Why is Ethernet APL important?

The Ethernet APL (Advanced Physical Layer) specifies information related to the application of Ethernet communication in sensors and actuators in the process industry and will be published according to IEC standards. It is based on the new 10BASE-T1L (IEEE802.3cg-2019) Ethernet physical layer standard approved on November 7, 2019, and specifies explosion protection methods for implementation and use in hazardous locations. Leading process automation companies have worked together under the standards framework of PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI), ODVA, Inc., and FieldComm Group® to enable Ethernet APL to be used across industrial Ethernet protocols and accelerate its deployment.

Why is Ethernet APL important? Ethernet APL will change the field of process automation by enabling high-bandwidth, seamless Ethernet connections to field devices. It addresses challenges that have until now limited the use of Ethernet in the field. These challenges include power, bandwidth, cabling, distance, and use in hazardous locations. By addressing these associated challenges for brownfield upgrades and new greenfield installations, Ethernet APL will help gain new insights that were previously unobtainable, such as combining process variables, auxiliary parameters, asset health feedback, and linking them seamlessly. sent to the control layer. These new insights will enable data analytics, operational insights and productivity improvements through a converged Ethernet network from the field to the cloud (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Using Ethernet APL in process automation for seamless Ethernet connectivity.

In process automation applications, the goal of replacing 4 mA to 20 mA devices or fieldbus communications (Foundation Fieldbus or PROFIBUS Pa) with Ethernet APL requires simultaneous power and data supply to sensors and actuators. In the field of process automation applications, the distance between field-level devices and control systems is relatively large for existing industrial Ethernet