Fiber Optic Networking for Factory Automation Systems

Reliable Industrial Connectivity for Automated Manufacturing

Factory automation depends on reliable communication between machines, controllers, sensors, monitoring systems, and other connected equipment. As manufacturing operations become increasingly automated, the network infrastructure supporting these systems must provide dependable connectivity while operating in demanding industrial environments.

Factory floors can present challenges that are uncommon in traditional office networks, including electrical interference, vibration, temperature fluctuations, long cable runs, and the need to connect legacy equipment with newer Ethernet and fiber optic infrastructure.

VERSITRON provides industrial networking solutions designed to support factory automation and process control applications. Our product portfolio includes industrial Ethernet switches, industrial media converters, and serial communication devices that can help manufacturers build reliable copper-and-fiber network infrastructure.

Why Fiber Optics for Factory Automation?

Fiber optic networking offers several advantages for industrial automation environments.

Immunity to Electromagnetic Interference

Manufacturing environments can contain motors, drives, machinery, and other equipment that generate electrical interference. Fiber optic communication is immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI), making it well suited for electrically noisy environments.

Extended Transmission Distance

Copper Ethernet connections have distance limitations, particularly when equipment is distributed throughout a large manufacturing facility.

Fiber optic connectivity allows industrial networks to extend significantly farther, making it useful for connecting different production areas, buildings, control rooms, and remote equipment.

Hybrid Copper and Fiber Networks

Manufacturers don't necessarily need to replace their existing copper infrastructure to introduce fiber.

Media converters provide an effective way to connect copper Ethernet equipment with fiber optic networks, allowing organizations to extend existing systems while maintaining their investment in installed equipment.

Reliable Industrial Connectivity

Industrial automation systems depend on consistent communications between equipment and control systems. Industrial-grade networking equipment provides a more appropriate solution for demanding factory environments than standard commercial networking equipment.

VERSITRON Products for Factory Automation

VERSITRON offers industrial networking products that can be incorporated into factory automation and manufacturing networks.

Industrial Media Converters

Industrial media converters convert electrical Ethernet signals into optical signals and optical signals back into electrical Ethernet signals.

This allows copper Ethernet devices to communicate across fiber optic infrastructure and provides a practical way to build hybrid copper-and-fiber industrial networks.

VERSITRON offers industrial Ethernet media converters supporting applications including:

• 10/100 Ethernet
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
• Copper-to-fiber conversion
• Multimode fiber connectivity
• Single-mode fiber connectivity
• Extended-distance network connections

Industrial media converters can also help manufacturers integrate fiber into existing networks without replacing copper-connected equipment.

Industrial Ethernet Switches

Industrial Ethernet switches provide the connectivity required to link machines, controllers, monitoring systems, and other network devices across a factory environment.

Depending on the application, VERSITRON industrial switches are available in different configurations to support copper Ethernet and fiber optic connectivity.

These switches can be used to distribute network traffic between:

• Industrial control systems
• Manufacturing equipment
• Monitoring systems
• Security and surveillance equipment
• Remote network devices
• Automation systems

For applications requiring greater network control, managed industrial Ethernet switches can provide additional capabilities for configuring and managing network traffic.

Serial Communication and Fiber Optic Devices

Many industrial environments continue to rely on equipment using serial communications.

Fiber optic communication products can provide a way to extend serial data over fiber while helping integrate legacy equipment into modern industrial communication infrastructure.

This can be particularly useful when upgrading an existing automation system without replacing every piece of installed equipment.

Factory Automation Applications

VERSITRON industrial networking products can support a variety of factory automation applications.

Material Handling

Automated material handling systems rely on communications between equipment, control systems, and monitoring devices. Fiber optic networking can provide connectivity between distributed systems across a manufacturing facility.

Testing, Inspection, and Quality Control

Automated inspection and quality-control systems can generate substantial amounts of data. Reliable network connectivity helps connect inspection equipment with centralized control and monitoring systems.

Conveyors and Automated Material Transport

Fiber optic media converters and industrial Ethernet switches can connect conveyor systems and other automated material-handling equipment across a facility.

Inventory Management

Connected inventory systems can use industrial networks to communicate with automated equipment, monitoring systems, and centralized management platforms.

Industrial Security and Surveillance

Industrial Ethernet networks can connect IP cameras and other security equipment throughout manufacturing facilities, while fiber optic links can extend communications between remote areas and centralized monitoring locations.

Automated Industrial Vehicles

Automated and self-guided industrial vehicles require reliable communications for monitoring and control. Industrial networking infrastructure can provide connectivity between vehicle systems and the broader facility network.

CNC and Machine Control

CNC and VMC equipment can be integrated into industrial Ethernet networks to support communication between machines, control systems, and monitoring infrastructure.

Building a More Connected Factory

Modern manufacturing facilities increasingly depend on communication networks as automation expands.

The network supporting an automated production environment needs to do more than simply connect devices. It must provide the distance, reliability, flexibility, and environmental resilience required by the application.

Fiber optic networking can help manufacturers overcome many of the limitations associated with copper-only infrastructure, while industrial media converters and Ethernet switches make it possible to integrate fiber into existing systems.

VERSITRON provides industrial networking products designed to help manufacturers connect copper and fiber infrastructure across demanding factory environments.

Whether you're upgrading an existing automation network, extending connectivity to remote equipment, or designing a new industrial Ethernet infrastructure, VERSITRON can help identify the appropriate networking solution for your application.

Contact VERSITRON to discuss your factory automation networking requirements.