Industrial networks and bus systems
Mattias Lindh
Automation Engineer @ Mattias Lindh Automation AB | PLC Programming Expert
Imagine your self being responsible for a big automation network. What do you have to face?
- You have the demands to be more IIOT oriented and connected.
- You have de demands to be productive 24 hours.
- You have the demands to be stable, transparent, and easy to follow.
- You have the demands from IT department, to be restrictive with connectivity.
- You have machine suppliers, that want to have remote access to their equipment.
- You have a well sharpened purchasing organization that tries to lower costs.
- You have inputs from the outside world, supplier sails persons, trying to convince you.
-You have your own knowledge telling you, this equation will be hard to solve.
How to play your song, which instrument to use, how to make it a hit song? In today life we are all controlled by economical instruments. Playing the song with the solid beat of cost effectiveness and economic short-term growth, I can like some of this beats. But, if we all rise our heads for a second and think in a more classical music manner. So, what other instruments do we need. Where is the harmony?
- We need fact and measurement data to be able to prove our case…
- We need tools to be able to understand what is happening in our networks.
- We need more insight to make systems safe.
- We need more education and force our self to think longer than four strokes forward.
Let’s say that anything goes wrong in your composition, who is the conductor to be held responsible?
– The management, purchaser, or the automation responsible person?
Questions will be raised -Why did you allow this, -why did you not do like this? Why did you not measure this? Why did you allow this component? How could you let this to happen? Some suppliers will say; As You do not use only my things. I can not be responsible if you connect my things with that thing.
-So, what to do, where to turn. Which instrument to use? -How to turn your song into a hit? The answer to solve this problem is to gain more Knowledge by unbranded sources. Knowledge to understand, how to structure , design and monitor networks. How to predict problems before they happen? How to combine A with B? Understand how to be safe.
According to me, and what I see almost every day: The automation world need to increase the knowledge of the IT networks and solutions. I am sure that many, very skilled automation technicians agree. We are in big need of more networking understanding (IT). We are all used to isolated networks, not big global connectivity.
Talking everything from design, installation, safety, and reliability. According to myself and what I have seen: We all did know how to do it when we used relatively isolated 485 networks, E.g ProfiBus or DeviceNet etc... And for sure, we all do know about the importance of proper installation, grounding etc. But what happened when we shifted to Ethernet based globally connected systems. Did we see a possibility to cut costs and forgot everything we learned, did we really design to be safe? Did we got stuck into the 4-beat pattern?
To break the pattern, independent non-branded conductors can help you to arrange your song. People that have experience and can see the problem from different angels. This specialist, if involved from the beginning, can help you to ensure that your new connected world will work as excepted 24 hours a day. Thy will can be your reliable partner for the future, based on knowledge, measurements and facts not only promises. And best of all you can learn from them to become even better producer yourself.
The crucial thig is to be able to pinpoint the problems (risks) at an early stage. Convince the organization that the cheapest electrician today might not be the cheapest solution tomorrow. The cheapest installation material or component might be crap destroying your reputation over time.
So, finally let’s work together to from the melody of the new connected industry. Take it seriously all of you !, doesn’t matter if you are an electrician, automation coordinator, purchaser, machine builder or management responsible person.
Raise your head and communicate, think a little longer than four strokes forward, dare to break the pattern and the new melody will be a worldwide hit.
Mattias Lindh