INDUSTRIAL ETHERNET SOLUTIONS FOR SMART manufacturing continue to leverage a range of computer and networking technology megatrends. Artificial intelligence, edge computing and networking are just some of the mainstream technologies that Industrial Ethernet solutions are leveraging.

For this special report, the Industrial Ethernet Book reached out to Jessica Forguites, Network Infrastructure Platform Lead for Rockwell Automation and Casca Kwok, Technical Marketing Engineer for Cisco Systems in a Question and Answer (Q&A) format.

Here is what they had to say about the megatrends shaping the future of enterprise and machine control networking. The conversation covers unique benefits and capabilities, impact on factory automation applications and future challenges.

Industrial Ethernet Q&A

Accelerating the cycles of innovation.

What key trends and networking technology is impacting the state-of-the-art in factory automation and process control?

Kwok/Cisco response

Edge computing, cybersecurity, and AI network analytics are some of the key trends impacting factory automation and process control applications. Networking and communications technologies are key enablers for these trends.

Edge computing shifts data processing from centralized data centers to the local production floor. This localized processing approach reduces network latency and jitter, enabling real-time data processing and immediate responses to machine data. This capability optimizes manufacturing operations and enables real-time quality control.

Cybersecurity solutions protect critical industrial control systems from attacks and safeguard confidential data from unauthorized access. As factories increasingly connect previously unconnected sensors and machinery to the network to collect data for operation insights, implementing unified security measures ensures operational continuity. One trend is the deployment of pervasive network access policies such as zero-trust architectures, which operate on the principle that no device should be automatically trusted, regardless of whether it is within or outside the network.

AI network analytics leverages machine learning and reasoning to provide actionable insights for industrial ethernet deployment for optimizing uptime. It plays a key role in detecting unusual patterns that may indicate issues, and predicting capacity trends before the exhaustion of resources disrupts production.

“From a technology perspective, IT-OT Convergence remains critically important as industries increasingly seek to harness the full potential of digital transformation. The progress made in this area is significant with advancements in edge computing, cloud platforms, and advanced analytics paving the way for more integrated and intelligent manufacturing environments.” — Ronny Hendrych, Program Manager, Industrial Operations X, Siemens.

“Networking technology has advanced to support faster and more reliable data exchange between machines and systems. This enables AI systems to collect and analyze more data, leading to improved predictive maintenance strategies, quality controls and operational efficiencies.” — Jessica Forguites, Network Infrastructure Platform Lead, Rockwell Automation.

Forguites/Rockwell response

Trend 1 – Artificial Intelligence: Networking technology has advanced to support faster and more reliable data exchange between machines and systems. This enables AI systems to collect and analyze more data, leading to improved predictive maintenance strategies, quality controls and operational efficiencies.

Trend 2 – Edge Computing: Data processing closer to the source of data generation enables lower latencies and quicker decisions. Capturing OT data with context at the edge can help unlock high-quality and actionable insights from the immense volume of plant-floor data.

Trend 3 – Building Cyber-Resilience: Advancements that enable adding security extensions to communications protocols to protect data from eavesdropping and tampering are being extended to Industrial Communication protocols (CIP Security). In addition, modern networking technologies support improved network segmentation and enable users to isolate critical systems. By creating isolated network segments, manufacturers can limit the spread of potential cyber-attacks and contain damage of a potential attack.

Trend 4 – Empowering the Workforce: Advancements in networking support additional automation of repetitive tasks, allowing workers to focus on more complex value-added activities. Increased mobility is enabled through evolutions in both Wi-Fi 6 and Cellular (5G) technologies. This gives users the flexibility to perform tasks and communicate without being tethered to a specific location.

What technological benefits and unique capabilities do these solutions offer?

Kwok/Cisco response

Edge computing offers low latency and high-speed connections for real-time applications, enabling the implementation of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning at the edge. Manufacturing processes can leverage real-time data for analytics, pattern detection, and predictive decision-making.

Cybersecurity solutions protect digital and OT assets. Effective network segmentation and access control mechanisms reduce the attack surface and prevent the lateral movement of threats. Encryption ensures data remains secure and unreadable to unauthorized users. Cybersecurity solutions support incident response and recovery capabilities to help quickly respond to and recover from cyber incidents. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) correlates and analyzes security event data sources from different machine manufacturers, providing a comprehensive view of security posture.

AI network analytics reduce downtime by continuously monitoring network behavior and identifying and issues that could lead to or have led to failures. This is crucial in an era where cybersecurity threats have become more sophisticated and damaging. AI-enhanced systems can adapt to new threats, providing a dynamic defense mechanism that evolves as new security challenges emerge.

Forguites/Rockwell response

Solutions that enable faster and more reliable data exchanges include gigabit port speeds, higher speed Wi-Fi 6 and 5G cellular communications, and automation equipment that essentially creates a larger pathway (bandwidth) for communications to travel. In addition, technologies like PRP (Parallel redundancy protocol) enable fully redundant network communications to meet the reliability needs of critical operations.

Edge computing offers many benefits, including cost efficiency, by reducing the amount of data that must traverse WAN networks and be stored in large-scale storage locations. This reduces latency and enables quicker decisions by capturing data closer to the source of data generation.

Network segmentation and isolation of critical systems provides benefits like reduced attack surface. This enables more effective containment strategies for cyberattacks and simplified compliance with regulatory requirements that demand isolation of critical systems and data. The last point here is cost efficiency, as physical isolation can be expensive because additional hardware is often required to translate communications across these physical boundaries to meet modern manufacturing requirements.

Benefits of secure protocols for industrial use cases include extending traditional IT cybersecurity protections to factory automation assets. Ensuring data integrity and compliance with industry standards is another benefit because industrial applications can self-defend from unauthorized communications.

“One of the benefits Industrial Ethernet offers is its ability to scale operations and make them more flexible. Network and compute resources can be easily expanded as a plant or facility grows.” — Casca Kwok, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Systems.

How is Industrial Ethernet advancing the solutions used in machine and process control?

Kwok/Cisco response

Industrial Ethernet advances solutions used in machine and process control with enhanced scalability, interoperability between different systems, high-speed data transfer, and reliable communications.

One of the benefits Industrial Ethernet offers is its ability to scale operations and make them more flexible. Network and compute resources can be easily expanded as a plant or facility grows. This flexibility enables manufacturers to adapt to changing production demands and incorporate modern technologies.

Another significant advantage is interoperability. Industrial Ethernet supports a diverse range of protocols and standards, enabling communication across devices and systems from different manufacturers.

Industrial Ethernet networks are built for reliability and redundancy. These networks provide fault tolerance, feature fast converging ring topologies and parallel networks to ensure continuous operation. Some of these tailor-made protocols could achieve zero packet loss during network failures, thereby maintaining uptime in critical industrial processes.

Industrial Ethernet improves data security and enhances OT asset visibility and transparency. Solutions such as Cisco Cyber Vision can detect and identify OT assets from different vendors, continuously monitor machine communication patterns, spot asset vulnerabilities, and track control systems events and device modifications. Having a holistic visibility of the OT network enables anomaly detection and helps minimize unplanned downtime.

Forguites/Rockwell response

Industrial Ethernet has been advancing solutions used in machine and process control for many years. The consistent foundational standards of Ethernet have led to more use of technology advancements throughout the machine and process control industry, which helps future-proof the industry as well.

Seamless integration of a diverse set of equipment needed to meet application needs is another advantage of Ethernet. This is never truer than today as we think about emerging “device” categories that need to be integrated into machine and process control applications (e.g., AMRs, edge computing devices, digital twins, smart sensors).

Networks that are unified without sacrificing segmentation and isolation enable IT and OT network integration for better data flow, decision making and visibility to diagnostics to quickly resolve network-related issues.

Advancements and best practices for securing Ethernet-based systems extend to machine and process control applications (e.g., secure communications protocols and network segmentation best practices).

What types of applications are leveraging the use of advanced networking in manufacturing?

Kwok/Cisco response

Advanced networking technologies are being leveraged across manufacturing processes that require high precision and minimal downtime. These applications include manufacturing equipment, robotic systems, visual inspection systems that constantly adjust to changes in production line parameters.

These technologies require high-speed, low-latency networks, real-time data processing for decision-making. For instance, visual inspection systems use high-resolution cameras to inspect products on the assembly line, identify defects before items proceed to the next stage of production.

Digital twins are another typical use. Digital twins create a virtual clone of OT assets and processes, enabling manufacturers to simulate and predict behaviors. This requires an advanced network to handle the constant data stream generated from sensors and machines.

The trend of hybrid work models in manufacturing has also driven the need for secure, remote access to manufacturing processes. Plant managers and supply chain partners require seamless and secure access to processes from remote locations. Advanced networking solutions provide the necessary infrastructure to ensure that remote access is both secure and efficient. This is particularly important in a decentralized manufacturing environment where operations are spread across multiple locations.

Forguites/Rockwell response

Many applications and industries are leveraging advancements in networking. One example is material handling and logistics. These applications have massive scale, requiring scalability of Ethernet for a cost-effective solution. In addition, advancements in wireless technologies enable real time tracking and coordination of automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

Modular production systems are increasingly used in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage and automotive industries. Advancements in network technology enhance the agility, efficiency and security needed for small batch production, which helps manufacturers meet the growing demand for customized and specialized products.
Energy management systems is another application that crosses many industries as manufacturers look to respond to regulatory requirements and achieve sustainability goals They use Ethernet-connected sensors, meters and control systems to optimize energy usage and optimize costs.

What challenges that automation engineers face does Industrial Ethernet machine connectivity address?

Kwok/Cisco response

One of the challenges is the integration of hybrid systems and devices. In many manufacturing environments, machinery and equipment come from different vendors, each using different communication protocols and mechanisms. This lack of standardization can make it difficult for industrial automation to interoperate between devices. Industrial Ethernet provides a solution to address this problem.

Industrial environments demand high system availability and reliability to minimize downtime and maintain continuous operations. Industrial networks must be designed in a way that can sustain harsh conditions and provide redundancy to prevent failures. Industrial Ethernet solutions, such as the Cisco Catalyst Industrial Ethernet switches, offer features such as ring topologies which are designed for industrial settings and highly resilient protocols that achieve lossless failover. These technologies ensure that if a network component fails, communication can be quickly resumed to maintain operation availability.

Security and compliance with standards and regulations are significant concerns for industrial automation engineers, especially with the increasing connectivity of sensors and machines to industrial systems. Advances in industrial Ethernet connectivity incorporate end-to-end security measures to protect against these threats, visualize ISA/IEC62443 zones and conduits, and dynamically segment networks based on the device profiles.

Forguites/Rockwell response

Some challenges here include:

Accounting for the expected growth of data needs: As the needs are expected to expand with the use of technology like AI for example, the high bandwidth support that comes with Ethernet is a necessity.

Legacy system integration: Because Ethernet leverages common standards at its foundation, it reduces the need for specific gateways. In addition, support for protocol converters and gateways from other technologies to Ethernet are readily available to ensure upgrades can be executed in stages.

Addressing cyber security threats: Secure industrial protocols and network segmentation enables the built-in capability to harden the automation system communications. Support for encryption of data and authentication and integrity reduces the attack surface and results in more effective containment of an incident.

Meeting network reliability and uptime requirements for critical systems: Features like PRP (parallel redundancy protocol) and redundant ring topologies (device level rings) ensure high network reliability for continuous operations.

Al Presher, Editor, Industrial Ethernet Book