Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0 for Industrial Networking
Industrial IoT (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 are transforming how manufacturers design, operate, and optimize industrial systems. By connecting devices, machines, and applications, organizations can improve decision-making across the enterprise.
Through its reliance on standard Internet and Ethernet standards, including TCP/IP, EtherNet/IP™ is an open industrial communication standard that helps enable seamless interoperability between devices while supporting scalable and secure industrial network architectures. EtherNet/IP is proven and ready for Industry 4.0 and IIoT both today and tomorrow.
Industrial Digital Transformation
IIoT refers to the integration of connected industrial devices, control systems, sensors, and software applications that collect and exchange operational data in real time. IIoT technologies help manufacturers gain deeper insights, improve asset utilization, and support predictive operations.
Connected industrial systems enable organizations to:
- Monitor and diagnose equipment performance in real time
- Reduce unplanned downtime
- Improve production and maintenance efficiency
- Increase operational visibility
Industry 4.0 supports the evolution of industrial automation through the convergence of OT and IT, as well as initiatives such as cloud, edge computing, analytics, security, and more. By leveraging connected devices and intelligent automation to create more adaptive, efficient, and resilient operations, Industry 4.0 is driving:
- Smart manufacturing
- Real-time analytics
- Predictive maintenance
- Cyber-physical systems including digital twins
- Secure connectivity
How EtherNet/IP Supports IIoT and Industry 4.0
Unparalleled device level security along with safety, motion/synchronization, and energy performance within industrial control, combined with inherent TCP/IP capability for higher level communication, make EtherNet/IP an ideal solution for today and tomorrow. EtherNet/IP was designed to excel at the most challenging control applications by supporting UDP, CIP Sync, and CIP Motion for cyclic data and real-time I/O control. At the same time, being based on standard, unmodified Ethernet with the ability to transport critical diagnostic and prognostic information carries the network into the future.
The object-oriented foundation of EtherNet/IP has been a key factor in its global adoption and will play an important role in accelerating IT and OT convergence. Other benefits include:
- Proven: EtherNet/IP has a large, global installed base and is object-oriented, multi-vendor interoperable, and highly standardized.
- Standard: EtherNet/IP leverages TCP/IP and commercial-off-the-shelf hardware and works across HTTP, FTP, SNMP, and DHCP to connect the devices and systems.
- Open: EtherNet/IP is an open networking standard managed by ODVA. With over 400 members worldwide, enhancements will continue to be made to meet future industrial communication and control needs across both the discrete and process industries.
By leveraging EtherNet/IP, manufacturers can align OT infrastructure with broader digital transformation and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
Connect the Unconnected
Factory floor connectivity is a key component of digitization initiatives, like IIoT. That means manufacturers are connecting devices to the network that weren’t previously connected.
ODVA is currently focused on two connectivity initiatives – EtherNet/IP in-cabinet and factory floor to cloud connectivity.
- EtherNet/IP in-cabinet device support utilizes Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) to bring Ethernet to low-level in-cabinet devices such as contactors and push buttons.
- For cloud connectivity, ODVA is developing an OPC UA Companion Specification for CIP as one way to help address this need.
Expanding the connectivity of EtherNet/IP creates tremendous opportunity for industrial digital transformation across the enterprise.