HARTING INTERCONNECTION SOLUTIONS INCLUDE FAST TRACK SWITCHING FOR AUTOMATION IT
Integrate office and automation networks into a single Ethernet-based communications platform
At Drives & Controls 2010, (NEC June 8-10), HARTING will present the first UK demonstration of Fast Track Switching: an innovative new switching technology that allows manufacturing organisations to integrate their office and automation networks into a single Ethernet-based communications platform: the Automation IT concept.
Unlike alternative proprietary Ethernet protocol approaches which use modified versions of the Ethernet standard compatible with automation technology applications, Fast Track Switching is totally based on standard Ethernet, but adds a new switching method to ensure that the specific requirements that automation technology places on performance and determinism are fully met.
Using HARTING”s Fast Track Switching, a user can port an Ethernet-based system into the automation world with the full use of all of the degrees of freedom that standard Ethernet has to offer. This includes the integration of components and subsystems from outside the traditional automation environment – such as vision or RFID systems – which may not support automation-specific protocols but which generally have an Ethernet interface.
The key components in Fast Track Switching are Fast Ethernet switches in HARTING”s Ha-VIS FTS 3000 product family, which can detect and identify automation profiles (PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP and customised profiles), accelerate their data-transmission speeds and prioritise them.
The product family includes the HARTING Ha-VIS FTS 3100s-A, which allows the connection of up to ten network devices over shielded twisted-pair cable. It supports Ethernet (10 Mbit/s) and Fast Ethernet (100 Mbit/s).
The detection, acceleration and prioritisation mechanisms guarantee the necessary determinism and performance that automation technology demands. As Fast Track Switching is also protocol-neutral, it can be used with all market relevant Ethernet systems.
HARTING will also feature a broad range of interconnection solutions for industrial drives and controls applications.
For more information contact HARTING Ltd, Northampton, NN4 7PW
Tel: +44 (0) 1604 827500 Fax: +44 (0) 1604 706777
