Specifications

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The Siemens SIMATIC NET product family includes a range
of SCALANCE X Industrial Ethernet switches to fit varied
requirements from localized to plant-wide networks. Siemens
also offers an extensive array of devices for interconnecting
network components via twisted-pair cable, optical fiber, or
wireless signals. For example, Siemens FastConnect system
includes cables and connectors designed for demanding factory
applications and a cable stripper designed to speed installation.
Like office networks, industrial networks also need to be
protected from unauthorized access and from any unnecessary
communication load that would affect network performance.
SCALANCE S modules and security software provide an
integrated approach to security tailored to the demands of
industrial networks.
Where wireless communication is needed, SCALANCE W
provides technology for Industrial Wireless LAN (IWLAN)
communication. IWLAN is based on the IEEE 802.11 standard,
but is adapted to the need for reliable communication in noisy
industrial environments.
PROFINET is the open Industrial Ethernet standard of PROFIBUS
& PROFINET International (PI) and the leading Industrial Ethernet
standard world-wide. PROFINET IO, the most widely-used form
of PROFINET, handles both non-time-critical IT communications
and the full range of real-time control communications. By
virtue of its ability to handle control tasks, PROFINET extends the
benefits of standardized, Ethernet communication to distributed
field devices. This approach allows field devices from many
suppliers to be easily connected to the network. PROFINET
also protects investments in existing PROFIBUS networks by
simplifying their integration into a factory-wide network.
PROFIBUS is the open fieldbus standard of PI. A fieldbus is
a multi-drop network that provides a standardized approach
for communication of devices commonly used for factory
automation or process control. The version of PROFIBUS most
widely used in factory automation applications is PROFIBUS DP.
The Actuator-Sensor Interface (AS-Interface) is an open,
low-cost network endorsed by the AS-International Association
that simplifies the interconnection of actuators and sensors
with controllers. AS-Interface replaces the complex wiring and
proprietary interfaces often used for this interconnection with
only two wires which transfer both data and power.