Ethernet-APL proves its value

Growing Ethernet-APL field switch offering: With the rise of Ethernet-APL technology, more and more switch vendors are entering the market.

Most measuring principles are available with Ethernet-APL: flow, temperature, level, and pressure transmitters were part of the load test setup.

Ethernet-APL Test Execution: Mathias Koch (BASF) and Klaus Erni (Emerson) test Emerson DeltaV and analyze the network traffic and diagnostic events. / Ethernet-APL test case evaluation: Mathias Koch (BASF) and Klaus Erni (Emerson) test Emerson DeltaV and analyze the network traffic and diagnostic events.

The TROVIS 3797 is the world's first Ethernet-APL capable positioner, communicating via PROFINET. Its modular design allows for the exchange of modules in the field, and its Physical Layer certificate and PA Profile 4 ensure safe process control.

Proline Prowirl F 200 is a versatile flow measurement device with detection of wet steam conditions and highest accuracy. Via Ethernet-APL, Prowirl transmits a variety of information about the process.

The iTEMP TMT86 head transmitter fits perfectly into all Endress+Hauser thermometers. Useful diagnostic functions such as corrosion monitoring of the sensor wires help to prevent plant downtime.

The Micropilot FMR62B, which uses 80 GHz radar technology, can transmit data about coating and foam formation to provide insights into current process conditions and potential process anomalies. / The Deltabar PMD75B smart transmitter detects process anomalies like plugged impulse lines.

Ethernet-APL has moved beyond readiness. The instrumentation manufacturer Endress+Hauser successfully conducted another set of load tests of a realistic PROFINET over Ethernet-APL setup. Two years after the last successful multi-vendor tests, the technology has proven its strength again in a realistic simulation.

The load tests were tailored to meet customer-specific requirements, demonstrating that components from various manufacturers can seamlessly work together to build a robust and reliable system based on PROFINET over Ethernet-APL. Requirements were defined from the end-user perspective by the global chemical company BASF. On the supplier side, devices from Endress+Hauser, Pepperl+Fuchs, R. Stahl, Phoenix Contact, and Samson were integrated into an Emerson control system and their interoperability was confirmed.

Ethernet-APL proves consistently high performance

Two years after the first set of successful tests with other automation systems, Emerson DeltaV was in scope of the mass load test with nearly 240 Endress+Hauser measuring devices, including flow, pressure, temperature and level sensors, as well as positioners from Samson. They were tested in a ring topology consisting of Ethernet-APL field switches from Pepperl+Fuchs, Phoenix Contact and R. Stahl. Emerson provided the control system DeltaV DCS including PROFINET System Redundancy (S2) support as well as the AMS Device Manager System.

The results spoke for themselves: Ethernet-APL performs reliably under full-scale conditions. The test scenarios on a network with the maximum number of devices successfully verified both, performance and reliability with the Pepperl+Fuchs switches. Key performance metrics — such as total net load and redundancy switchover times — met and even surpassed the required standards.

The field switches from Phoenix Contact were subsequently subjected to similar tests and were able to demonstrate their performance. The pre-series switches from R. Stahl were tested as well and based on the valuable results, the optimized devices will be now available for the market launch.

Gerd Niedermayer, Senior Expert Emerging Automation Technologies at BASF extends his gratitude: “Thank you to Endress+Hauser for the opportunity to conduct the scalability tests with our PROFINET-APL partners. With the help of their digital field devices, we are able to optimize diverse topics centering around engineering, commissioning and lifecycle in BASF plants and save CAPEX and OPEX costs.”

A technology with a bright future ahead

“With the success of the recent scalability test, the cooperating companies have again proven that the multi-vendor infrastructure is open, future-proof and ready for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)”, emphasizes Harald Müller, technical lead of Ethernet-APL and director technology at Endress+Hauser Temperature+System Products. This gives planners and end users further evidence that Ethernet-APL is an enabler to create more flexible, efficient and cost-effective industrial automation systems, leveraging the full scale of benefits through digitalization.

Karl Büttner, expert product manager system integration and marketing lead of Ethernet-APL at Endress+Hauser Flow, is proud and excited about the proven success of this technology: “Since 2023 we provide instrumentation for Ethernet-APL projects worldwide. Endress+Hauser is pleased with the successful launch of the technology, which helps our customers to digitalize their process plants.”

Endress+Hauser’s PROFINET support for Netilion is an additional step to support the Ethernet-based communication. It ensures remote access for example to process values and health diagnostics for all native and PROFINET-APL devices, ensuring high plant availability.

Ethernet-APL, already backed by a wide ecosystem, sees even more devices and manufacturers coming on board. The high market demand and worldwide successful implementations in the first medium-sized and large projects prove that Ethernet-based field communication in process automation has a bright future.