PC-based control for process automation: Ethernet APL

For decades, process plants have relied on point-to-point 4-20 mA wiring and fieldbus protocols that were groundbreaking at the time but are now showing their limits — massive cable infrastructures, per-instrument I/O channels, rigid segment designs, and diagnostic data that rarely makes it to where the decisions are made. HART added digital capability on top of analog loops, but in practice that data stayed stranded. This results in facilities where instrumentation is siloed, maintenance is reactive, and every engineering change means physical rewiring.

Initially, Ethernet offered significant promise, and, in fact, Ethernet variants have been widely incorporated into multiple industrial networks. However, specific limitations at the physical layer made Ethernet unsuitable for use at the field level. This was particularly true in explosive plant areas and/or where line power was not readily available. The new Ethernet-APL (Advanced Physical Layer) standard finally addresses these limitations. Supported by all major industry standards organizations and automation suppliers, Ethernet-APL enables Ethernet communications protocols to be used safely and successfully at all plant and enterprise levels.

Jesse Hill, process industry manager at Beckhoff USA, regularly advises process industry customers on networking best practices and automation technologies all over the country. Jason Norris, Process Industry Technology Specialist, advises and supports the deployment of key process technologies within the Beckhoff ecosystem.

In this webinar, Jesse and Jason will cover the current state of Ethernet-APL and explain real-world use cases and developments from the field for attendees to apply in their own technology migration efforts.

Key Takeaways:

• What Ethernet-APL is and why it matters for modern process facilities
• The expanded diagnostic, configuration, and data capabilities of APL-enabled instruments
• Network architecture options and their real-world applications
• Practical deployment scenarios across greenfield, brownfield, and hybrid environments

Speakers: