Less is more

Single Pair Ethernet is becoming the DNA of the Industrial Internet of Things

Single Pair Ethernet - or SPE for short - is currently one of the mega-trends in industrial data
transmission. If you want to understand the applications and advantages of reducing data
cabling to a single wire pair, you must learn about the history of Ethernet and industrial
automation (Fig. 1 lead picture).

Figure 1 – Lead Image - Single Pair Ethernet: The DNA of the Industrial Internet of Things

As a non-standardised software protocol, Ethernet was developed in the 1970s for the
internal and locally limited transmission of data packets in wired computer networks (LAN -
Local Area Network). The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) defined the
software protocol and the physical layer - including physical interfaces such as connectors
and cables - in the following two decades and laid the foundation for the modern Internet with
the introduction of various protocols such as 802.4 (Token Bus), 802.5 (Token Ring) and
finally 802.11 (WLAN).
Common language

Parallel to this, fieldbus technology developed in the 1980s, driven by the increased use of
electrical automation technology. The basic idea was the same: Different communication
participants should communicate with each other in an orderly manner and in a common
system. However, the various fieldbus protocols, such as Interbus, DeviceNet and Profibus,
were not used for networking computers at company level, but for serial or parallel
connection of sensors and actuators to the control and management level.

Ultimately, the parallel development of the two transmission protocols established the form of
the automation pyramid that is still valid today. The highest levels represent locally limited
computer networks which are used for rough and detailed production planning. The lower
levels comprise the signal, data and power transmission for recording, controlling and
regulating the physical production process (Fig. 2).

Figure 2 - Paradigm shift: SPE turns the conventional automation pyramid upside down
Th
The shape of the pyramid resulted primarily from the hierarchical-logical arrangement of the
different levels. However, it also represents the previously valid framework conditions for
industrial data transmission: High transmission rates and short distances via Ethernet, low
transmission rates and long distances via fieldbus.

Turned upside down

So why this digression? Industrial Ethernet and especially Single Pair Ethernet are turning
this automation pyramid upside down. With the development of Ethernet-based protocols
such as EtherNet/IP, Profinet or EtherCAT, real-time data transmission from the company
level to the field level was introduced.

The physical interfaces became more powerful, but also more complex in electrical terms,
since data transmission had to be protected from interference such as dirt, vibrations and
electromagnetic radiation. Manufacturers of connection technology therefore developed
special, IP6x-protected Ethernet interfaces to meet these increased requirements at the field
level. For the top of the automation pyramid - the enterprise and operational level - IP20
solutions were still sufficient.

Data transmission to the second power

So far, standardisation efforts have been limited to ever higher data rates and higher
demands on cabling technology. These requirements were defined by ever higher
performance classes in copper-based cabling - the Categories.

The Single Pair Ethernet does not again define higher bandwidths or transmission distances,
but forms the normative framework for reduced cabling to suit the application. The IEC
63171-2 (IP20) and IEC 63171-5 (IP67) standards focus on lower transmission rates of 10 to
100 Mbps. The data cabling with only one pair of wires nevertheless enables transmission
distances of up to 1000 meters. For the first time, SPE allows areas of application and
applications that conventional Ethernet has not allowed to date, for example in process
technology (Fig. 3). The advantage for plant operators: data cabling can be carried out
continuously on the basis of the Ethernet protocol, i.e. identical interfaces and pin connector
patterns can be used in different environments.
Figure 3 - Standardisation: The data transmission rates at the field level and in data centres are successively standardised.

Another advantage is that single-pair interfaces are considerably more compact than two- or
four-pair device and cable connectors. SPE supports the continuing trend towards compact,
decentralised devices in industrial automation, process technology, building automation and
in telecommunications and infrastructure applications. SPE can turn application-neutral into
the DNA of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

New pin connector pattern, well-known reliability

In order to ensure the consistent compatibility of all interfaces, the IEEE has formed working
groups for the normative description of different applications with transmission rates of 10,
100 and 1000 Mbps. Standards for 100-Base-T1 and 1000-Base-T1 have already been
adopted, with 10-Base-T1 standards expected to follow by the third quarter of 2019.

Phoenix Contact is a major driving force behind the standardisation of the corresponding
interfaces. Together with market partners Reichle & De-Massari and Weidmüller, the
connection technology specialist develops protected and unprotected pin connector patterns
for single-pair and four-pair cables. The MICE model describes their mechanical robustness
(M1 or M2/3), IP protection (I1 or I2/3), chemical and climatic resistance (C1 or C2/3), and
electromagnetic safety (E1 or E2/3) (Fig. 4).
 The compact pin connector patterns are ideally
suited for efficient cabling of numerous
communication participants - either via a single wire
pair or via four wire pairs for four participants
sharing a common line and interface. Thanks to the
common interface, single- and four-pair cabling
concepts can be mixed as well as IP20 and IP6x
solutions. Possible applications are the splitting of
Figure 4 - Efficiently wired: Single-pair and four-pair MICE interfaces are used for
cabling IP20 and IP6x applications
eight-wire cabling concepts into four individual SPE
strings for four different communication participants, or the dimensioning of individual pairs
within the eight-wire device interfaces. The two-wire technology also permits the application-
specific supply of terminal devices with outputs of up to 60 watts via the same pair of wires
(Power over Data Line - PoDL).

The future of communication technology

SPE cannot be seen as a mega-trend in industrial data transmission independent of other

standardisation efforts. The basic framework for the future of industrial communication
technology is being created in parallel in various committees and projects. New
communication standards such as the Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture
(OPC UA), Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and 5G form the basis for continuous
networking from the sensor via the machine and higher-level systems into the cloud.

The new standards will outperform existing protocols and interfaces in terms of cost, data
throughput, latency and deterministic. As a technology leader with more than 30 years of
experience in industrial communication, Phoenix Contact is active in all the relevant
standardisation committees. The goal: nothing less than a new, manufacturer-independent
communication standard for automation.

Today, OPC UA already serves as a superimposed

communication standard in plants. OPC UA is now
being expanded by standardised application
profiles in the field - for I/O, safety or drive
applications, for example. In addition, standardised
device models are defined for uniform configuration
and diagnostics of the devices in the network (Fig.

5). Figure 5 - Information (IT) and operating technology (OT): New communication
standards form the basis for integrated networking from the sensor to the machine and
higher-level systems to the cloud.
Summary

Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) connects the IP20 world of the

Single Pair Ethernet - at a glance
enterprise and operating level with the IP6x world of the control
and field level - and opens up new areas of application. The  The Single Pair Ethernet
goal is the seamless connection of all communication (SPE) describes the physical
interfaces for single pair
participants on the basis of the same protocol language and
transmission of data and
uniform interfaces. Thanks to the reduced cabling with only one
power between different
or four individual wire pairs, users can build efficient network communication devices.
and cabling structures from the sensor to the control and  The IEEE develops

company level right up to the cloud. And in addition to data standards for different
applications with data
rates of up to 1000 Mbps, the SPE cabling also allows the end
transmission rates of 10
devices to be supplied with power of up to 60 watts. (802.3 cg), 100 (802.3 bw)
and 1000 Mbps (802.3 bp)
More information: and cable lengths from 15 to
1000 meters.
www.phoenixcontact.co.uk
 Phoenix Contact, Reichle &
De-Massari and Weidmüller
develop standardised pin
If you are interested in publishing this article, please contact connector patterns for IP20

Becky Smith: marketing@phoenixcontact.co.uk or telephone and IP6x environments.

0845 881 2222.

Single Pair Ethernet - the relevant
standards

 IEC 63171-2: SPE pin

connector patterns for IP20
 IEC 63171-5: SPE pin
connector patterns for IP67
 ISO/IEC 11801-1: General
requirements for twisted pair
and fibre optic cables