Industry 4.0 has made significant progress in the United States, with over 36,500 food and beverage processing businesses. Machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity, big data and machine learning are rapidly being adopted to improve profitability in an industry that has long been characterized by low margins. From predictive maintenance scheduling and supply chain monitoring to generating tracking data for government requirements, Industry 4.0 improves efficiency across the enterprise. Data collected from smart sensors on factory floors is analyzed for a variety of purposes, including taste consistency, logistics management, product shelf life prediction, packaging accuracy, and employee safety.
While the food and beverage (F&B) industry has lagged behind automakers and energy producers in embracing Industry 4.0, no other industry category could benefit more from it. While the food and beverage (F&B) industry has lagged behind automakers and energy producers in embracing Industry 4.0, no other industry category could benefit more from it. В то время как индустрия продуктов питания и напитков (F&B) отстала от автопроизводителей и производителей энергии в принятии Индустрии 4.0, никакая другая отрасль не может извлечь из этого больше пользы. While the food and beverage (F&B) industry is lagging behind automakers and energy producers in adopting Industry 4.0, no other industry stands to benefit more. Although the food and beverage (F&B) industries are ahead of automobile manufacturers and energy producers in terms of 春抱工业4.0, no other industry category can benefit more from it. В то время как индустрия продуктов питания и напитков (F&B) отстает от автопроизводителей и производителей энергии в принятии Индустрии 4.0, никакая другая отрасль не может извлечь из этого больше пользы. While the food and beverage (F&B) industry is lagging behind automakers and energy producers in adopting Industry 4.0, no other industry stands to benefit more. New digital technologies are now helping the F&B industry respond with agility to changing consumer demands and emerging opportunities. New digital technologies are now helping the F&B industry respond with agility to changing consumer demands and emerging opportunities. New digital technologies are now helping the food and beverage industry to respond quickly to changing consumer demands and new opportunities. Now, new digital technologies are helping the restaurant industry to flexibly respond to changing consumer demands and emerging opportunities. Web technologies also enable the industry to comply with strict government regulations regarding food safety, traceability, nutritional value and sustainability. In addition, it allows companies to gain a competitive advantage by using operational analytics to make decisions to improve productivity and reduce operating costs.
One of the concerns that held the F&B industry back from fully embracing Industry 4.0 is the perceived fragility of industrial networking devices. One of the concerns that held the F&B industry back from fully embracing Industry 4.0 is the perceived fragility of industrial networking devices. One of the issues that has kept the food and beverage industry from fully adopting Industry 4.0 is the perceived fragility of industrial networking devices. One of the issues preventing the restaurant industry from fully embracing Industry 4.0 is the vulnerability of industrial network equipment. And here’s why: The food and beverage market places strict hygiene requirements on equipment, systems and components, including devices such as factory sensors, industrial switches, actuators and other networking equipment. These health requirements are outlined in the FDA’s “Preventive Control of Human Foods” regulation, ensuring that “reasonable precautions and precautions” are taken to minimize the risk of food contamination. Although mains-connected devices rarely come into direct contact with food, they are all equally subject to FDA regulations that expose them to high-pressure water jets during sanitizing, exposing them to harsh cleaning agents, steam, corrosion, and humidity. It’s not hard to see why plant owners might rethink their decision to place sensitive networking equipment in this less than ideal environment.
Therefore, manufacturers of network components are required to improve their technology. This is especially true for mission-critical industrial Ethernet switches serving as the backbone of the network. While a failed Ethernet switch is a major problem in a commercial environment, in food and beverage industries it can lead to catastrophic production losses, government recalls, regulatory fines and brand reputation damage.
F&B processors have another unique problem. F&B processors have another unique problem. У процессоров F&B есть еще одна уникальная проблема. F&B processors have another unique problem. Catering businesses have another unique problem. Raw products used in production usually have a relatively short shelf life since most of them are organic. When production lines are subjected to extended downtime due to switch malfunctions or failures, the original product must be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. This can result in solid waste disposal fees and fines, not to mention the significant cost of replacing the raw materials themselves and the time it takes to clean the line before starting up.
With the advent of Industry 4.0, Ethernet switches have moved from the security realm of IT command and control to the harsh reality of the OT shop floor, where productivity is compromised every day by multiple environmental hazards. This article addresses what qualities to look for in an industrial Ethernet switch that can provide long-term reliability in an F&B plant. This article addresses what qualities to look for in an industrial Ethernet switch that can provide long-term reliability in an F&B plant. В этой статье рассматривается, какие качества следует искать в промышленном Ethernet-коммутаторе, который может обеспечить долгосрочную надежность на предприятии F&B. This article looks at what qualities to look for in an industrial Ethernet switch that can provide long-term reliability in an F&B facility. В этой статье описывается, какие качества следует искать в коммутаторе Industrial Ethernet, чтобы обеспечить долгосрочную надежность на предприятии F&B. This article describes what qualities to look for in an Industrial Ethernet switch to ensure long-term reliability in an F&B facility.
Before we discuss the value of Industrial Ethernet switches in F&B factories, let’s talk about what Ethernet switches actually do.
The Ethernet switch acts as an intermediary. It receives a data block or “frame” on one of the ports, reads the frame’s MAC address, determines the destination, and forwards the data to the destination port in nanoseconds. Data can be transmitted simultaneously over two channels at data rates of 100 Mbps (“Fast Ethernet”), 1 Gbps (“Gigabit Ethernet”) and increasingly 10 Gbps (“10 Gbit Ethernet”). transmission in each direction).
Ethernet switches are either managed or unmanaged. The choice of one or another installation option largely depends on the operational requirements of the owner of the enterprise. Typically, a network with a basic wired topology uses unmanaged switches that allow connected devices to communicate with each other, but rarely with others. Unmanaged switches are not visible or addressable on an IP network. As plug-and-play devices, their main advantage is that they provide fast, low-cost, no-configuration installation and hassle-free device replacement. Unmanaged switches are useful in small networks to add more ports when another device is performing data management, diagnostics, and other intelligent management functions. For example, an unmanaged switch can manage subsystems used to measure specific components on a production line, but cannot manage the comprehensive management of an IP video surveillance system that transmits high-definition images of a factory floor in real time.
As the name suggests, a managed switch is an intelligent management device. Using a managed switch allows you to remotely manage, configure, monitor, and troubleshoot your network through a web browser GUI or SSH/Telnet/Serial CLI. Each managed switch has its own IP address, so it is visible as a member of the network. Managed switches also enable shared networks across factories.
Complex networks with redundant ring topologies will require features found only in managed switches. Managed switches allow redundant topologies in ring structures to prevent loss of connectivity without a link failure. In other words, manageable switches must be installed in order to build a network for truly uninterrupted data transmission. Managed switches provide routing changes when normal routing fails. The time it takes to find and use a new route on the network, sometimes referred to as switchover or recovery time, is a key parameter in switch performance. Because of the critical nature of a redundant network in processing, the managed switch you select should support the Ethernet Ring Protection Switch protocol that achieves <50ms recovery time to the network. Because of the critical nature of a redundant network in processing, the managed switch you select should support the Ethernet Ring Protection Switch protocol that achieves <50ms recovery time to the network. Due to the critical nature of network redundancy during processing, the managed switch you choose must support the Ethernet Ring Protection Switch protocol to achieve network recovery times of less than 50ms. Due to the critical nature of redundant networks during processing, the managed switch you choose must support the Ethernet Ring Protection Switch protocol, which provides a network recovery time of less than 50 ms.
Standard commercial-grade Ethernet switches do not withstand industrial use, even if housed in a cabinet. Commercial-grade switches are designed for installation in homes or businesses and are not protected against high levels of EMC, shock, vibration, and moisture, or other environmental hazards. They are designed for a narrow temperature range and use a single AC power supply.
Industrial Ethernet switches, on the other hand, are designed for harsh environments, whether in food and beverage industries, refineries, or automotive manufacturers. Constructed with high quality components, it outperforms commercial models in terms of heat dissipation, electromagnetic compatibility and service life. Instead of AC power, they increase reliability with an external redundant DC power supply. Resistant to shock, EMC, moisture, gases, chemicals, corrosion and dust, Industrial Ethernet switches can be installed in almost any harsh environment, at temperatures from -40°C to 70°C. A rugged metal case is required, and sealed waterproof connectors will not break if the device is subjected to strong vibration.
One of these types of waterproof connectors is called M12, where M stands for metric and 12 stands for the length of the outside diameter of the thread, which is 12mm. Because they are round, they can handle high currents and are easier to obtain with an ingress protection (IP) rating than standard rectangular connectors because they are more resistant to dirt, sand, and water, which can cause corrosion and other problems. All of this makes M12 Ethernet switches ideal for the food and beverage industry. In addition, M12 connectors have different pin assignments depending on the type and number of signals, connection and code. Most Gigabit M12 Ethernet connectors are “X-coded” for error-free high-speed data transfer. A metal cross (X-shape) in the connector securely separates the four data pairs.
Harsh industrial environments often require DIN rail mounted Ethernet switches in remote cabinets or main control cabinets. This method requires running long and bulky cables for connected devices. In addition to additional cost and complexity, running cables throughout a facility can create trip and fall hazards. The rugged IP67 (waterproof) metal housing combined with the M12 connector allows the Ethernet switch to be wall-mounted or machine-mounted outside of the control cabinet, reducing cable lengths and eliminating the need to purchase a larger cabinet. Metal housings will also withstand dings from tools and equipment in an F&B processing environment plus maintain the highest standards in safety and hygiene. Metal housings will also withstand dings from tools and equipment in an F&B processing environment plus maintain the highest standards in safety and hygiene. The metal enclosures are also dent resistant from tools and equipment in food and beverage environments and meet the highest safety and hygiene standards. The metal housing also withstands the impact of tools and equipment in the food industry and meets the highest safety and hygiene standards. The smooth edges of the switch housing prevent bacterial growth and water accumulation.
Network switches are often overlooked, but they are an important part of the networking puzzle. Choosing the right network switch for your food or beverage plant depends on your network size, complexity, traffic, and number of connections. The following are other industrial switch features that can help support the switch’s role in a network infrastructure, although the list is far from exhaustive:
High Power over Ethernet (PoE) BudgetPoE combines data and power over a single Ethernet cable, reducing installation complexity and long-term maintenance costs. The managed switch powers IEEE 802.3at/af compliant Powered Devices (PDs) with 30W per port and a total PoE budget of 240W. The M12 Managed PoE Ethernet Switch helps simplify your communications infrastructure by reducing the amount of extra equipment, wires, and outlets you need. To save power, many M12 managed switches also support PoE scheduling and PoE throttling functions to set the PoE output signal duration and required power. When choosing a switch, choose one that allows you to individually adjust the power available on each port to match the exact requirements of each connected device, thereby optimizing the switch’s PoE budget.
Multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports An Ethernet switch with multiple 1G uplinks is a must when installing or upgrading a network – the more ports, the more future-proof it is. Additional gigabit ports make expansion easy and provide the flexibility you need.
Layer 3 Lightweight Managed Switches Layer 3 Lightweight Managed Switches (LL3) is an affordable alternative to the full Layer 3 switch and the upgrade of Layer 2 switches. It can make decisions based on IP addressing and static policies similar to Layer 3 switches. The difference is that The Lightweight Layer 3 switch does not support routing protocols, only static routing. Simplified Layer 3 switches allow you to create VLANs, VLAN routes, and IP routes based on static routes.
Cyber attacks on the food industry have skyrocketed, with at least five major food companies hit by ransomware since 2017. Lightweight Layer 3 switches monitor and monitor the network so active threats can be shut down. Many Ethernet switches provide comprehensive network security, supporting multiple user accounts, ACLs, RADIUS, TACACS+, SSH, HTTPS/SSL, IP Source Guard, 802.1x, and more.
Quality of Service (QoS) Many managed switches support Quality of Service, which is used to categorize the types of traffic tagged by the network into different classes of service. In doing so, they reduce network congestion by dropping or limiting low-priority traffic during periods of peak traffic. Traffic routing reduces or eliminates congestion in critical parts of the network. In addition, managed switches can be used as VLANs to isolate devices that are sensitive to higher levels of traffic, reducing collisions and loss of resources acting as LAN segments. Having an Ethernet switch with QoS and VLAN will help secure the communication network in the future.
Ingress Protection (IP) 67 The IP67 rating means that the enclosure protects the internal equipment from the harmful effects of water and dust. IP67 rated industrial switches provide protection against dust and food or waste particles trapped in solid particles. Combined with hose spray water resistance, it’s easy to see why integrators choose IP67-rated M12 Managed Switches for their food and beverage networks.
Choosing the right industrial Ethernet switches is an important part of ensuring the reliability, security and cost-effectiveness of your industrial network.
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