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This paper reflects the content of the presentation “The Next Generation: Ethernet-APL for Safety Systems” at the NAMUR Annual General Meeting 2022. It deals with the use of the Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet-APL) in combination with the PROFINET/PROFIsafe protocol for safety applications. It describes the virtues of the digital communication between the field and safety system. In parallel the aspect of OT security for this use case is touched as well. The paper proposes a secure architecture, where safety- and non-safety field communications are still separated. At the end a set of requirements for the development of future APL devices is described.
The Ethernet-APL Engineering Process - A brief look at the Ethernet-APL engineering guideline
(2021)
The vision of an “Industrial Ethernet down to the sensors and actors” has become reality. At the Achema fair in June 2021 Ethernet-APL was introduced. This technology is based on a 2-wire Ethernet that conveys information as well as energy to the sensors and actuators of the automation system. Ethernet-APL is based on the 2-wire Ethernet standard IEEE 802.3cg running at 10 Mbit/s. An additional specification, the Ethernet-APL Port Profile Specification, defines additional parameters for the use of the technology in the process industry, especially in areas with potentially explosive atmospheres. As a next step, potential users need to become familiar with the engineering process of Ethernet-APL networks. For this purpose, the Ethernet-APL project provides the Ethernet-APL Engineering Guideline that covers the main areas of planning, installation and acceptance testing.
Network convergence is an increasing trend in the automation domain. More and more plant owners strive for a unification of networks in their plants. This yields a seamless network structure, simplified supervision, and reduced training effort for the personnel, as only one unified network technology needs to be handled. Ethernet-APL is one piece of the puzzle for such a converged network, supporting various real time protocols like PROFINET, EtherNet, HART-IP as well as the middleware protocol OPC UA. This paper gives an overview on the impact of Ethernet-APL field devices to OT security and proposes how to ensure OT security for them.