The South African Flameproof Association awarded a technical Innovation award for the Pepper+ Fuchs Ethernet-APL Rail Field Switch. The South African Flameproof Association is a non-profit organisation involved in explosion prevention and protection techniques for equipment used in hazardous atmospheres in industry and mining. It comprises almost 200 member companies which include both end users and manufacturers, as well as relevant government bodies and equipment testing houses.  The Technical innovation award is for an innovative product or system for use in hazardous area environments.

About Ethernet-APL

Ethernet-APL is the ruggedized, two-wire, loop-powered Ethernet physical layer that uses 10BASE-T1L plus extensions for installation within the demanding operating conditions and hazardous areas of process plants. It enables a direct connection of field devices to Ethernet-based systems in a way that process industries can benefit from a convergence of their OT and IT systems. Utilizing a switched architecture, eliminates any unwanted interference between devices connected to the same network.

Ethernet-APL adopts technologies and options already established in the field of process automation. This includes the proven trunk-and-spur topology with the ability to power up to 50 field devices with up to 500 mW each. Widely used and established cable infrastructures are specified to support the migration in brown field installations to Ethernet-APL.

Ethernet-APL Rail Field Switch - First Switch of its kind!

The Ethernet-APL rail field switch is the first switch combining current communications technologies with Ethernet-APL enabling IIoT applications in real-time in hazardous area. It allows users in process plants to deploy Ethernet beyond the control room throughout the plant. The field switch provides seamless, transparent and simultaneous access to field instrumentation. It enables entirely new applications and therefore new work processes for how users work with instrumentation and all other devices installed in the field of process plants.

This brings digital communication via two-wire Ethernet into the field of process plants and allows for easy implementation of IIoT applications into process automation applications. All parties involved, from the planner to the user to the maintenance personnel, are therefore able to reduce risks and increase safety, quality and yield.

The Ethernet-APL rail field switch is perfectly suited for compact plant layouts. In addition to the performance features for IIot applications, it provides everything that is typical for FieldConnex and the simple mounting of fieldbus installations.

This award from the South African Flameproof Association highlights Pepperl+Fuchs’ commitment to revolutionizing data transmission in hazardous areas.