Business situation Process plants strive for efficient engineering and plant design . It is important to achieve a fast start-up and commissioning and to produce products with higher efficiency and quality . Trends like digitalization and Industry 4.0 reinforce these objectives by using the valuable data from the field level for optimization of processes . |
Ethernet-APL The leading standards organizations worked together with major industry partners like Endress + Hauser to specify an advanced physical layer for Ethernet which meets the requirements of process industries . Ethernet-APL is designed to be open , future-proof and ready for the Industrial Internet of Things ( IIoT ). |
Ethernet-APL |
2-wire cable with 10 Mbit / s full duplex communication |
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Field level connectivity and data access are crucial to support these trends . Even this is already possible with established technologies , there are limitations such as low speed , limited bandwidth and complexity by required protocol conversions .
An Ethernet technology which meets the requirements of process plants would be beneficial .
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Key characteristics
• Power and data via 2-wire cable
• Ethernet speed with 10Mbit / s full-duplex
• Hazardous area protection for all zones and divisions , including intrinsic safety
• Terminal clamps including polarity independence or M12 connectors
• Open for any kind of industrial Ethernet protocol
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Power supply via APL switches
Explosion protection for all zones and divisions
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Applications Ethernet-APL can be used everywhere , where 4 to 20 mA and fieldbus technologies are used today . The field devices and infrastructure products fit perfectly for heavy industries – mainly for greenfield projects but with some modifications also in brownfield . |
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Ethernet-APL fits to many applications across different industries where some of the following use cases are relevant :
• Explosion hazardous areas
• Asset management for many measuring points
• Efforts for calibration of analog communication loops
• Monitoring and optimization , e . g . by using the 2 nd channel
• Easy access to device diagnostics
• Additional process quality information
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