Industrial fast Ethernet transceivers used by leading players

Avago Technologies is announcing that its industrial fast Ethernet optical transceivers, based on the AFBR-5978Z, have been selected by Phoenix Contact and Siemens. The AFBR-5978Z is claimed to be the industry's only industrial fast Ethernet optical transceiver to incorporate digital diagnostic monitoring interface (DMI). The DMI feature permits real-time monitoring of transceiver performance and system stability, even in cross-continent installations, resulting in higher factory network uptime.

Because of its superior immunity from electrical noise, plastic optical fibre (POF) is an attractive alternative to copper in industrial and automotive automated applications. "Fibre-optic transmission has many advantages in the industrial field," says Roland Berg, senior research and development manager at Phoenix Contact, a market leader in industrial connection, automation, electronic interface and surge protection technologies. "Avago has designed its high-speed optical transceiver with superior link distances and easy device integration. Additionally, the transceiver's optimised transmission diagnostics enable us to provide customers with a world-class product for industrial networking needs."

Industrial fast Ethernet represents an upgrade path for Fieldbus networks and other proprietary industrial networking protocols, with a speed of up to 125MBd compared with 2MBd for Interbus, 12MBd for Profibus, and 16MBd for SERCOS. It provides an open-architecture, multi-protocol interface that permits both standard and proprietary fieldbuses to interoperate. Upgrading to industrial fast Ethernet allows devices on the factory floor to be assigned IP or MAC addresses, enabling high-speed remote diagnostics and machine sequence changes to be made via internet and VPN access.

Avago's AFBR-5978Z1 industrial fast Ethernet transceiver is excellent for high-output automated production lines, automotive production lines and power generation/distribution market segments. "Top-tier manufacturers like Phoenix Contact and Siemens require consistent, high-performing optical transceivers to transmit data at fast Ethernet speeds in various industrial applications," says Raymond Quek, general manager of Avago's Industrial Fiber Products Division. "As the leading supplier of Ethernet fibre-optic transceivers, customers can rely on Avago to deliver products in volume with uncompromising quality and the shortest lead times."

Avago will demonstrate its industrial Fast Ethernet technologies at booth #243 located in Hall A4 at Electronica in Munich from 14-17 November 2006.