When Danny Vujovic co-founded Tekkra Systems Inc. in 2005, selecting a network for the packaging equipment was a straightforward decision. Ethernet was the only option that made sense. Tekkra uses EtherNet/IP, an ODVA protocol developed by Rockwell Automation Inc., in its shrink bundling equipment and end-of-line packaging systems. After the basic benefit of Ethernet, increased connectivity with business-level systems, remote diagnostics is one of the biggest benefits for the Romeoville, Ill.-based supplier.

“EtherNet/IP’s remote diagnostic capabilities allow us to provide 24/7 customer support,” Vujovic says of  the protocol from ODVA (formerly known as the Open DeviceNet Vendors Association). Networking the controllers, drives and human-machine interface (HMI) lets customers monitor machines and control the manufacturing process by communicating with other machines on the line, he explains.

That’s an increasingly common occurrence, but networking specialists all warn companies such as Tekkra and its customers that only the decision is easy. Installing Ethernet on the factory floor is not a simple plug-and-play process. “The biggest difference is the planning involved with an  Ethernet network ; you have to have the appropriate topology with switch placement for devices in the right places. Generally, there is more planning on the front end,” says Chris Vitale, senior product manager with automation-components supplier Turck Inc.’s network division in Plymouth, Minn.

But that planning involves many different facets. When teams build networks, they have to examine many facets such as redundancy and whether the cost of managed switches has a payoff. They also have to pay far more attention to security issues now that factories are accessible from the outside world.

Outside looking in

Though improved communications between the front office and the plant floor is a key driver behind the move to Ethernet, reduced downtime is generally a bigger benefit for those who work on the factory floor. Better diagnostics tools, including remote access, make it much easier to find problems and get downed networks up and running.

When network problems arise, the openness of Ethernet and transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) pays off big time. Technicians located anywhere can easily tap into systems to find out what’s wrong and initiate fixes. It’s no longer a problem when the company’s expert is at a facility halfway around the globe.

“By routing the devices through individual IP addresses, a user can access diagnostic data all the way down to a field device from anywhere in the world,” Vitale says. Those users can often see as much information, often including historical data that preceded a failure, as an operator who’s on site.

In this area, the capabilities developed for information technology (IT) can be adapted without a lot of changes. Many component providers feel that the issues involved with remote access are very straightforward. “The main issue is gaining a safe entrance to that remote network, and having a fast enough connection,” says Ken Austin, Ethernet product marketing lead specialist for Phoenix Contact, an automation-components company with U.S. headquarters in Harrisburg, Pa.

A key aspect of remote access is to let the technicians who work on the machines every day access them when they’re not in the facility. But a growing number of equipment manufacturers are using these capabilities to monitor their machines to make sure they continue to run at near-optimal levels. That type of accessibility lets them alert owners when they need to take care of their equipment.

“Remote access can let the equipment manufacturer access machines at the facility to do diagnostics, doing things like monitoring operating time and alerting maintenance personnel when it’s time for preventive maintenance,” says Mike Hannah, NetLinx product business manager for Rockwell Automation, in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. However, he notes that users will always require some sort of restrictions so outsiders don’t have too much insight into plant operations.

Remote video

Remote access is providing insight of another sort to companies that want to give operators a broader view of what’s going on in their facilities. “We’re seeing more interest in other types of activity, things like sending video over networks,” says Paul Wacker, product manager for Industrial Communications at vendor Advantech Corp., in Cincinnati. “It’s mostly supervisory in large plants where equipment runs unattended. Someone might be able to see a jam before it gets so bad they need to dispatch maintenance personnel.” He notes that video can also be used in conjunction with light curtains. When the curtain is broken, video cameras can provide information to remote managers.

The ability to run remote diagnostics carries over to ...