specific mechanisms for quality assurance (QoS) and security, which are essential when operating modern industrial networks.
In an automated manufacturing operation that relies on traditional fieldbus systems, the network administrator often encounters challenges related to data-transfer rates and new-device integration. Switching to SPE gives administrators the benefits offered by enhanced features within the IEC/IEEE 60802 profile, including improved security protocols for authentication (such as IEEE 802.1X) and the ability to prioritize traffic through QoS. This ensures that critical control information is prioritized over less-urgent traffic, increasing installation efficiency and reliability.
The higher bandwidth and range of SPE compared to traditional fieldbuses also allows administrators to efficiently manage a wider network with a greater number of devices, increasing the scalability and flexibility of the system.
For all network-compatible devices, conformity with a profile requires the implementation of additional mechanisms and functions that weren’t defined for fieldbus environments. This can pose challenges, especially for devices with severe resource limitations. However, conformance tests are not available yet, which makes product development difficult and certification impossible.
Single Pair Ethernet + OPC UA and UAFX
The combination of SPE and UAFX offers considerable advantages for those working in process-oriented roles. OPC UA and UAFX standardize horizontal and vertical communication and define uniform data semantics, which is crucial for:
- Application engineers during initial configuration
- Operators who conduct process monitoring
- Data scientists for data analysis
In the process industry, for example, precise and timely data analysis is essential to optimize production and detect anomalies early. The switch to SPE enables fast, reliable transfer of large volumes of data directly from production lines to analysis and forecasting systems.
The integration of OPC UA and UAFX ensures standardized and interoperable data acquisition and transmission so that data scientists can access a consistent and comprehensive database. This not only improves the quality and informative value of the data analysis, but also facilitates the implementation of predictive maintenance strategies by analyzing machine data in quasi-real-time to predict failures and initiate predictive maintenance.
The high bandwidth and low latency of SPE, in combination with the data consistency and security ensured by OPC UA and UAFX, helps data scientists contribute more effectively to improving plant efficiency and uptime.
So far, the current version of UAFX only includes controller-to-controller communication. This connects controllers to each other, regardless of the manufacturer. Because the integration of sensors and actuators into control processes via UAFX is a current standardization project, no implementation beyond the prototype status is possible yet.
Single Pair Ethernet + NAMUR and OPAF
NAMUR and the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF) aim to promote open, secure and interoperable systems in the process industry through NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) and O-PAS™ standards that create a flexible, efficient production environment.
The combination of SPE and OPC UA FX, known in the process industry as APL (Advanced Physical Layer), provides a robust, standardized communication infrastructure for automation technology. It enables seamless integration of devices and systems, improves data transparency and supports advanced analysis and control functions.
NAMUR also expects bandwidth increases to provide access to additional process and device status data (“vitality data”) in addition to the actual measured value. This data will be made available in a standardized way to IT in the cloud with the help of PA-DIM (Process Automation Data Information Model).
Through artificial intelligence, processes can be optimized and system availability can be increased with predictive maintenance. It’s likely that a sensor will independently report deviations in its vital status.
Standardized information models enable manufacturer-independent and automated self-parameterization and configuration of sensors, which automatically provide identification data. To meet increasing data-security challenges, secure data identity of the devices will be required in the future. Additional mechanisms for authentication and secure data transmission will also be used to meet future data-security requirements.
Single Pair Ethernet + Belden
As the industrial automation industry continues to integrate Single Pair Ethernet into operations, Belden will help plants build tech stacks that include SPE as an enabler.
Our Single Pair Ethernet portfolio of cabling and connectivity products creates a world of possibility when it comes to establishing Ethernet connections in industrial environments.
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About the Author
Michael Hilgner’s passion is all about shaping a company’s technology strategy. He helps Belden derive demands for new technologies from product roadmaps and bring new technologies into product development. An expert on OT and IIoT system solutions, he helps drive the digitalization of products and processes. He also initiates and maintains partnerships with academia and research institutes to explore new technologies and advance their maturity level.
About the Author
Cornelia Eitel has worked for Belden’s Hirschmann Automation and Control in the field of industrial Ethernet for more than two decades. Since 2012, she has been part of Belden’s Advanced Development Department as a senior systems architect, primarily in the hardware area. She also supports the standardization of IEEE 802.3 Single Pair Ethernet.
About the Author
Lukas Bechtel has been with Belden since 2012, rising through the ranks from test automation engineer to technology architect in our CTO office. He’s also a faculty member and researcher at Esslingen University, where he teaches students about IT and network security and industrial networks while studying areas like Industry 4.0, wireless communication and industrial communication and security.