Each of these machines is made up of a combination of PLC controller, HMI control panel, and numerous I/Os, relays, sensors, and counters. The machine builder needed a proven and reliable Ethernet switch to form the internal network that allows these Ethernet-based devices to communicate at the system (machine) level, as well as port out to the factory floor to integrate with other process machinery and allow remote monitoring and control.

Since the company designs and builds machinery for the food packaging industry, sanitation and maintenance requirements play a critical role in system design. Machinery must withstand high-pressure and high-temperature washdowns as well as the cleaning solvents used for sterilization. Rugged, centralized machine control that uses watertight sensors and enclosed Moxa Ethernet switches to support the machinery have made it possible to design systems that can better withstand and support these demanding operating requirements.

The builder used the MOXA EDS-305-M, EDS-308-M, and EDS-316-M unmanaged Ethernet switches. These rugged Ethernet switches are designed to withstand the wide temperature shifts, vibrations, and EMC prevalent in industrial environments. All of these switches support multimode fiber and are capable of transmitting data up to 5 kilometers, making it easier to configure and support reliable, high-speed data transfer between machines or to the central control centers used by large-scale operations. Important features of the MOXA switches include redundant DC power inputs, and models for standard temperature conditions (0 to +60°C) or wide range temperature conditions
(-40 to +75°C). All of the switches come with a solid 5-year warranty and provide alarm relay contact outputs to warn operators and system controllers when the power fails or a port link breaks.