EtherNet/IP™ is a best-in-class Ethernet communication network that provides users with the tools to deploy standard Ethernet technology (IEEE 802.3 combined with the TCP/IP Suite) in industrial automation applications while enabling Internet and enterprise connectivity…data anytime, anywhere. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 are providing manufacturers with significant opportunity for innovation. To capitalize on this opportunity and be able to connect all devices – not just those connected to controllers – industrial users must invest in networks that support the Internet Protocol. Through its reliance on standard Internet and Ethernet standards, EtherNet/IP is proven, complete and ready for Industry 4.0 and IIoT both today and tomorrow.
E therNet/I P offers various network topology options including star or linear with standard Ethernet infrastructure devices, or device level ring (DLR) with specially enabled EtherNet/IP devices. QuickConnect™ functionality allows devices to be exchanged rapidly (e.g., a tool changer on a robot arm) while the network is running. Compliance with IEEE Ethernet standards provides users with a choice of network interface speeds — e.g., 10, 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps — and a flexible network architecture compatible with commercially available Ethernet installation options including copper, fiber, fiber ring and wireless. Reliance on IEEE standards also means that EtherNet/IP can take advantage of new advancements in Single Pair Ethernet. Users can benefit from reduced cabling and complexity by connecting to in-cabinet resource-constrained devices via 10BASE-T1S as well as by unlocking valuable diagnostic data from process automation devices in the field through the use of the Ethernet-APL physical layer based on 10BASE-T1L. Easy access the enterprise is also available through the integration of OPC-UA. Options for industrially rated devices incorporating IP67 or better rated connectors with module and network status LEDs with device labeling provide ease of use.
Like all CIP Networks, EtherNet/IP utilizes the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP™) for its upper layers. CIP Networks follow the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, which defines a framework for implementing network protocols in seven layers: physical, data link, network, transport, session, presentation and application. Networks that follow this model define a complete suite of network functionality from the physical implementation through the application or user interface layer.
CIP encompasses a comprehensive suite of messages and services for a variety of manufacturing automation applications, including control, safety, security, energy, synchronization & motion, information and network management. As a truly media-independent protocol that is supported by hundreds of vendors around the world, CIP provides users with a unified communication architecture throughout the manufacturing enterprise.
The “Technology Overview Series: EtherNet/IP” can be accessed from the Document Library (Pub 138) and gives a comprehensive overview to EtherNet/IP.
Learn More
ODVA offers free online training for engineers starting the process of creating an EtherNet/IP device. Visit ODVA’s Event Calendar & Registration page for the next available EtherNet/IP Quick Start course.
