You are here: / JAYCOR News

Attacks on Mission-Critical Power Infrastructure: Why Cybersecurity Is Necessary

Blog Category: by

Written by Zane Blomgren

Cyberattacks on utilities are on the rise. To protect mission-critical power infrastructure from threats and vulnerabilities, don’t forget about the cybersecurity basics.

When mission-critical power infrastructure goes down, there’s always an impact: disruption to business, communications, transportation and even vital medical care.

As long as countries have had energy grids and power infrastructure, they’ve been vulnerable to incidents that cause downtime. Decades ago, these events may have involved a tripped transmission line, an incorrect setting on a protective relay, an act of vandalism or nasty weather.

Today, utilities continue to grapple with these threats while juggling new pressures, including cyberattacks. These malicious and deliberate attempts at disrupting or destroying data and/or information systems may be spearheaded by other countries, hacktivists, lone hackers or even organized criminals.

According to research conducted at the end of last year, 2022 set an all-time high for the number of cyberattacks on utilities that took place in a single year.

When it comes to the threat actors that utilities will face tomorrow … who knows? But, no matter the cause, losing power will always be bad news.

As utilities continue their digital journeys, connecting systems to networks to make equipment and data more accessible, their attack surfaces swell while cyberattacks grow. The opportunity for remote assaults also increases. Bad actors from halfway across the world can use remote connectivity with high levels of intelligence and craftiness to bring down mission-critical power infrastructure.

While the industry continues to advance, and cyberattacks become more frequent, securing power infrastructure ecosystems and boosting cyber resilience are the only ways to prevent widespread and potentially disastrous outcomes.

 

A tale: How I realized the value of cybersecurity for utilities

In a previous role several years ago, I remember visiting one power facility in particular. Before I could set foot onsite, I went through an extensive background check. Upon arrival, I walked through a gate secured by armed guards. Before touring the facility, I went through training. As I explored the facility, the staff pointed out a light near the doors: When illuminated, it indicates the possible presence of a physical breach to the facility—my guide used an active shooter as his example. It was clear to me that the plant placed lots of value on its critical infrastructure and was taking steps to protect it. Everyone seemed to have a heightened level of awareness regarding potential threats.

That evening, when I returned to my hotel room, curiosity got the best of me. After doing some simple research, I discovered that some critical infrastructure equipment was openly exposed, using insecure protocols and lacking authentication or security measures to protect them. It was eye-opening—and a good reminder that security at every level is critical to mitigate the potential for negative outcomes.

Rewind to the early 2000s and cybersecurity in the form of Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) began to form, bringing cybersecurity up as well as physical security.

The lesson? Don’t forget about the basics. With innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics and virtual reality on the horizon, now is the time to make sure you have the right foundation in place. Otherwise, your advanced technology and processes will fail. Here are some pointers.

 

1. Use NERC CIP as your compass

The Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards ensure that electric utilities have the right physical and cybersecurity measures in place to protect their critical infrastructure from threats.

While these are compulsory with some real consequences for non-compliance, understand the intent behind the requirements, give thought to what protection is intended and work hard to deliver that protection. They have helped the industry make dramatic improvements to protect critical infrastructure by providing prescriptive guidance in categories like:

  • Control center communications
  • Incident response
  • Network security
  • Personnel and training
  • Physical security of cyber assets
  • Recovery plans
  • System security controls
  • Vulnerability management

These standards provide the framework to secure your critical infrastructure.

 

2. Build and rely on your professional network

While you don’t have to give away trade secrets, having a trusted network of like-minded peers in the power transmission and distribution industry can be valuable to your cybersecurity practices.

It provides a chance to talk about what’s working and what isn’t, share the threats you see in the new digital landscape, explore what other utilities are trying and learn and discuss best practices.

If you don’t have a group of colleagues that you currently network with, consider establishing one to support:

  • Information sharing and collaboration on identifying and mitigating cyber threats
  • Sharing access to resources, tools, training and expertise that can help advance the industry
  • Acquiring advice on tough challenges or new situations

 

3. Explore and prepare your power infrastructure

Good power infrastructure is the foundation for everything: reliability, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, safety and even sustainability.

The future of utilities is all about connectedness. Your mission-critical infrastructure needs to be ready to support innovations like:

  • Cross-enterprise device integration and data flow for real-time transparency, monitoring and performance alerts
  • Remote monitoring, operation and inspection
  • Seamless communication and collaboration across the utility, from the corporate office to the field
  • Predictive maintenance to optimize equipment repair and replacement
  • Smart scheduling for equipment and labor to improve resource allocation
  • Gain more intelligence and insight from substations to improve decision-making

As technologies and applications like these continue to roll out, they will need to be supported by robust, high-performance telecommunications systems that can manage heavy increases in network traffic and bandwidth consumption.

For example, most utilities have relied on TDM (time-division multiplexing) as their backbone technology to transmit data across networks. As smart grids and smart substations become prolific, however, TDM is becoming obsolete. It can’t support modern communications protocols or keep up with bandwidth requirements.

MPLS-TP (multiprotocol label switching – transport profile) is the best option to replace TDM. It can support legacy systems and next-gen smart grid applications and transport most forms of traffic, including traditional serial-based technologies and IEC 61850 packet-based intelligent electronic devices.

 

Belden: your partner in protecting mission-critical power infrastructure

Belden’s in-house industry experts have decades of experience in helping utilities prepare for the future while maximizing current investments in legacy technology. Our digital automation consultants, solution consultants and solution architects understand the intricacies of the utility market, have worked in the field and have experienced your challenges first-hand.

After understanding your situation and environment, our Customer Innovation Center works closely with you to assess network strengths, deficiencies and workflows; define your goals; outline your best opportunities to increase value and meet KPIs; and present a holistic view of implementation costs and a blueprint that acts as your digital transformation guide.

 

Find the original article here

NetModule’s Success Story – Rhaetian Railway’s WiFi Solution

Blog Category: by

Written by NetModule

The Project

The Rhaetian Railway transports twelve million passengers on adventurous journeys through Graubünden every year. One third of the 385-kilometre-long route network is 1500 metres above sea level. One third is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks to the panoramic Bernina Express and Glacier Express trains and with the Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscape being named a UNESCO World Heritage, the railway enjoys a global reputation.

In 2016, onway ag (formerly WLAN-Partner AG) installed Public-WiFi at the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) station in St. Moritz as part of a pilot project. Further stations in the RhB network followed. This powerful WiFi is now also being made available to passengers on the train. The RhB already had its own infotainment solution in the Bernina and Glacier Express vehicles. In establishing an internet connection, the company sought to meet the following requirements:

  • Passengers can connect to the infotainment via WiFi and still access other activities online, such as chats, social media, etc.;
  • All requirements of the Federal Act on the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications Traffic (SPTA) are met (e.g. identification obligation);
  • Fleets can be managed via the same solution.

 

Requirements

The following points convinced RhB that onway’s solution with NetModule hardware was the most suitable:

  • Ongoing legal protection of all Public-WiFi internet access points via the same portal and system – continuous flow of information for both trains and stations;
  • Passengers only need to register once in a six-month period using an SMS token;Security, reliability and speed
  • Central management system for monitoring and managing the entire fleet;
  • Ability to offer different usage models for passengers and company employees.of additional devices

 

Solution

On the hardware side, our certified mobile railroad routers of the NB3800 series were used at RhB for easy networking of large fleets. Our NetModule routers were chosen in this project due to the quality, stability, functionality as well as the modularity of the network components. All data traffic from the vehicle is consolidated using these vehicle routers and routed through a secure VPN tunnel via the mobile network to onway’s data centre.

The VPN tunnel terminates here. The data centre fulfils all central functions such as user authentication, filtering and monitoring user traffic, as well as limiting bandwidths and fulfilling the legal requirements according to the SPTA.

 

onway ag

Since 2004, the onway ag team has been supporting its customers in the evaluation, planning, implementation as well as operation and support of their WLAN/Network-Access-Control-Solutions and has already successfully implemented more than 100 projects. NetModule AG supports onway ag with its products in the industrial, bus and railroad sectors through its long-standing partnership.

Find the original article here

Lightware Saves UAVs From Hard To Detect Power Lines

Blog Category: by

Written by Nadia Nilsen

“Drone lands on power lines resulting in a power outage for thousands” is certainly not the first or the last news headline of its kind. Overhead power lines pose a serious risk to UAV operations. These incidents could not only result in the loss of the drone and its payload but could also cause injury to people and animals and damage infrastructure and property. Retrieving the drone from high-voltage power lines is also a dangerous task. As a UAV operator, it’s crucial to avoid flying into these obstacles at all costs.

 

Power lines are notoriously difficult to detect. Distribution lines are relatively small, ranging from 0.2 inches (5mm) to 0.8 inches (20mm) in diameter, and are often black, brown, or gray in color. Against a complex and dynamic background, they are difficult to see even with perfect human vision. Moreover, power lines can vary in height depending on location and terrain, making their presence hard to predict. Low visibility or lighting conditions can exacerbate these challenges, making it even more difficult to detect overhead power lines from a distance or at high speed.

 

Power lines are not the only overhead lines that pose a risk to UAVs. Telecommunication lines, internet lines, bridge cables, train and trolley cables and overhead crane wires are just a few other examples. For UAVs to become truly autonomous in a complex world and unlock the full commercial potential of this technology, they need a reliable way to detect and avoid these everyday obstacles.

 

Stereoscopic cameras and computer vision have been woefully unsuccessful in solving this problem. Radar has limited resolution and may not be able to accurately detect small and thin power lines or identify the exact location of the power lines to avoid them. High-resolution radar systems can be expensive, and using them solely for detecting power lines may not be cost-effective. Ultrasonic sensors have a limited range, low resolution and can be negatively impacted by changing environmental factors like wind and temperature.

 

The best technology for detecting these burdensome hazards is LiDAR. With its small beam divergence, LiDAR can pinpoint the location of overhead lines to ensure they can be avoided. LiDAR is unaffected by low visibility or lighting conditions as it generates and pulses its own light source. LiDAR’s relatively long range allows for detection well ahead of a potential collision, even if the UAV is traveling at a high speed.

 

LightWare’s professional-grade microLiDAR® sensors offer all of these benefits in a small form factor with low power consumption at an affordable price point, making them ideal for integration onto drones. These sensors allow for wide adoption, especially in cases where multiple sensors are required to be installed per drone.

 

To detect overhead lines with a narrow LiDAR beam, the key factor is the update rate of the sensor. Imagine you are a fast-moving drone and need to detect a small obstacle with a narrow LiDAR beam. It may seem easy to miss, but with a high update rate scanning LiDAR, it’s nearly impossible to miss. Let’s look at some numbers: if you’re traveling at 60 mph (97 km/h) and pass under a power line with a vertically mounted LightWare SF30/D microLiDAR reading at 20kHZ, then the sensor will hit a passing 0.2 inch diameter line over 360 times and a 0.8 inch line over 1 400 times!

 

The ability to detect power lines not only ensures safe operations of UAVs, but also unlocks commercial opportunities such as fully autonomous power line inspections and other beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) missions. Customers of LightWare are already using the SF40/C and SF45/B microLiDAR sensors to maintain a safe distance from and follow power lines while capturing high-resolution photos for later analysis.

 

Our team recently ran some tests to see how accurately the SF30/D and SF45/B microLiDAR® sensors detect overhead power lines. The experiment was conducted by holding the sensor outside the window of a moving vehicle pointed directly toward the open sky.

 

The results of this experiment showed that LighWare microLiDAR® sensors were not only detecting the main power lines but also picking up the static lines that run above them. These cables are used for lighting protection and are much thinner than the power lines. To no surprise, the SF30/D and SF45/B microLiDAR® sensors easily managed to detect all the power lines.

Data was logged using LightWare Studio. The objective was to detect the presence or absence of the overhead power lines using the SF30/D and the results show the bundles of power lines as well as the lightning cable that are a few meters above the bundles.

 

Data was logged using LightWare Studio. The next sensor for testing was the SF45/B, which was used for horizontal or vertical detection and avoidance. This test was to determine the type of readings one would receive from the SF45/B when scanning power lines.

 

As a global pioneer in LiDAR, LightWare has a proven track record of delivering technology that exceeds industry expectations.

 

Talk to LightWare’s technical support team to help you solve these and other challenges with LightWare microLiDAR sensors.

 

Find the original article here

Increase Safety in Material Handling Applications

Blog Category: by

Written by Lauren Robeson Menting

While the supply crunch has eased a bit for some industries, logistics facilities remain busy hubs. Filled with autonomous mobile robots, automated guided vehicles, employees, and goods, there’s no shortage of activity and moving parts.

Keeping employees safe from these moving parts – and making sure damage isn’t done to your facility or the goods it stores, hampering production and delivery – is essential. Wireless connectivity solutions can help ensure that safety is maintained in material handling applications – read on to discover factors you should consider when selecting a wireless product for your facility.

 

Industrial vs. Commercial

You probably wouldn’t look at your home Internet service and figure the same coverage would work as well for a major facility. Likewise, you shouldn’t equip your facility with commercially available wireless radios that are synonymous more with walkie-talkies than major factories.

There are a few reasons why industrial wireless radios have the edge here:

· Robustness: Industrial radios are designed to withstand inhospitable environments. Some industrial wireless radios can also ensure adequate connectivity even in facilities that are crowded with signals.

· Integration with your PAC: A typical setup will have one primary radio that connects to your control system, with access points on mobile equipment and at other locations as your application requires. Industrial wireless radios allow for streamlined integration with your PAC, ensuring radios’ real-time data is directly transferred to your control system.

· Security: Industrial radios can provide more security than commercial models, keeping proprietary information safe and bad actors out.

 

Fast, Precise Connectivity

You also want to make sure that the wireless radios you choose can give your employees, control system, and other radios real-time information as to their rapidly changing location.

Industrial radios allow mobile equipment to send their location to the primary radio and other access points in real time, which helps ensure other equipment won’t hit it – and, most importantly, employees know where heavy equipment is at all times to increase their safety.

Pairing wireless radios and a functional safety protocol (such as CIP Safety or PROFIsafe) is an especially wise idea for applications involving mobile equipment.

 

Flexibility for the Future

Opting for a wireless radio that can be easily implemented can help keep your employees safe when new equipment is added. A streamlined installation and configuration process ensures that this work won’t fall by the wayside when adding new moving machinery.

Find the original article here

Achieving 4K/UHD without Moving to IP: How We Made it Possible

Blog Category: , by

Written by Linda White

Sometimes creating a full-blown network just to connect a computer and printer is overkill. In other words: Depending on what you need, it’s possible to overdo your technology and/or infrastructure.

In broadcasting, for example, viewers may be demanding 4K resolution – but not every production calls for IP in order to transmit 4K/UHD signals.

 

When 4K/UHD was first introduced to broadcasting – promising four times the resolution of 1080p – existing coax cables and SDI technology (a digital video interface standard used since the early ’90s) couldn’t support it in a single link. 4K resolution used in production and digital cinema called for higher bandwidth, resolution and pixels than what coax could support. Instead, IP and fiber became the preferred method of achieving 4K quality for production and UHD for broadcast signal transmission.

 

The only way around this was to use four coax cables – each supporting 3 GHz – to send one 12 GHz UHD signal (this is referred to as a quad-link configuration).

 

This fix may have gotten the job done in terms of transmitting 4K/UHD signals, but it was expensive, bulky and cumbersome for broadcasters to manage. Quad-link configurations take up lots of space, max out weight limitations in mobile applications and increase cable expenses by requiring four cables for a single link.

 

Although some very large broadcasters and media companies were able to make the move to IP or fiber right away to support 4K/UHD signals, smaller broadcasters across the country were left in a bind. They, too, wanted to provide viewers with high resolution and 4K/UHD content – but weren’t quite ready to make the move financially.

 

After hearing from a number of broadcasters about their frustrations with this dilemma, we knew there must be a way to help them find middle ground. And that’s where Belden’s 4K UHD Coax Cable for 12G-SDI enters the picture.

 

This cable supports a bandwidth of 12 GHz and maximizes 4K/UHD transmission distance over a single link, decreasing the bulk and expense associated with dual-link and quad-link configurations. The 4K UHD Coax Cable for 12G-SDI also exceeds return loss specifications for the performance required for such high-speed signals.

 

Using this solution, broadcasters can now continue using SDI standards and coax cable instead of IP or fiber solutions – while still achieving a 4K/UHD picture (and without dealing with four cables to transmit one signal).

 

Instead, broadcasters simply plug in one coax to send a high-quality, 4K/UHD signal. Instead of rushing to take on a new level of broadcasting complexity, this innovation allows them to shift to IP or fiber when they’re ready – and when it makes financial sense to do so.

 

Creating the cable was only one part of the equation, however: Equipment manufacturers also had to be ready to support the required connections. Although many broadcasters wanted to use the cable, much of the camera and broadcast equipment on the market lacked I/O to accommodate it.

 

To make this happen, production and broadcast leaders sent an open letter to equipment manufacturers with a plea: to include 12G-SDI ports as standard features on all video equipment capable of working in 4K/UHD mode.

 

As a result, if you take a close look at today’s broadcast equipment used around the world, you’ll find 12G-SDI ports integrated to support this innovation that began with Belden. Broadcasters now have a way to give viewers the resolution they want without having go compromise on quality, embark on a complete technology overhaul or make a large capital investment.

 

Find the original article here

Hirschmann OpEdge-8D is Now Qualified for AWS IoT Greengrass

Blog Category: by

Written by Belden

Qualification for AWS IoT Greengrass brings new level of connectivity, communication and management of applications and workloads that run on the OpEdge-8D device.

St. Louis, Missouri – June 15, 2023 – Belden, a leading global supplier of network infrastructure and digitization solutions, is pleased to announce that the Hirschmann OpEdge-8D is now qualified for AWS IoT Greengrass. The Amazon Web Services (AWS) Device Qualification Program helps AWS Partners qualify devices that work with AWS. This, in turn, helps customers to gain confidence, choice, and selection for hardware as they explore, build, and go to market with Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Qualified devices – like the Hirschmann OpEdge-8D – are listed in the AWS Partner Device Catalog to enable customers to quickly find hardware offered by AWS Partners for simplified project and solution integration.

AWS IoT Greengrass is an open-source edge runtime and cloud service for building, deploying, and managing device software across multiple fleets. These advancements to the Hirschmann OpEdge-8D will bring a new level of simplicity and convenience to the management of applications.

The Hirschmann OpEdge-8D is an industrial-grade edge gateway with a compact, DIN rail mount form factor that provides customers with a secure operating system (OS) and easy-to-use user interface (UI) for managing the networking and security features of the device, as well as user-defined containers and Virtual Machines (VMs). OpEdge-8D is also integrated with the Belden Horizon console for device management, secure remote access, and edge application orchestration at scale. Collectively this technology can be leveraged to connect Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) systems to support use cases where OT data needs to be processed to derive valuable insights for the user.

Jeremy M. Friedmar, Director of Product Management for Edge Solutions at Belden Inc. expressed his enthusiasm for the certification. “Belden is thrilled to have achieved qualification for AWS IoT Greengrass on our Hirschmann OpEdge-8D as an AWS Partner,” said Friedmar. “The Hirschmann OpEdge-8D is already recognized as the premier solution for the deployment of edge computing near OT data sources, and this certification makes us a credible transporter of operational data to a critical data destination of our users.” The OpEdge-8D is suitable for use in any industrial setting, including manufacturing, energy, transportation, and machine building.

“We look forward to working with AWS as we continue strengthening our industrial solutions in our served markets,” said Friedmar.

To learn more about the Hirschmann OpEdge-8D as listed in the AWS Partner Device Catalog, visit here.

Find the original article here

Double Success At NAB For LEMO®’s Brand New 12G-SDI 4K UHD

Blog Category: , , , by

Written by LEMO®

 

Only just launched onto the market, LEMO’s 12G-SDI 4K Ultra-High-Definition connector won straightaway TWO 2023 NAB product of the year awards in Las Vegas!

Our solution came out the best in the following categories:

Camera Support, Control and Accessories
Hardware Infrastructure.

Developed by LEMO’s Swiss R&D team, our award-winning connector is the first ever Push-Pull 12G SDI. Forget complex multiple connections: 12G-SDI 4K UHD is all you need to transport 4K images at 12 Gb/s. Highly compact, rugged and reliable, with up to 12 GHz signal frequency, the new LEMO connector is the perfect solution for your cameras and patch-panels.

NAB Show is produced annually by the National Association of Broadcasters at the Las Vegas Convention center. NAB is the premier advocacy association of America’s broadcasters. The 2023 edition registered over 65,000 visitors.

The official NAB awards program recognizes some of the most significant and promising new products and technologies showcased by exhibitors at the Show. NAB Show Product of the Year Award Winners were selected by a panel of industry experts in 15 categories and announced in a live awards ceremony at NAB Show on April 18.

3 Ways Sensor To Cloud Puts Data To Work For You

Blog Category: by

Written by Ciaran Burns

 

We’ve identified the top 3 ways Sensor to Cloud brings benefit to our industrial customers by making use of your data for better decision making, remote access and connectivity.

Now scale this data to an entire year. The amount of information is overwhelming.

To put it to work for you, it has to be tied together and have somewhere to go to be monitored, analyzed and acted upon. If the data is captured and viewed disparately, you won’t be able to discover insights, find potential failure points or manage your overall supply chain. In other words, you’ll be capturing data just for fun. (Which isn’t a good use of resources!)

 

Traditionally, this type of data gathering takes on a pyramid approach: A plant’s sensors and controllers (PLCs or PCs) transfer information to a central, onsite supercomputer or something similar.

 

There are still situations where this method is appropriate, but we’re also entering a world where it’s much simpler to connect devices to supercomputers or virtual servers that sit in the cloud. Instead of data from a factory-floor sensor going through several steps to be processed and analyzed, it’s now more common for a sensor to have its own cellular, wireless and/or wired connectivity that connects it straight to the cloud. (Quick tip: The cloud is simply a group of servers that let you store and access data and applications via the internet.)

 

Although its behind-the-scenes infrastructure can be somewhat complex, Sensor to Cloud brings simplicity to industrial environments. It does what its name implies: Sensor to Cloud uses sensors to accumulate data and then transmits it into a cloud computing infrastructure for information sharing, collaboration, process improvement and decision-making—even across several sites.

 

Sensor to Cloud brings several benefits to industrial plants; we’ve identified and summarized three of the most important here.

 

1. Make Better Business Decisions

In the industrial world, data is always there. Capturing the information is the first step—but it’s only helpful if it can actually be used for something.

When data is collected and shared in real time, decisions can be made on the fly to maximize efficiency, handle predictive maintenance, test different strategies, ensure quality and safety, and improve how the factory floor runs.

All the important decision-making data points a plant needs in order to make informed decisions can be provided by the network. You just need a way to access that data so it can be used to improve automation and efficiency (which is exactly what Sensor to the Cloud provides).

By capturing data in the cloud, you’ll also have access to historical information so you can look for trends and patterns, measure performance improvement or demonstrate compliance over time.

 

2. Improve Communication & Maintenance

Consider maintenance in the wind turbine industry: They often send technicians out in boats to perform specific upkeep on offshore wind turbines. Once the workers get to the jobsite and assess conditions, they may or may not be able to complete the tasks they were sent to do. Or what if they find something else that needs to be done as well? Because they’re offshore and have no connectivity, they often have to wait to get back into their boat and re-establish a useable connection before they can provide updates and ask questions, which creates lots of wasted time. When workers can access data via the cloud, their maintenance work can be more productive.

 

Sensor to Cloud also lets industrial maintenance staff know what’s happening with their devices, systems and processes at all times. Instead of requiring 24/7 monitoring by an employee, Sensor to Cloud lets you capture device data and implement automatic monitoring and analysis; the right people can be notified immediately if something isn’t performing as expected (before it negatively impacts production).

This automated capability is similar to your car’s tire pressure warning. Fifteen or 20 years ago, your car may not have told you when one of its tires needed more air. Instead, you had to manually check it when you filled up with gas or you noticed an issue. Today, your car tells you as soon as there’s a tire-pressure problem so you can address it before a tire wears prematurely, overheats or causes an accident.

 

3. Remote Access

COVID-19 has forced many manufacturers to do what they can remotely to minimize physical contact and maintain social distancing.

When data is captured and shared via the cloud, it can be securely accessed from anywhere at any time: from your desk at work, your living room, on the road, etc.

Remote access supported by Sensor to Cloud also lets you monitor offsite equipment performance, such as wind turbines, from your plant location (or anywhere else).

 

Belden Makes Sensor to Cloud Possible

Belden doesn’t talk about Sensor to Cloud in theory or through hypothetical examples: From sensors and connectivity to cloud solutions, we have the comprehensive portfolio of solutions to really make it happen. And we’re helping industrial plants around the world prepare for this shift.

Our Sensor to Cloud solutions not only help you make use of your data for better decision-making, remote access and efficient maintenance, but they can also bridge OT and IT to bring these two groups together as partners. (More about this in part two of our Sensor to Cloud blog series, coming soon!) Belden acts as your Sensor to Cloud collaborator, making it easy and streamlined for both sides of the table.

Want to learn more about Sensor to Cloud and Belden’s ability to support it? Join us for a six-part webinar series where we’ll discuss:

  1. The market trends driving Sensor to Cloud—and what it takes to create a Sensor to Cloud solution
  2. Standards, best practices and the importance of IO-Link in Sensor to Cloud
  3. Redundancy and infrastructure
  4. Data analytics and edge solutions
  5. Securing sensor data
  6. Managing Sensor to Cloud networks

 

Find the original article here

Do You Need an IP67 Ethernet Switch? Ask These Questions First

Blog Category: by

Written by Rick Saro and Mike Krueger

 

In automotive environments, Ethernet switches make it possible to connect essential devices to the network so they can gather data and communicate.

Choosing the right Ethernet switch often comes down to deciding between IP ratings: an IP20 or IP67 switch. Both serve the same purpose but offer different advantages and drawbacks you should consider.

An IP20 switch is installed in a control cabinet, considered touchproof (users won’t make contact with hazardous or energized parts) and prevents ingress of large dust particles.

IP67 switches allow equipment operators to deploy Ethernet-based systems right at a machine, process or factory floor instead of in a cabinet. This allows them to configure, manage and monitor connected machines and devices remotely—outside the control cabinet—without having to run long lengths of cable or install enclosures for switches and powering devices.

Due to many factors—including their space-saving, cabinet-less design—IP67 switches are sometimes considered the automotive manufacturing industry’s go-to option for Ethernet switches. But does your plant environment really need an IP67 switch? Would an IP20 switch work just as well?

In some environments, IP67 switches may be necessary. In other cases, however, IP20 switches may be the more cost-effective choice.

Which IP-rated Ethernet switch is right for your automotive plant? To find out, ask yourself these questions …

 

1. Is There Moisture or Frequent Washdowns?

Water plays a big role in the automotive manufacturing process, and it’s used in a number of different stages in an assembly line.

These applications might include:

  • Paint booths where water is used as a filtration medium
  • Rinsing and metal finishing
  • Processing equipment that must be regularly cleaned with water
  • Body-washing areas where cars are cleaned before leaving the plant
  • Rain test chambers that ensure water tightness

If an Ethernet switch will be deployed in a water-intense production area, then it needs to be protected from water intrusion. To protect against water ingress, IP67 Ethernet switches rely on M12 connectivity instead of the RJ45 connectivity found with IP20 switches.

 

2. Are Dust and Debris Present?

When employees are running the production line, their work often results in large volumes of dust. When a significant amount of dust is present in your manufacturing environment, Ethernet switches need to be able to guard against significant dust intrusion to remain operational.

These types of dust-generating applications can include:

  • Cutting
  • Grinding
  • Machining
  • Plastic processing
  • Rubber manufacturing
  • Stamping
  • Welding

IP20 switches prevent ingress of particles greater than 12 mm in diameter, which provides a reasonable level of protection against dust. IP67 switches are considered completely dust tight, offering full protection from dust and other particulates.

 

3. Do We Need Clear Lines of Sight?

Is having a clear line of sight to production lines important in your plant to support communication, determine when assistance is needed, watch for alerts, maintain productivity or ensure that quality standards are met?

Because IP67 switches can be installed outside protective cabinets and directly on machines, they don’t create any visual clutter that may impede the ability to see production lines or interfere with visual verification.

 

4. Do Control Cabinets Need More Space?

Real estate can be one of the biggest expenses involved with running a plant. Maximizing space inside control cabinets can help reduce the size and footprint of the cabinets themselves, optimize plant square footage and reduce labor and material costs.

If you need to find ways to optimize the space inside your automotive plant’s control cabinets, then an IP67 Ethernet switch’s cabinet-less design can help you do this. When the switch is mounted outside the cabinet and directly at the machine, this also results in shorter cable runs (saving even more labor and material costs).

 

5. Is Maintenance a Concern?

Many U.S. requirements state that electricians must dress in personal protective equipment, including clothing that doesn’t conduct electricity, before accessing a cabinet housing containing 110V service or higher. If an IP20 switch is inside the cabinet, then electricians must be the ones to access it.

IP67 switches eliminate this requirement—and the potential for arc flash—because the switches can be removed from enclosures and cabinets while still ensuring reliable performance in dusty, wet and harsh environments.

Mounting Ethernet switches outside the control cabinet also reduces the amount of time an electrician spends working inside a cabinet, improving life safety.

 

Making the Right Choice

If the factors mentioned above—water and dust ingress, space optimization, maintenance and clear lines of sight—are important to your manufacturing operation, then IP67 switches may be the best choice for your automotive environment.

If these factors aren’t a major concern, however, then IP20 switches can be a practical and cost-effective solution to support your connectivity goals.

For automotive environments that demand IP67 Ethernet switches, Belden offers its OCTOPUS IP67 Ethernet Switch. It allows automotive plants to install reliable, fail-safe networks in demanding conditions. Available in unmanaged and managed versions, they offer a cabinet-less design for easy installation directly on machines, built-in network security and complete protection against dust and water intrusion.

 

Learn more about OCTOPUS IP67 Switches

 

Find the original article here

PRODUCTS

CUSTOMER SERVICE

WHERE TO FIND US

JHB: +27 11 444 1039

Unit 3, 7 On Mastiff, Mastiff Road, Linbro Business Park, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa

CPT: +27 21 447 4247

Block C, Podium Level, The Boulevard Office Park, Searle Street, Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa

Copyright © 2024 Jaycor International
Engineered by: NJIN Agency