Many advantages of Ethernet-APL

During a presentation at the SPS Nürnberg 2023 conference last November, members of the NAMUR APL and ZVEI APL task forces listed the many benefits of Ethernet-APL and possible use cases for potential users, including:

• A consistent infrastructure that reduces costs through larger markets and greater availability of spare parts and enables transparency between Ethernet protocols such as Profinet, EtherNet/IP and OPC UA, as well as between different physical layers.
• A consistent protocol for connecting device types such as sensors, actuators, motor controls, drives and process analyzers, and enabling the use of proven protocols from other areas, as recommended by NAMUR NE 168, “Ethernet-based communication system requirements for the field device level” “
• Increased throughput per field device for faster device parameterization and data security, as well as much faster software loading on field devices. For example, where HART over Profibus RIO takes 8 minutes, Ethernet-APL over Profinet takes 10 seconds.
• Simplified device replacement with Profinet using generic Profibus PA device drivers; support for NAMUR NE 107 within the general PA profile (NAMUR NE 1, “Devices”); use of startup parameters to make manual parameterization unnecessary; and showing that the same devices from different manufacturers can be interchanged.
• Reduces engineering effort by installing only one single-pair Ethernet (SPE) cable per field device and eliminating the need to run cables.
• Powered Intrinsically Safe (IS) by using the same cable for communication and power, polarity protection, no need for additional power and simplifying the otherwise labor-intensive task of achieving Ex protection, validation and verification.
• Safety applications with similar infrastructure and the same field devices can be used for safety and non-security applications by adding the ProfiSafe protocol as software added later to the Profinet stack. This allows Profinet to serve as a black channel for functional safety data and also allows field devices to be used in common and safety-sensitive applications when functional safety is activated by ProfiSafe.
• Added digitization capabilities as more useful data becomes available through standardization of Field Devices (FDI) and Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM) for field devices and parameters. Digitization also enables access to diagnostics; facilitates the implementation of secure NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) data extraction and relieves the overloaded controller by opening a second channel; and enables other applications such as device inventory and documentation, situation monitoring, device update management, and the use of artificial intelligence and predictive maintenance.