The Worst Part About Making the Upgrade Is Getting Rid of the Old Stuff
With regard to July's problem about networked switches ("Time for a Sensor Network?", July '11, www.ControlDesign.com/real0711): I work as controls engineer for a machine builder/system integrator. The worst part about making the upgrade is getting rid of the old stuff. I’ve performed many upgrades from hardwired I/O to DeviceNet, Ethernet, remote I/O and other protocols. In my experience, the DeviceNet and Ethernet protocols are pretty simple, and have a faster response time. Though it might take maintenance a little while to get the hang of how the networks work, in the end it will definitely save tons of downtime, troubleshooting and wiring headaches.
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