The Rise of IIoT Technology
While the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) has been around for a while, Industrial IoT (IIoT) has been getting a lot of attention lately due to its rapid growth and the promise of optimized operations, productivity and efficiency in industrial environments. And now with more ways to connect IIoT devices, the global IIoT market is expected to reach nearly USD $1 trillion by 2025.
IoT vs. IIoT
While IIoT is technically a subcategory of the broader IoT concept, it relates primarily to digital devices such as meters, sensors, actuators and controllers used in industrial environments, creating the foundation for automation via smart technology that is often referred to as Industry 4.0.
From a networking standpoint, IIoT devices are typically associated with Operational Technology (OT) networks that handle machine-oriented monitoring, control and supervisory data via Industrial Ethernet. In contrast, IoT has become synonymous with commercial and consumer devices associated with information technology (IT) networks that primarily handle business- and consumer-oriented data via commercial Ethernet. While IT and OT networks are converging in terms of sharing data to optimize industrial processes, there remains some fundamental differences between how IoT and IIoT devices communicate, how much bandwidth they need and the components they use.
While both IoT and IIoT devices utilize Ethernet frames to send data packets to and from networked devices, IIoT devices require time-sensitive networking (TSN). Unlike commercial Ethernet that cannot determine the time it takes for a given packet to arrive at its destination due to collision detection (i.e., waiting to transmit data when another device is also attempting to transmit), communication between industrial devices cannot have even the slightest delay and requires prioritization and time synchronization mechanisms via specific industrial Ethernet protocols.
Unlike many IoT devices that require high-speed data rates of 1 Gb/s or higher to transmit greater amounts of data like high-definition video, the majority of IIoT devices are low-speed and only require data rates less than 100 Mb/s. Many industrial Ethernet applications also use bus topologies where multiple devices share a common link, versus commercial Ethernet that is almost always configured in a star topology where each device has its own link. Industrial devices also often require longer link lengths to effectively traverse expansive manufacturing spaces to remote locations.
It’s also important to note that the components used to connect IIoT devices often need to be protected from harsh environmental factors such as mechanical forces (e.g., crushing and vibration), ingress of liquids and dust, chemical or climatic issues (e.g., temperature and corrosive solvents), and electromagnetic interference (EMI). That’s why many IIoT device connections require Ruggedized cables and connectivity.
New Ways to Connect
IIoT technology is being driven in part by emerging applications that will offer significant benefits over traditional fieldbus communication protocols historically used for industrial devices found in control and automation systems. Many traditional fieldbus systems operate over a wide range of media with varying lengths and connector interfaces, which are often proprietary and not interoperable. Not only has this made for more costly, complex deployments, but it has significantly limited the ability for industrial devices at the I/O level to effectively transmit and share information across OT and IT networks.
Traditional 4-pair Ethernet applications used in the commercial enterprise are cost-prohibitive for IIoT device connections. That’s why the IEEE developed the 802.3cg 10BASE-T1L standards for single-pair Ethernet (SPE) that supports 10 Mb/s Ethernet transmission over balanced single-pair cabling up to at least 1000 meters, as well as the delivery of DC power using IEEE 802.3 power over data lines (PoDL).
The emergence of SPE essentially provides a convergence communication application that solves the need to support IIoT connections up to 10 Mb/s with non-proprietary category-style cabling, while also providing a common networking platform for IT/OT convergence.
Another emerging application for connecting IIoT devices is newer next-generation Wi-Fi 6/6E, which offers real-world data transmission rates of greater than 5 Gb/s, longer device battery life, the ability to connect more devices and improved security that may make it feasible for connecting wireless IIoT devices. This could be extremely beneficial for connecting to wireless sensors and devices located in remote and hard-to-reach areas of the industrial environment, as well as mobile IIoT devices such as those used for inventory management and asset tracking and monitoring. In fact, a new report from Guidehouse Insights, entitled Wi-Fi 6 and the IIoT, examines how IIoT and Wi-Fi infrastructure can be used for industrial sites and estimates that industrial Wi-Fi infrastructure will grow from $1.7 billion in 2021 to $6.9 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate of 16.8%. An executive summary of the report is available here for free download on the Guidehouse Insights website.
With its higher-frequency radio waves that offer speeds up to 10 Gb/s and reduced latency, there’s also much potential for 5G cellular to connect to IIoT devices, particularly those used in distributed telemetry applications and remote mining, excavation, smart grid/substation, and rail and transit applications. While Wi-Fi is ideal for wireless IIoT devices permanently located within a structure, distributed antenna systems (DAS) can extend 5G signals over the building campus to effectively support seamless wireless communications for mobile IIoT devices that need to operate both inside and outside of a facility. For example, consider the sensors being used to monitor and track shipments and temperature of new COVID-19 vaccines that must remain at minus 70°C to maintain effectiveness.
We’ve Got You Covered!
As buildings and factories becomes smarter and more efficient via IoT and IIoT technology, and IT and OT networks continue to converge, you need the right infrastructure in place to support it all. Whether you’re connecting devices to the IT network or the OT network, in commercial environments or industrial, Siemon has you covered with the right low-voltage system to support direct SPE and 4-pair wired Ethernet connections to devices, as well as connections to Wi-Fi access points and DAS nodes.
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Sita Alamuri
April 14, 2021 at 3:25 am
Well articulated.