What is an industrial switch?

The Ethernet interface was not originally designed with the requirements of industrial networks in mind, so when computer equipment is deployed in industrial environments with extreme conditions and serious interference signals, the reliability of general commercial service switches is challenged. To address this issue, highly reliable and stable industrial switches have emerged, which can integrate into complex industrial environments and become a transmission tool for the deployment of industrial automation technology on the Internet.

1. What is an industrial switch?

An industrial switch, also known as an industrial Ethernet switch, uses open and widely used TCP/IP protocols, making it a key wireless communication module for industrial control systems. It does not differ significantly from commercial switches in terms of the data link layer, transport layer, or protocol layer, but its practical requirements for industrial control are different.

2. What is the difference between an industrial switch and a general switch?

Industrial switches differ from civilian and commercial switches in that they have many unique features that civilian and commercial switches do not possess due to their unique work environment and job requirements. They address technical issues such as communication practicality, Internet security, security systems, and explosion-proof technology, and employ countermeasures suitable for the industrial environment, such as moisture resistance and shock resistance.

In terms of function and performance, industrial Ethernet switches are closer to industrial network communications, such as connecting with various computer interfaces, machine redundancy, and real-time machine equipment. Performance-wise, industrial switches differ from general switches in terms of integration with external environmental monitoring systems. The industrial environment has many harsh conditions, such as coal mines and ships, as well as specific requirements for temperature, humidity, and pollution prevention in the EMI (electromagnetic compatibility testing) domain. The impact of temperature on industrial computer equipment is the most common.

3. Characteristics of Industrial Ethernet Switches

Due to differences and requirements in work and performance, industrial Ethernet switches have the following main features when compared with general switches:

3.1 Electronic Components: Industrial Ethernet switches have strict regulations for the selection of electronic components. In order to meet the requirements of quickly integrating into industrial production and manufacturing sites, electronic components must have regulations for anti-static, lightning protection, and resistance to extremely high and low temperatures.

3.2 Mechanical Equipment Natural Environment: Industrial Ethernet switches can better integrate into extreme mechanical equipment natural environments, including vibration resistance, shock resistance, corrosion resistance, dust resistance, and moisture resistance.

3.3 Climate Natural Environment: Industrial Ethernet switches can better integrate into weaker weather natural environments, including temperature, environmental humidity, etc. They can work normally within a temperature range of -45℃ to 75℃, and air humidity of 5%~95% without condensation.

3.4 Electromagnetic Induction Natural Environment: Industrial Ethernet switches have strong anti-electromagnetic interference capabilities, with an interference signal waterproof rating of up to level 4.

3.5 Operating Voltage Standards: The operating voltage range of industrial Ethernet switches is relatively wide, applicable to DC12/24V, and AC/DC85~265V wide voltage options. General switches have higher current regulations and are more commonly seen with fixed working voltage distribution.

3.6 Power Circuit: Most general switches use a single switch power supply, while industrial Ethernet switches use dual power supply switches to backup data. In addition, they also have an improved power outage alarm function.

3.7 Installation Method: Industrial Ethernet switches can be installed using DIN rails, sound card racks, and other methods, while general switches are usually installed on sound card racks or desktops.

Heat Dissipation Method: Industrial Ethernet switches use fanless heat dissipation, reducing the interference of dust and avoiding facility problems caused by fan issues, while general switches use fan-assisted heat dissipation.

 

4. When to Use Industrial Switches

In industrial settings, it is important to use appropriate industrial Ethernet switches rather than cost-effective commercial switches. The following are some reasons why it is important to use industrial switches in industrial settings.

4.1 Predictability: Due to the fact that the MAC layer protocol for Ethernet interfaces is CSMA/CD, conflicts can arise on the internet, particularly when there is a heavy load. In an industrial Ethernet, if there are many conflicts, data must be retransmitted multiple times, resulting in increased variability in inter-network communication. This variability in transmission from one location to another in an industrial control network will inevitably lead to decreased control system performance.

4.2 Practicality: In industrial automation systems, responsiveness to events can be defined as the system's scalability in responding to events. In other words, after an event occurs, the system software must respond within a predictably short period of time. However, industrial regulations for information transmission are extremely stringent, and data transmission usually occurs within tens of milliseconds. Due to the CSMA/CD mechanism of Ethernet interfaces, when conflicts arise, data must be retransmitted, with the number of retries often reaching 16 or more. This type of conflict resolution is time-consuming and costly. Additionally, even a brief interruption in connection, such as just a few seconds, can potentially cause a complete halt to production or even result in equipment failure and safety accidents.

4.3 Stability: Ethernet interfaces were not designed with industrial network applications in mind. When used in industrial settings, they must deal with extreme loads and serious electromagnetic interference, which can decrease their stability. In a working environment, an industrial Ethernet must have good stability, recoverability, and scalability. This ensures that when any component of an application system encounters a problem, it will not easily cause application software, computer operating systems, or even the entire application system to crash or become paralyzed.

5. Main Uses

Industrial switches are generally used in industrial production and manufacturing sites, with various shapes and installation forms depending on the usage site. They have specified levels of moisture-proof, anti-pollution, seismic resistance, anti-interference signals, and high natural stability requirements. They also need to operate continuously for 24 hours without interruption. Some automatic control systems require low latency, while others require redundant power supplies, such as DC24V switch power supplies. Industrial switches are designed to consider the complex conditions of industrial sites and are therefore more integrated into the industrial environment to fully exert the effectiveness of the switch.

The key markets for the sale of industrial switches are the power and electrical industry, factory automation, coal mining automation technology, urban rail, and wind power generation, followed by the metallurgical industry, crude oil, and petrochemical industry, highway traffic control automation technology, fully automated housing control systems, oil and gas field operation automation technology, hydropower plant operation automation technology, machine room monitoring system software, water conservancy project supervision, environmental protection supervision, and other industrial automation sites.

Due to their high waterproof level (generally IP40), strong electromagnetic compatibility testing (EMS level 4), and good performance, industrial switches are used in some industrial sites with strict natural environment standards, ensuring sufficient assurance for industrial communication.

The following are some typical application scenarios for industrial Ethernet switches.

5.1 Heavy Industry

The application of the industrial Internet is crucial for heavy industry enterprises to improve quality and efficiency. However, the deployment environment for such networks is usually the most severe. Taking the mining industry as an example, real-time production and safety monitoring data in underground mines need to be quickly transmitted back to the surface. Ordinary switches cannot ensure long-term stability under such high-concentration dust particle environments. The fanless design and dust-proof characteristics of industrial switches can isolate and prevent layered dust particles from entering the equipment and causing unexpected damage, thus ensuring network stability underground. Flexible installation options also provide convenience for on-site deployment in mines.

5.2 Transportation

In the transportation industry, network access devices are usually distributed outdoors and are relatively scattered. For example, traffic lights, speed measuring devices on expressways, and other road traffic facilities need to consider the possible extreme cold or high-temperature environment during network access deployment. Additionally, they also need to consider impacts from harsh weather or traffic accidents, such as collisions, vibrations, and lightning strikes, to avoid causing failures in the traffic command and monitoring system. Obviously, only industrial Ethernet switches with high protection levels and seismic resistance can meet such deployment conditions. In addition, by connecting scattered devices to the network through a ring network, not only can wiring costs be saved, but also network reliability can be improved through ring network protection technology.

5.3 Power Transmission

High-intensity and unavoidable electromagnetic interference is the biggest challenge for the network construction of high-voltage substations. Although electromagnetic interference cannot be seen or touched, in power transmission scenarios such as substations that are very close to high-power coils and transformers, if its impact is not considered, it can cause network quality to decrease and even result in network outages or device damage, thereby affecting real-time monitoring of power transmission data. Industrial switches, with their strong electromagnetic compatibility testing, high natural stability requirements, and anti-interference signal characteristics, can effectively solve the above problems, ensuring stable and reliable network communication for power transmission data.