
General Information
1-4
SIMATIC NET Twisted-Pair and Fiber-Optic Networks
C79000-G8976-C125-02
1.2 Local Area Networks in Manufacturing and Process Automation
General
The performance of control systems is no longer simply determined by the
programmable logic controllers, but also to a great extent by the environment in
which they are located. Apart from operator control and monitoring, this also
means a high-performance communication system.
Distribution in Manufacturing and Process Automation
Distributed automation systems are being used increasingly in manufacturing and
process automation. This means that a complex control task is divided into smaller,
clearly delineated subtasks with distributed control systems. As a result, efficient
communication between the distributed systems is an absolute necessity. Such
distributed structures have, for example, the following advantages:
S Independent and simultaneous startup of individual sections of a plant or
process
S Smaller, clearer programs
S Parallel processing by distributed automation systems (programmable
controllers)
This results in the following:
- Shorter reaction times
- Reduced load on the individual processing units
S Increased plant or process availability
A comprehensive, high-performance communication system is a must for a
distributed system structure. The basis of such communication systems are Local
Area Networks (LANs) that can be implemented in one of the following ways:
S Electrically
S Optically
S As an electrical/optical combination
Comentarios a estos manuales