A mesh network technology for the vendor’s I/A Series automation platform uses commercial off-the-shelf Ethernet switches, ports and fiber optic media in advanced mesh configurations to provide multiple communication paths between network stations.
The technology can be used to configure ultra-high-availability, high-performance, 100Mbps/1Gbps switched Ethernet process control networks and field networks for new I/A systems. It can also be used to extend existing I/A Series systems. “Unlike conventional redundant networks, our new mesh networks can be configured to maintain nonstop communications even when faced with multiple points of failure,” says Steve Young, vice president for the vendor. Upon detection of one or more network faults, the system’s diagnostics automatically reconfigure the communications path to maintain system communications. “In effect, the network is smart enough to heal itself,” Young says.
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George Reed, with the help of Factory Technologies, was looking to further automate the processes at its quarries and make Ignition an organization-wide standard.
