”As industrial manufacturing moves towards total automation (emphasis added), the same degree of compatibility is needed for the equipment that makes up the complex manufacturing machine.” *1
The title says it all; Even if I was to declare it from horseback as I rode through the town at night, it probably would not come close to drawing the attention that Mr. Revere’s cry did on April 18, 1875. I doubt if it would be accepted as true; Though, this trend in automation is indeed coming.
That’s a bit of a misnomer as it’s been coming for quite a long time. I’m sure that with each renovation to modernize the assembly lines at his factory in Dearborn, Mr. Henry Ford’s employees were heard to complain about being replaced by a machine. But look what this incredible marvel has brought us. The first cars were pushed via actual man-power through the first line’s prototype. That time wasted meant a higher price tag for the car. While the first Model T’s were still an expensive proposition, they were quickly found to be a necessity and the average working family, with just a touch more scrimping and saving than what they were used to, were able to make the purchase. As automation improved, the line performance improved. Just like today, the price for the Model T did not go down, but unlike today, it also did not increase. Wages for working on these more technical lines did increase. That, of course, trickled down to the spiderweb of manufacturing involved in producing an automobile. In essence, the car became more economical. As other factories witnessed this revolution, they adopted the practice of an assembly-linesque model. (Yes, I made up that word. Not really sure of the spelling just yet; it doesn’t look right no matter what way I type it. Ah, well it’s new. Remember – you saw it here first!)
Where this is heading is anybody’s guess. Totally automated assembly? Possibly. In some regards, it is being instituted here in Northwest Ohio right now. More on that in a bit. Why am I writing about this today and what does it have to do with DataCom Inc.? We’ll get there as well.
“Solutions for industrial and process control applications do not need high-speed data transmission, but they must support a considerably longer reach. Data rates as low as 10 Mb/s are sufficient, but for lengths as high as 1000 meters.” *1
Since the concept of ethernet was introduced in May of 1973, every aspect of R&D into data transmission via this medium has been geared towards making the data exchange faster while maintaining its integrity. Recently, the first part of that trend has been reversed. As mentioned in the White Paper that is referenced, incredibly fast speeds are simply not needed when it comes to some parts of the industrial world; 10Mb, long thought of as being slow, is sufficient for this application. What is needed is a longer range. Ethernet rules and standards do not permit the channel to exceed 100 meters. Building sufficient data closets to fulfill this requirement in today’s mammoth factories can be cost prohibitive – especially when you consider that said closet is, in this instance, delivering more than is required at the remote location. Those high speeds have to be paid for. Fiber-Optic cable is more expensive than copper, fragile, and difficult to terminate requiring equipment much more expensive than ordinary hand tools. The interface between the fiber cable and the switch gear carries a higher price tag than that of its copper cousin as well. Wasteful spending does not equate to efficiency. So if fiber is too expensive, and 4-pair copper cable isn’t “allowed” due to distance constraints, what then is the answer?
This very specific need has been addressed through a different cable. What we’re talking about is a Single Pair Ethernet (SPE). This makes the copper cable lighter, smaller, less expensive, and easier to install. It is still capable of carrying PoE except – and get ready for another acronym – it is known as Power over Data Lines (PoDL (pronounced “poodle”)), delivering 0.5-52Watts of power.
Now, the telephone patent was approved in March of 1876. It turns out that SPE actually came about remarkably soon after that to interconnect them. Very quickly the benefit of twisting the pairs together to help ward off unwanted “noise” on the line was discovered. This technique continues today. The vast majority of modern ethernet traffic is conducted over twisted 4-pair copper cabling. In the 1980’s some protocols were proffered over SPE, but they were all proprietary with no standardization among them. Due to the various manufacturer’s unwillingness to cooperate, and other factors, achieving an actual standard proved insurmountable – until recently. Though still evolving today, SPE standards began to be discussed in 2013. Why? Allow me to share the largest reason, in my opinion, behind this push.
“A key driver for SPE in the industrial market is an emerging megatrend called Industry 4.0…” “…is the trend towards automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies and processes include cyber-physical systems (CPS), the internet of things (IoT), industrial internet of things (IIoT), cloud computing, cognitive computing and artificial intelligence. To achieve this level of autonomy and intelligence will require an increased level of machine-to-machine bi-directional communication. In addition to end devices receiving instructions, they will need to return information in the form of diagnostic data and status reports.” *1 Remember my earlier sentence about this very trend occurring in NW Ohio? A friend of mine works in the Jeep plant at Chrysler’s facility in Toledo. He started on the line in the late 70’s to early 80’s; except for a 4-year vacation, during which time he served in the United States Navy, he has worked his way up the chain to his current position in the QA division of the maintenance department. After learning of it as I did research for this blog, I enquired of him if he had heard of Industry 4.0. Admitting that he had to look up that particular phrase, he explained that it sounded remarkably like what Chrysler is trying to accomplish at the facility he works in.
*1Leviton White Paper: The Advantages of Single Pair Ethernet, Mark Dearing and Jeff Poulsen 2021
Please don’t think this only applies to the automotive industry. The White Paper lists the top three market segments that need to employ this as: Industrial Manufacturing, Building Automation, and Automotive Technology. With those three already encompassing a large portion of the total, I find it easy to speculate that there won’t be a single segment of industry that will not employ aspects of this in the very near future.
I watched a home improvement show last evening. In the show a home was renovated into a Smart House in order that the owners could use several devices to help them care for their handicapped son, who is in a wheelchair. The entire home is now geared toward making this young man more and more independent as he grows and gets older. SPE run throughout this home would not only enable today’s devices to operate and communicate, but would ensure that tomorrow’s will be “plug-and-play.
Also, please don’t think that SPE is a replacement for today’s cabling. Like the two varieties of fiber (Multi- and Single-mode), Hard-Clad-Silica fiber, the various grades of 4-Pair copper cable (C-5e, C-6, & C-6A), and multiple types of coaxial cable (RG-6, RG-11, and the older RG-59), SPE is its own entity and has its place for unique applications. This plethora of “tools” for network designers to use only serves to make it better for the end users and customers.
At DataCom Inc., we spend the time and energy to keep up with everything that is offered in today’s modern world of ITS. Though SPE is a newer form of a very old cable, DataCom is staying proficient in the installation of this product. It is but another step we have taken to maintain our reputation as the best cabling contractor in the Mahoning Valley!