AW Survey 2014: Ethernet and Wireless in the Plant

Jan. 14, 2015
Now in its third year, the joint Automation World/Moxa survey of Ethernet and wireless use in industrial facilities highlights specific application trends and helps frame the continuing evolution of modern plant floor networks.

With three years of survey data now in hand, a clearer picture of Ethernet and wireless use in industrial facilities is beginning to develop beyond the anecdotal instances we all hear about in various case study reviews. Critical to the creation of this picture are the responses from more than 2,500 industry professionals who have provided their insights since 2012 to the joint Automation World/Moxa “Ethernet and Wireless in the Plant” survey. These professionals work in industries such as chemicals, food and beverage, life sciences, oil and gas, automotive, electronics, machinery OEMs, and fabricated metals.

The graphics here highlight this year’s responses in several key categories, while the accompanying text explains how responses have changed over the past three years of survey data—or remained static. In both cases, the data paint a picture of clearly changing attitudes around industrial networking technology preferences.

Survey methodology

To gather responses for this Automation World survey, conducted in partnership with Moxa, three email invitations were sent to Automation World’s subscriber list in October 2014. Respondents who identified themselves as working for automation suppliers were filtered out of the results, resulting in a net total of 644 end user readers completing the survey.

About the Author

David Greenfield, editor in chief | Editor in Chief

David Greenfield joined Automation World in June 2011. Bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and media experience to his position, David’s contributions can be found in AW’s print and online editions and custom projects. Earlier in his career, David was Editorial Director of Design News at UBM Electronics, and prior to joining UBM, he was Editorial Director of Control Engineering at Reed Business Information, where he also worked on Manufacturing Business Technology as Publisher. 

Companies in this Article

Sponsored Recommendations

SEW-EURODRIVE Introduces DR2C motor, IE5 Ultra-Premium Efficiency Motor
Optimize food production with SEW-EURODRIVE’s hygienic, energy-efficient automation and drive solutions for precision, reliability, and sustainability.
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.