If you design machines with network-enabled devices from one of the big players in the market, chances are pretty good that they have multiple versions with a range of network protocol capabilities. But not every manufacturer is able to offer the full range. Enter gateways and protocol adapters, which, if anything, are more necessary than ever.
In a survey conducted last month by Industrial Networking, respondents indicated that after reliability, integrating legacy and disparate networks was high on their list of network concerns.
"In my view, it's getting worse, not better," says Phil Marshall, CEO of Hilscher North America, which specializes in network connectivity. "Users were frustrated because every company continued to come out with its own derivatives of networking. Ethernet has just added another physical layer to interconnectivity."
Our survey respondents gave strong preference to EtherNet/IP, with about 65% indicating it was what they used most for control and automation networking.
The main reason for choosing the network that they use? For almost half (44%), it's the one supported by their primary automation supplier.
Marshall doesn't see the situation getting any better. "Each of the market leaders has a vision of how the network complements its control architecture," he says. "So as long as the market leaders have different visions on how the control systems need to work, network needs are going to remain different."