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All About Fieldbus Protocols

by Editorial Staff

Fieldbus protocols form the backbone of industrial communication

systems, allowing for effective interaction between various devices in
automated processes. From the early and simple Modbus protocol, which

became a widespread standard due to its simplicity and ease of use, to the
high-performance and high-speed Profibus designed for complex

communication tasks, the diversity of these systems is vast.

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DeviceNet focuses on vendor-neutral communication between devices, while
EtherCAT, an Ethernet-based system, is renowned for its speed and real-time

capabilities. Ethernet/IP layers the Common Industrial Protocol over Ethernet to

provide robust, high-speed communication, and the Control Area Network

(CAN) serves as a robust, low-cost serial bus protocol allowing for efficient
microcontroller communication.

Table of Contents

1. Fieldbus Protocols

2. 1. Modbus

3. 2. Profibus
 4. 3. DeviceNet

5. 4. EtherCAT

6. 5. Ethernet/IP

7. 6. CAN (Control Area Network)

8. 7. Profinet

9. 8. AS-Interface (AS-i)

10. 9. CC-Link

11. 10. Foundation Fieldbus

12. 11. SERCOS III

13. 12. POWERLINK

14. 13. Modbus-Plus

15. 14. Interbus

16. 15. IO-Link

17. 16. FL-net

18. 17. EtherNet/IP CIP Motion

19. 18. CC-Link IE

20. Conclusion

Fieldbus Protocols
Each of these fieldbus protocols serves different needs and finds applications

in various industrial sectors, ensuring the smooth operation of our increasingly

automated world.
Fieldbus Max Max
Speed Topology Use Cases
Protocol Distance Nodes

31.25 1.2 km
247 100 m to Wide range
kbit/s (RS485),
(RS485), 9.6 km of industrial
Modbus to 1 Depends
253 (depending control
Mbit/s on media
(TCP/IP) on speed) systems
(RS485) (TCP/IP)

9.6 100 m to Factory

kbit/s 9.6 km automation,

Profibus 127 Tree, Star
to 12 (depends process
Mbit/s on speed) automation

125 Automotive
kbit/s 500 m (at industry,
DeviceNet 64 Trunk/Drop
to 500 125 kbit/s) industrial

kbit/s automation

Real-time
100 m
100 industrial
EtherCAT (between 65535 Line
Mbit/s control
devices)
systems

Ethernet/IP 10 100 m Unlimited Star, Tree, Various

Mbit/s (Copper Line automation

to 1 Ethernet), and process
Gbit/s up to 40 control
applications
Fieldbus Max Max
Speed Topology Use Cases
Protocol Distance Nodes

km (Fiber

Optic)

CAN 50 40 m (at 1 Automotive,

(Control kbit/s Mbit/s) to 1 Industrial
127 Bus, Star
Area to 1 km (at 50 control
Network) Mbit/s kbit/s) systems

100 m
100 (Copper Industrial

Mbit/s Ethernet), Line, Star, automation,

Profinet Unlimited
to 1 up to 40 Ring process
Gbit/s km (Fiber control
Optic)

Simple or
100 m
AS- binary
167 (extendable Line, Tree,
Interface 62 devices, e.g.
kbit/s with Star
(AS-i) switches,
repeaters)
sensors

100 m
(extendable Mitsubishi
10 Line, Star,
CC-Link to 1.2 km 64 PLCs, Asian
Mbit/s Ring
with markets
repeaters)
 Fieldbus Max Max
Speed Topology Use Cases
Protocol Distance Nodes

Process
Foundation 31.25 Bus, Star, automation,
1900 m 32
Fieldbus H1 kbit/s Tree intelligent
devices

100 m
(Copper Servo

100 Ethernet), drives,

SERCOS III 511 Ring
Mbit/s up to 80 Machine
km (Fiber tools
Optic)

100 m
(Copper
100 Ethernet), Real-time
POWERLINK 240 Line, Ring
Mbit/s up to 40 I/O, drives
km (Fiber
Optic)

Modbus- 1 Peer to Modicon

1.6 km 64
Plus Mbit/s Peer PLCs

1. Modbus
One of the oldest and simplest protocols, Modbus was developed in 1979 for
industrial automation systems and especially for PLCs (Programmable Logic
Controllers). Modbus is a simple master-slave protocol that sends data over
serial lines (RS-232/RS-485) and Ethernet (Modbus TCP/IP).

Modbus is widely used for connecting industrial electronic devices due to its
simplicity and ease of deployment. It’s well-suited for transferring

discrete/analog I/O data and registers data between control and

instrumentation devices.

···

2. Profibus
Profibus (Process Field Bus) is a standard for fieldbus communication in
automation technology, originally promoted by Siemens and now managed by
Profibus & Profinet International (PI). It operates at speeds up to 12 Mbit/s.
Profibus is used in various applications such as factory automation, process
automation, and motion control systems. Profibus comes in two variants:
Profibus-DP (Decentralized Peripherals, used for high-speed communications
with field devices) and Profibus-PA (Process Automation, used in process
industries for slower speed intrinsically safe applications).

3. DeviceNet
DeviceNet is a network protocol that shares common elements with the
ControlNet protocol and Ethernet/IP, utilizing the Common Industrial Protocol
(CIP) at a higher layer. It is maintained by ODVA and typically runs on a thick 5-
pin cable which supplies both power and communication.

DeviceNet is largely used in the industrial automation environment where it

simplifies the connections between devices such as sensors, actuators, and
automation systems, particularly in automotive industry applications.
 ···

4. EtherCAT
EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology) is an open standard
Ethernet-based fieldbus system. Developed by Beckhoff Automation, EtherCAT
offers real-time capability and flexible topology options.

EtherCAT is often used in robotics, semiconductor devices, and automation

where high-speed, deterministic control is required. Its ability to process “on the
fly” (data is processed as it’s being received) makes it very fast and suitable for
applications with real-time requirements.

5. Ethernet/IP
Ethernet/IP (Industrial Protocol) is an industrial network protocol that uses the
Common Industrial Protocol over Ethernet. It’s managed by ODVA and uses
both of the most widely deployed collections of Ethernet standards – the
Internet Protocol suite and IEEE 802.3 – to define the features and functions for
its transport, network, data link, and physical layers.

···

Ethernet/IP is used in a variety of industrial and automation applications

including DCS (Distributed Control Systems), drives control, and in safety
devices.

6. CAN (Control Area Network)

CAN is a robust and low-cost serial bus protocol, Developed by Bosch, that
allows microcontrollers to communicate with each other without a host
computer. It’s especially popular in automotive applications but also used in

other areas like industrial automation and medical equipment.

CAN bus is largely used in the automotive industry for communication between
devices (like engine management systems, active suspension, ABS, gear control,
lighting control, air conditioning, airbags, and central locking) within vehicles
without a host computer.

7. Profinet
Profinet (Process Field Net) is an industry technical standard for data
communication over Industrial Ethernet. It is designed for collecting data from
and controlling, equipment in industrial systems, with a particular strength in

delivering data under tight time constraints.

Like Profibus, Profinet is used in various applications such as factory

automation, process automation, and motion control systems. Profinet comes in

three variants: Profinet CBA (Component Based Automation, used for modular

machine designs), Profinet IRT (Isochronous Real Time, used for motion control
applications), and Profinet RT (Real Time, used for standard data transfer).

···

8. AS-Interface (AS-i)
Actuator Sensor Interface (AS-i) is a networking solution used in PLC, DCS, and

PC-based automation systems. It is designed for connecting simple field I/O

devices (e.g., binary ON/OFF devices such as actuators, sensors, rotary encoders,
analog inputs, and outputs, push buttons, and valve position sensors) in

discrete manufacturing and process applications using a single two-conductor

cable.

AS-i is commonly used in manufacturing, process control, and building

automation settings. It’s simplicity and lower cost make it an excellent choice
for basic digital I/O operations, particularly where a large number of I/O points

need to be networked.

9. CC-Link
CC-Link is a high-speed field network that can efficiently link a large number of

devices. It was developed in Asia and it is popular there. It integrates both

discrete and process control into one network and allows for both cyclic and

transient communications.
CC-Link is frequently used in Mitsubishi automation products and has a large

installed base in Asia. Its use cases are similar to other fieldbuses, with the main
application being factory automation, including networking of devices such as

I/O blocks, PLCs, HMIs, and VFDs.

···

10. Foundation Fieldbus

Foundation Fieldbus is an all-digital, serial, two-way communication system that
serves as the base-level network in a plant or factory automation environment.

It is intended for use in process control systems, providing data communication

and control between field devices and control systems.

Foundation Fieldbus is used extensively in process industries – oil & gas,

chemical, power generation, pharmaceutical, and food & beverage, among

others. Its primary advantage is the ability to communicate complex current and

future data needs, including device status, diagnostics, control-in-the-field

capability, and support for sophisticated device calibration and tuning.

11. SERCOS III

SERCOS III (SErial Real-time COmmunication System) is the third generation of
the SERCOS interface, a standardized open digital interface for the
communication between industrial controls, drives, I/O, and sensors.

SERCOS III is often used in machine tools, packaging machines, printing

machines, and other similar applications where motion control is a key

requirement. It provides a high degree of interoperability since it’s an open

protocol used by many different vendors.

12. POWERLINK
POWERLINK is a software protocol standard created by the Ethernet
POWERLINK Standardization Group (EPSG). It’s a Real-Time Ethernet fieldbus

system designed for hard real-time applications, with a very low jitter of less

than 1 µs.

POWERLINK is often used in applications requiring precise synchronization and

determinism, including robotics, packaging machines, assembly systems, and

other sophisticated industrial automation systems.

13. Modbus-Plus
Modbus-Plus (MB+) is a peer-to-peer protocol (every device can function as a
master or a slave) developed by Modicon. It operates at 1 Mbit/s and is a

token-passing network.

This fieldbus was designed specifically for Modicon PLCs to handle robust
industrial communication needs. It is typically used in manufacturing sectors.
 ···

14. Interbus
Interbus, also known as Interbus-S, is a fieldbus system that was developed by
Phoenix Contact in the 1980s. It features a cyclic data transfer process that is

largely used for control and regulation tasks in the automation industry.

Interbus is used in a wide range of automation and process control applications,

from automotive manufacturing to the chemical industry. It is ideal for quick

data exchange between programmable logic controllers and decentralized field

devices.

15. IO-Link
IO-Link is a short distance, bi-directional, digital, point-to-point, wired (or
wireless), industrial communications networking standard (IEC 61131-9) used

for connecting digital sensors and actuators to either a type of industrial

fieldbus or a type of industrial Ethernet.

IO-Link is used for data exchange between controllers and sensors or actuators.

The main uses are machine tools, manufacturing systems, production lines, and
all kinds of devices that need to communicate data to a controller in a

standardized and reliable way.

16. FL-net
FL-net (Factory LAN network) is an open network that is standardized as a

Japanese industrial standard (JIS). It is built on Ethernet technology and

designed for high-speed cyclic data transmission and event transmission.

···

FL-net is primarily used in Japan and other parts of Asia for data
communication between PLCs from different vendors, allowing for

interoperability and the exchange of data in a factory setting.

17. EtherNet/IP CIP Motion

EtherNet/IP CIP Motion is a part of EtherNet/IP that focuses on motion
applications. It allows for real-time control of high-speed multi-axis applications

and synchronizes motion tasks.

EtherNet/IP CIP Motion is used in automation systems requiring precise, high-

speed, multi-axis motion control, such as packaging, converting, robotics, and

material handling.

18. CC-Link IE
CC-Link IE (Industrial Ethernet) is a high-speed, high-performance industrial
network technology that enables devices from numerous manufacturers to

communicate. It offers gigabit Ethernet performance and seamless integration

of field devices and controllers.

CC-Link IE is used in a variety of applications, including automotive,

semiconductor, and other high-speed automation tasks.

···

Conclusion
The Fieldbus protocols offer more options for engineers and system integrators.

The best fieldbus for your application depends on many factors, including the
specific requirements of the task, cost, availability of components, and the

experience of the design and maintenance team. It’s also worth considering the

geographical region, as some fieldbuses are more popular in certain parts of

the world.

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