Industrial Networking
Controller Area Network (CAN) is now the commonest means for connecting microprocessing units. As a result of its automotive roots, it offers high data rates with robustness at low cost. Industry-specific application layers such as DeviceNET and CANopen ensure interoperatibility between products. Regular "Hands-On" CAN Tutorials held at our UK headquarters will give you the knowledge required to evaluate CAN for use in a future project or start work immediately in applying CAN in your current work.
PROFIBUS (Process Field Bus) is a standard for field bus communication in automation technology and was first promoted (1989) by BMBF (German department of education and research). It should not be confused with the PROFINET standard for industrial Ethernet.
Industrial Ethernet (IE) refers to the use of the Ethernet family of computer network technologies in an industrial environment, for automation and process control. A number of techniques are used to adapt Ethernet for the needs of industrial processes, which require real time behavior. By using standard Ethernet, automation systems from different manufacturers can be interconnected throughout a process plant. Industrial Ethernet takes advantage of the relatively larger marketplace for computer interconnections using Ethernet to reduce cost and improve performance of communications between industrial controllers.
IE components used in plant process areas must be designed to work in harsh environments of temperature extremes, humidity, and vibration that exceed the ranges for information technology equipment intended for installation in controlled environments.(Source - Wikipedia)