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HMS Industrial Networks is a leading independent supplier of network communication and IIoT solutions. As such, they have great insight about industrial networks and upcoming trends. Here’s what they see right now and how they help connect Schneider Electric equipment to different IT and OT networks.
Guest blog by Axel Kaiser, HMS Industrial Networks’ account manager for Schneider Electric. He has several decades of experience in automation control and focuses solely on helping Schneider Electric and its partners get connected.
Industrial Ethernet and Wireless technology growth is accelerated by the increasing need for industrial devices to get connected and the Industrial Internet of Things. Industrial Ethernet now accounts for 46% of the market (38% last year). Wireless technologies are also coming on strong, now at 6% (4%) market share. Combined, industrial Ethernet and Wireless now account for 52% of the market, while traditional fieldbuses are at 48%.
Industrial Internet of Things is boosting Industrial Ethernet growth
According to HMS, industrial Ethernet is growing faster than previous years, with a growth rate of 22%. EtherNet/IP and PROFINET are tied at first place, with PROFINET dominating in Central Europe, and EtherNet/IP leading in North America. Runners-up globally are EtherCAT, Modbus-TCP and Ethernet POWERLINK.
Fieldbus is still growing, but the growth is slowing
Fieldbuses are still the most widely used type of networks with 48% of the market. They are still growing as many users ask for the traditional simplicity and backwards compatibility offered by fieldbuses. But the growth rate is slowing and is currently at around 4% compared to 7% last year. The dominant fieldbus is PROFIBUS with 14% of the total world market, followed by Modbus-RTU and CC-Link, both at 6%.
Wireless is redefining the networking picture
Wireless technologies are growing quickly at 32% and now account for 6% of the total market. Within Wireless, WLAN is the most popular technology, followed by Bluetooth. Wireless is increasingly being used by machine builders to realize innovative industrial automation architectures and new solutions for connectivity and machine control, including Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) solutions via tablets or smartphones.
Regional facts
In Europe and the Middle East, PROFIBUS is still the leading network while PROFINET has the fastest growth rate. Runners up are EtherCAT, Modbus-TCP and Ethernet POWERLINK.
The US market is dominated by the CIP networks where EtherNet/IP has overtaken DeviceNet in terms of market shares. (CIP= Common Industrial Protocol suite by ODVA).
In Asia, a fragmented network market is very visible. No network stands out as truly market-leading, but PROFIBUS, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus and CC-Link are widely used. EtherCAT continues to establish itself as a significant network, and CC-Link IE Field is also gaining traction.
Helping Schneider Electric devices get connected
HMS Industrial Networks offers products and solutions which enable Schneider Electric devices to get connected to any fieldbus or industrial Ethernet network, or to be accessed remotely. Here’s how.
See how it works at www.hms-networks.com
About HMS Industrial Networks and the Schneider Electric Collaborative Automation Partner Program (CAPP)
Operated by the Schneider Electric Industry business unit, CAPP brings together best-in-class product and technology companies who contribute to build a complete customer solution by integrating their strategic partner products with the Schneider Electric offer. HMS Industrial Networks is a long-standing and highly regarded Gold partner member of CAPP. Customers of all types across many industries have benefited from this collaborative combination of industry leading capabilities. You will find more about the Industry partner program of Schneider Electric in the following link. www.schneider-electric.com/CAPP
