Avoid Network Errors with A Switch
Oct 9th 2021
Avoid Network Errors with a Switch
Oct 9th 2021
When installing PROFINET networks in machines and plants, connecting cables must be tested for proper function or even be certified. Until now, this testing had to be accomplished in a separate work step. The PROmesh P10 provides an alternative to this complex procedure for the first time.
The PROmesh P10 industrial switch, from the latest Gigabit switch generation, has an integrated cable diagnosis, which satisfies both the requirements of cable measurement and permanent, qualitative cable monitoring. Therefore, it is suitable for line testing during commissioning and during plant operation.
In short:Be able to make a well-founded statement about the "wear reserve" of the network at any time - without interrupting plant operation. With this knowledge maintenance measures become more predictable.
Due to a sophisticated evaluation system of the transmission and reception parameters, the PROmesh P10 switch is able to provide clear statements about the current transmission quality and also about the state of the data lines. In order to visualize the physical abrasion of network cables, a quality value "Q-actual value" is permanently determined for each cable. This status value is compared to a "Q-setpoint value" that corresponds to the cable length. As a result, the line status per port can be determined.
The status of each data cable can be easily checked via the integrated web interface of the PROmesh P10. Thanks to the traffic light color principle, it is possible to immediately detect when the value falls below the preset threshold value. Damaged cables can be replaced according to their condition during the next maintenance nterval. All alarms can also be transmitted to a higher-level network monitoring system (via SNMP, PROFINET, email, relay).
If the data traffic in the network exceeds the performance limit of a switch, data loss (discards) occurs. This is often caused by sporadically occurring network load peaks, e.g. due to acyclic queries from the IT level or TCP/IP applications.
In order to make this short-term peak load visible, the PROmesh P10 provides useful network load statistics. This displays to the second all network loads per port and the associated failures and makes it possible to identify and eliminate network load-related bottlenecks.
Despite correct shielding, EMC couplings on data cables frequently cause communication errors or breakdowns. With the aid of permanent leakage current monitoring, common sources of EMC interference can be identified without complicated measuring procedures.
For this purpose the PROmesh P10 captures the exact time, frequency and intensity of occurring EMC disturbances. If a freely settable limit value is exceeded, an automatic alarm notification is triggered. To simplify subsequent analysis, an exact time history around the incident (snapshot) is also stored. This can be called up via the web interface of the switch.
Applied Products
PROmesh P10