Announcement of new, open, gigabit industrial Ethernet technology for manufacturing CC-Link IE Field Network
The CC-Link Partner Association (hereinafter referred to as CLPA), Chairperson: Takashi Sekiguchi, professor emeritus at Yokohama National University; Board of directors: Cognex Corporation, Digital Electronics Corporation, IDEC Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, NEC Corporation announce CC-Link IE Field network. This is the second protocol version of the CC-Link IE (Industrial Ethernet) integrated network family. The CC-Link IE Field Network specification documents will be released on December 1st.
Technology Background
Today’s manufacturing systems require flexibility and a quick response to meet the challenges of falling product prices, shorter product life cycles, and sudden changes in production quantities to meet intensified global competition. Examples include the liquid crystal manufacturing field, in which the glass substrate size has been growing at a rapid rate and the number of manufacturing recipes is continually expanding. In automobile manufacturing, the importance of traceability control has grown and the amount of data to be transmitted and maintained is rapidly increasing. Thus the manufacturing systems employed must constantly evolve.
At the field device level, automation networks must enable high speed transmission of control data while at the same time facilitate high speed movement of traceability data. In addition, the shortage of engineers who can handle advanced automation machinery is becoming problematic. Therefore, increasingly sophisticated field devices must be capable of being operated and maintained without advanced specialized knowledge. This requires automation networks capable of transmitting larger amounts of configuration, operational, and diagnostic data.
Because of these manufacturing requirements, the CLPA is releasing the Ethernet-based CC-Link IE Field Network. It is designed to seamlessly integrate with the Ethernet-based CC-Link IE Controller Network, which was released in 2007.
Benefits Delivered
CC-Link IE Field Network is based on Ethernet technology (IEEE 802.3). Important functions served are: data acquisition for the traceability of manufacturing information and for manufacturing process improvement, equipment control, and equipment maintenance (monitoring and failure detection). CC-Link IE Field networking serves the needs of manufacturing management, where control data, log data and diagnostic data must be transmitted simultaneously at high speed.
Also, network design and installation is simplified due to the flexible CC-Link IE network topologies available that do not require the sophisticated knowledge typically associated with configuring Ethernet networks. Control programs, that utilize the data transmitted via the network, can be created easily by simply reading from or writing to a distributed shared memory and without considering network topology.
CC-Link already has a large market share in Asia. Therefore, equipment vendors can enhance their sales to this fast-growing market by developing CC-Link IE Field Network compatible products. Value-added equipment that, in addition to the basic control function, also incorporate maintenance and diagnostics functions are particularly well adapted to employ the capabilities of CC-Link IE Field networking.
Features of CC-Link IE Field Network
- Ultrahigh-speed
1Gbps transmission and real-time protocol enables control of remote I/O field devices with essentially no transmission delay. This transmission rate is at least ten times faster than currently available industrial Ethernet-based networks. The media used is Cat5E cable and RJ45 connectors. - Flexible Topology
A CC-Link IE Field network allows a highly flexible topology best suited to the needs of the particular application. These include star, line, mixed star & line, and ring topology designs. Built-in network diagnostics provide cost reductions from installation, to operation and network maintenance. - Inherent Determinism Without Ethernet Switches
Unlike other industrial Ethernet networks, CC-Link IE Field delivers deterministic control communications without requiring the addition of Ethernet switches. This feature eliminates the hardware costs and engineering implementation costs of Ethernet switches. Also eliminated is the cost and need for developing communication statements to govern the flow of data. The CC-Link IE token-passing technique guarantees determinism. - Seamless Communication
CC-Link IE Field networking enables seamless communication of data from field devices to controllers and from controllers to other controllers in order to form an integrated network for transmitting data at gigabit speed. CC-Link IE Safety and Motion Control networks are planned additions to the CC-Link IE network family.
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