Ethernet APL

Process plants today compete to produce more product with less waste. The digital transformation motivates C-Level executives to invest in more plant data coming from process automation systems and instrumentation.

Ethernet-APL is a standardized Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer which meets all the requirements for the field of process plants.

Ethernet with an Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet-APL™) will enable long cable lengths and explosion protection via intrinsic safety with communication and power over two wires. Based on IEEE and IEC standards, Ethernet-APL supports any Ethernet-based automation protocol and will develop into a single, long-term stable technology for the entire process automation community.

In the manufacturing industries, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 are already part of everyday operations, and in the near future, these technologies will also enter the field of process automation and instrumentation. In the process industries, domain specific concepts like the NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) or the Open Process Automation Standards (O-PAS™) by the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF) are presently attempting to simplify the efficient construction, commissioning, and operation of process plants. Broader use of wireless solutions, simplified field device integration, and Ethernet to the field represent integral components of these concepts. Leading suppliers to process automation recognize the need from their customers to add the universality and communication speed of standard Ethernet to existing field device installations. Ethernet has been deployed at the upper levels of the automation pyramid and in the field with 4-wire Ethernet devices, such as drives, flow, analyzers and motor control centers. However, it requires enhancements to support applications in the field of process plants.

Process plants operate for 20+ years and are required to be safe for people, the product, and the environment. Explosion potential in hazardous areas and harsh conditions require that any deployment of new technology is both thoroughly tested and provides added business benefits. Technology must not be complicated in handling or require extensive training. Ethernet is the de-facto communication standard in enterprises, but it does not meet the requirements in the field of process automation without modification. Ethernet with an Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet-APL™) will enable long cable lengths and explosion protection via intrinsic safety with communication and power over two wires. This new Ethernet advanced physical layer, together with the automation protocols that define the structure and meaning of information being transmitted to and from field devices, will be one of the key enabling factors of the IIoT in process automation. It will provide a vital prerequisite to extend the digitized world to process automation and instrumentation.