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Industrial Automation Communication Protocols

The document discusses industrial communication networks used for automation. It describes how industrial networks differ from traditional networks by handling real-time control and data integrity in harsh environments. Some common industrial network types discussed are Ethernet, DeviceNet, Modbus, and ControlNet. The document also outlines the hierarchical levels in industrial networks and provides examples of networks used at each level.

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Takudzwa Matangira
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335 views

Industrial Automation Communication Protocols

The document discusses industrial communication networks used for automation. It describes how industrial networks differ from traditional networks by handling real-time control and data integrity in harsh environments. Some common industrial network types discussed are Ethernet, DeviceNet, Modbus, and ControlNet. The document also outlines the hierarchical levels in industrial networks and provides examples of networks used at each level.

Uploaded by

Takudzwa Matangira
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GROUP 9

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION
COMMUNICATION
PROTOCOLS
• TAKUNDA CHIRWA
• SIMBARASHE GAPU
• KUDZAI CHINDEDZA
• TASIMBA MAWORERA
• RAYMOND HURUDZA
• DANIEL MAKUMBE
What is an Industrial Communication Network?
• Data communication refers to the transformation of information or data, mostly in digital format from a
transmitter to a receiver through a link (which can be copper wire, coaxial cable, optical fiber, or any
other medium) connecting these two.
COMMUNICATION NETWORK TYPES

Traditional communication networks


• used to enable data communication between computers, computers and its peripherals and other
devices.

industrial communication network


• Is a special type of network made to handle real-time control and data integrity in harsh environments
over large installations. The examples of industrial communication networks include Ethernet,
DeviceNet, Modbus, ControlNet, and so on
• The three significant control mechanisms used in industrial automation field include
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and
Distributed Control System (DCS). All these elements deals with field instruments, smart field devices,
supervisory control PCs, distributed I/O controllers and HMI suits.
• In order to provide an interconnection between these devices and also to enable communication in
between them, a powerful and more effective communication network or scheme is needed. They differ
quite significantly from traditional enterprise networks. These industrial networks form a communication
path among field devices, controllers and PCs.
• The transmission media for passing the data and control signals can be either wired or wireless. In case of
wired transmission, a cable is used that can be a twisted pair, coaxial cable or fiber optics. Each network
cable has its own electrical characteristics that may be less or more suitable to a type of network or
specific environment. In case of wireless transmission, communication is performed through radio waves.
HIERARCHICAL LEVELS IN INDUSTRIAL
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
• Different levels have to handle different requirements of a particular level. So it is obvious that no single
communication network address requirements needed by each level. Hence different levels may use
different network based on the requirements such as data volume, data transmission, data security, etc.
Based on the functionality, industrial communication networks

• DEVICE LEVEL:
• This lowest level consists of field devices such as sensors and actuators of processes and machines. The
task of this level is to transfer the information between these devices and technical process elements
such as PLCs. The information transfer can be digital, analog or hybrid. The measured values may stay
for longer periods or over a short period.
• Control Level:
• This level consists of industrial controllers such as PLCs, distributed control units, and computer systems.
The tasks of this level include configuring automation devices, loading of program data and process
variables data, adjusting set variables, supervising control, displaying variables data on HMIs, historical
archiving, etc. So this level requires characteristics like short response time, high speed transmission,
short data lengths, machine synchronization, constant use of critical data, etc.
• Local Area Networks (LANs) are widely used as communication networks in this level to achieve desired
characteristics
• Information Level:
• This is the top level of the industrial automation system which gathers the information from its lower
level i.e., control level. It deals with large volumes of data that are neither in constant use or time
critical. Large scale networks exists in this level. So Ethernet WANs are commonly used as information
level networks for factory planning and management information exchange.  Sometimes these networks
may connect to other industrial networks via gateways.
TYPES

• Ethernet
• Standard communication protocol embedded in software and hardware devices.
• Connects wired local area networks (LANs) and enables devices to communicate with each other
through a protocol which is the common network language.
• Example of Ethernet is the cable system that connects the computer network of a small business
office.
• Used to build local area networks which connects a group of computers and shares the
information through cables or wires
• DeviceNet
• It is an open-device level network designed to interface field level devices (such as sensors, switches,
barcode readers, panel displays, etc.) with higher level controller (such as a PLC) with a unique adoption
of basic CAN protocol. It can support up to 64 nodes and supporting up to 2048 total devices.
• It reduces the network cost by integrating all devices on a four-wire cable that carries both data and
power conductors. The power on the network allows the devices to be powered up directly from the
network and hence it reduces the physical connection points. This network is popularly used in
automotive and semiconductor industries
Modbus
• It is an open system protocol that can run on a variety of physical layers. It is the most widely used
protocol in industrial control applications. It is a serial communication technique which provides
master/slave relationship to communicate between devices connected on network. It can be
implemented on any transmission medium, but most commonly used with RS232 and RS485.
• Serial Modbus with RS232 or RS485 (as physical layers) facilitates the connection of Modbus devices to
the controller (such as a PLC) in a bus structure. It can communicate between one master and a number
of slaves up to 247 with a data transmission rate of 19.2 kbits/s.
• Other types
• Profibus
• Foundation Field Bus

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