Challenges with Traditional Field Device Integration

• Multiple heterogenous wiring infrastructures

• Analog, on-off, and pulse signal limitations
• Networking in hazardous areas particularly challenging

4-20 mA, on-

off, and pulse Profibus-DP
Modbus/RTU VBS video 24 VDC

Transmitter Gas Variable Video Vibration

Chromatograph Speed Drive Camera Monitor
Valve

Flow Meter
Process Unit

• Today process units have multiple heterogenous wiring infrastructures which is complex and costly,
particularly with flameproof/explosion proof explosion protection.
• Adding devices is a lot of work.
• RS485 is slow and each network only carry one protocol, so need many cables to support multiple
protocols to integrate all the devices in the plant.
– The bus is either Modbus, or Profibus, or DeviceNet, or HART.
• There are multiple RS485 networks like Modbus/RTU, Profibus-DP, and even proprietary protocols.
• Analog signals are distorted during transmission and there are D/A and A/D conversation errors.
– For instance, limited due to high resistance, biased due to ground loop, non-linear safety barriers
etc., conversion quantization error, and calibration differences.
– Analog errors go undetected: on-scale failures
• Each signal requires a pair of wires:
– Every measurement signal and valve setpoint
• On-off and pulse signals do not come with the ability to access intelligence in devices.
• Users demanded a solution where all kinds of devices using different protocols can share the same
network.
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Industry Technology Collaboration

• Leading protocol standards organization jointly develop Ethernet-APL

• Supporting multiple application protocols
Standards Organizations Application Protocols

• The four leading industrial protocol organizations that previously had different fieldbus technologies
came together to create a common 2-wire intrinsically safe advanced physical layer (APL): Ethernet-
APL.
• APL supports the IP protocols from all four organizations: HART-IP, PROFINET, OPC-UA,
EtherNet/IP, and many more.
• Each protocol has its strengths, with a sweet spot certain kinds of devices.
• User’s wish for a single network supporting all kinds of devices using a mix of protocols is now a
reality.
• Each device using the protocol most suited for the function it performs.
• Information and Communications Technology (ICT) protocols like FTP, HTTP, and SMTP are also
supported by APL.

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Future APL Vision: Lower Cost Infrastructure

• Single shared cable infrastructure

• Easy to add devices
• 10 Mbit/s, full duplex
• Intrinsically safe power from field switch
Ethernet-APL

Transmitter Gas Variable Video Vibration

Chromatograph Speed Drive Camera Monitor
Valve

Flow Meter
Process Unit

• The vision for the future is a single Ethernet-APL cable infrastructure to support all kinds of field
devices.
• Ethernet-APL instruments will not be lower cost than 4-20 mA instruments, but a single
infrastructure will lower cost than multiple infrastructures.
• In the interim there will be a mix of APL, 4-20 mA, and on-off signal devices.
• 4-20 mA/HART devices can be fitted with an Ethernet-APL adapter using the HART-IP protocol.
• APL is high-speed, 10 Mbit/s, sufficient for high-bandwidth use-cases like streaming process video
on the same network as field instruments like transmitters and valves.
• With APL junction boxes in place, you will be able to easily connect another transmitter or a process
video camera without laying new infrastructure.
• The APL field switch provides intrinsically safe power over the same 2-wires so additional power
cable is not required for most devices.

3
Converged Ethernet-Everything: Lower Cost
Infrastructure

• Regular Ethernet and Ethernet-APL are multi-protocol networks

• All devices do not have to use the same protocol
• Devices support the protocols most suited for their function

HMI Analytics
DCS AMADAS PLC
Panel PC
Single Shared Ethernet Cable

Flow Motor Video Vibration

GC
Meter Drive Cam Monitor
HART-IP PROFINET OPC-UA
Modbus/TCP ONVIF

• Ethernet, including regular Ethernet and APL, carries multiple protocols at the same time.
– The network is Modbus, and Profinet, and EtherNet/IP, and HART-IP at the same time.
– This major difference from the single protocol concept of bus is critical.
• Think of it as multiple virtual communication relationships over a single physical cable.
• Devices support multiple protocols.
• Systems support multiple protocols.
• Makes it easier to find a matching combination.
• For instance:
– A distributed control system (DCS) communicating with a Coriolis flow meter using HART-IP
protocol.
– An analyzer management and data acquisition systems (AMADAS) communicating with a gas
chromatograph (GC) using Modbus/TCP.
– A programmable logic controller (PLC) communicating with a variable speed drive (VSD) for an
electric motor using PROFINET.
– A human machine interface (HMI) panel PC communicating with a video camera streaming
process video.
– An analytics software on a server communicating with a vibration monitor using OPC-UA. 4
Converged IP-Everywhere: Single Shared
Infrastructure

• Many protocol options HART-IP

• Many media options FTP Modbus/TCP
Layer 7: Application Protocols
HTTP PROFINET
– Wired SMTP
– Wireless
• Single common IP TCP UDP Layer 4: Transport Protocols
• No single protocol
attempts to do it all IP Layer 3: Network Protocol
– Industrial protocols
Ethernet
– ICT protocols • Copper
• Each functionality has Wi-Fi • Fiberoptic Layers 1 & 2: Physical Media
a specialized protocol Satellite • APL
5G PPP

• A key success factor for the internet protocol (IP), Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and the Internet, is that they were
all designed to carry multiple application protocols.
• And no single application protocol attempts to perform all functions.
• There is a specialized protocol for each function.
• At home and in the office, FTP is used for file transfer, HTTP for web browsing, and SMTP for mail.
• Office software makes the protocol transparent; most don’t even know notice protocol is used.
• Similarly in a plant HART-IP is used for all instrumentation, PROFINET for all motor controls,
Modbus/TCP for all other things.
• Similarly, automation systems make the protocol transparent; most don’t even notice which protocol
is used which makes it easy to use.
• But remember, Ethernet and IP doesn’t necessarily mean ‘open’ and interoperable, many device
use proprietary application protocols.
• There is TCP transport protocol mostly for client-server type communication relationships
• And there is UDP transport protocol mostly for publisher-subscriber (PubSub) communication
relationships.
• A vast selection of physical media exist, both wired and wireless solves a many use-cases.
• Most importantly, they all use IP as the network protocol including IP address: the hourglass shape. 5
Digital Connectivity: Infinite Application Opportunities

• No transmission distortion
• Relay any number of times
• Low marginal cost
• Infinite data wrangling
• Application protocol
required
• Ethernet and IP are not
sufficient for
interoperability

• Digital transmission has several attractive attributes which solve the problem of analog signals.
• Data is error free as there is no transmission distortion
• It can be relayed any number of times for long distances, even around the world, because there is
no conversion errors as errors are detected.
• The marginal cost is low since once the network is in place devices can be added to it with very little
additional cost.
• Data can be wrangled in many ways:
– The data can be reproduced and connected to any number of destinations to use like display,
alarm, control, analytics, and optimization etc.
– Data from multiple sources can be aggregated together sharing the same network on the way to
its destination.
– Data signals are abstracted, represented the same way regardless of source.
• Ethernet and IP are not sufficient for interoperability, a standard application protocol like HART-IP is
required

6
Multi-Port Repeater: Signal Robustness

• Spurs are decoupled from each other and Field Switch

the trunk
• Prevents noise propagation Trunk

FIELD SWITCH
Spur

• APL can use the same cable as fieldbus, with some exceptions.
• But APL is not a fieldbus.
• Fieldbuses are digital too and do have all the benefits of digital signals.
• However, a connection fieldbus ‘hub’ with repeater on each spur never came to market. A passive
connection block does not prevent noise propagation.
– Some users experienced challenges with noise.
• An APL field switch at its core is an Ethernet switch so it has a repeater on each spur which helps
prevent noise propagation to the trunk and other spurs.
– This makes APL more resilient and easier to troubleshoot.