Balancing the needs for Cloud connectivity and local control using programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in industrial networks just got easier. Industry 4.0 networks are complex and include multiple levels of connectivity from IO-Link on the factory floor to field busses like EtherNet/ IP and PROFINET connecting machines and PLCs and an Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) interface reaching up to the Cloud. In a traditional Industry 4.0 network, sensors, actuators, and other devices use an IO-Link master to connect with the field bus network, and devices on the field bus network use OPC UA and other protocols to connect with the Cloud. Machine and factory network designers now have a new tool — IO-Link masters — that combines the usual EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, and other field bus connectivity with an OPC UA interface for direct connection to the Cloud. That can be used to flatten connectivity and speed the delivery of critical data to the highest levels of the network. This article starts with a review of the use of local control and Cloud connectivity in a traditional network architecture. It then presents the flattened architecture enabled by the new IO-Link masters from Pepperl+Fuchs, which includes field bus and OPC UA connectivity and can support
multiple parallel connections. It also considers how the new Ethernet advanced physical layer (APL) technology fits in. It closes by detailing the new IO-Link masters with OPC UA connectivity and compatible IO- Link hubs for network expansion, along with a few representative IO-Link devices and the use of an IO-Link USB master for configuring, commissioning, and trouble- shooting IO-Link devices. Industry 4.0 factories require varying mixes of local control and Cloud connectivity. Each has its benefits. The best solution often combines PLCs and edge computers for responsive local control while using the Cloud to analyze complex data. PLCs are rugged and designed for use in industrial environments. They are generally modular and can accommodate the changing needs of Industry 4.0 factories. PLCs are more compact and reliable than the relay-based systems they often replace. Perhaps most importantly, PLCs can support real-time control in critical applications with direct feedback from the connected machines and sensors. Cloud connectivity provides essentially unlimited storage and computational capabilities. It can link data from various applications, controlled by individual PLCs, and support a harmonized and
we get technical
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