In upcoming issues of Control Design, we'll explore subjects that include:  read more »

• How to design machine safety into your automation system.
• What an integrated controls architecture means to design, commissioning and overall time-to-market.
• What you need to know to compete globally.
• What the real differences are among the various Ethernet flavors of fast motion buses.
• The threat of electronics to pneumatics and hydraulics as power sources.
• Where relays fit in today's programmable machine control.

Ian Verhappen wrote that Power over Ethernet (PoE) certainly removes the single-cable constraint to using Ethernet in the field (see in "PoE-The Missing Link"). The challenge faced by PoE for automation applications is that the 802.3af standard specified a voltage of 48 Vdc, while this industry has standardized on 24 Vdc. So far, at least one industrial Ethernet equipment supplier released a PoE splitter with a 24 Vdc output.

The IEEE PoE Standards Continue to Evolve, so what's the impact of these "new" IEEE standards on industrial applications?  read more »

Voltage spikes are brief events that don't last for very long. In complex systems, even seemingly small events can have serious consequences and this is definitely true of industrial automation systems. Industrial systems need many different devices working in order to maintain normal operations. Computers and communications equipment are essential components of many modern automation systems; however, they are also particularly susceptible to power surges from voltage and current spikes because they typically have low dielectric strength.  read more »

After years of hype, wireless industrial networking solutions are expected to see some actual significant growth this year in purchase orders, shipments and revenues, according to the latest report from VDC   read more »

System integrator Precision Automation and Robotics India (PARI) found an automotive manufacturer that was keen to leverage the advantages of a wireless network for an important aspect of its assembly line. Did their decisions on how to ensure reliability sway you?

Learn more about PARI by reading Wireless I/O Streamlines Auto Plant

Open source appears to becoming a factor in the industrial automation arena now as well. As Sound Off editor Walt Boyes posted on November 18, the Ethernet/IP stack has gone open source. Links to full story and associated pages on OpenSourceForge site:  read more »

Our cover Story for the 2nd Quarter 2009 issue of Industrial Networking looks at industrial networks that are surviving the Ethernet onslaught. While Ethernet and its direct variants seem to be ubiquitous and pervasive, there are some areas where other industrial networking technologies still rule. We look at just what those other technologies are - and if and they are still needed.

Specifically, we are looking for answers to the following questions:

1. What industrial networks, if any, are needed in addition to Ethernet?  read more »

Very few companies have implemented power over Ethernet (PoE) at this point, but it’s an application that intrigues many engineers, and its benefits seem obvious. But some critics warn that the opportunity to transmit electrical power, along with data, to remote devices over twisted pairs can lead a network down the wrong path. Have you implemented PoE or considered implementing PoE and then decided against it? Where do you stand?