Summary

In this chapter, we analyzed the main devices involved in the IIoT data flow in an industrial plant in detail. We started with the generation of the data, looking at how physical measurements are captured by the transducers, converted to a digital signal, and passed through the industrial networks by controllers. We learned that industrial networks provide determinism in message delivery, which is a fundamental requisite in the control process. We discovered the enabling mechanisms that can guarantee deterministic networks. We compared a simplified networking model (an EPA) with the full model of the ISO/OSI stack and we looked at the methods that are used to access the physical link of the control network to ensure that the packet is transmitted within a determined time interval. We also learned that there are different types of industrial networks according to the length of the message and the complexity of the industrial device.

After that, we analyzed controllers in...