Measurement setup for industrial communication techniques under electromagnetic interference

Abstract

A increasing number of sensor networks are utilising industrial Ethernet standards. Many applications in factory and process automation require real time capabilities. Therefore, robustness is a key feature in industrial communication. The major source of noise are variable speed drives that generate electromagnetic disturbances. In this study, we propose a new application-related approach of testing communication techniques for conducted data transmission in an industrial environment. The approach consists of three configurable parts. The first part is the generation of electromagnetic interference (EMI) by frequency inverters with configurable drive profiles. The second part is EMI coupling to the communication line, which is realized as in-cable coupling and cross-cable coupling. The last part is the communication and measurement system. For each part a concept and a realization is proposed. With exemplary measurements we show the superior possibilities of this experimental approach.