Belden offers solutions and benefits for Industrial Automation

As a leading supplier of cable solutions for industrial automation applications, Belden offers a wide range of innovative products. These include the expanded line of DataBus cables for FieldBus applications together with cables used industrially for both the Process Industry and Factory Floor Automation.

Belden is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of Process Automation (PA) cables for use in instrumentation, regulation and control technologies. ProfiBus PA technology allows the safe transmission of data and power on the line to enable the user to expand the possibilities of a state-of-the-art control system. These cables are used extensively by heavy industries who manufacture in continuous process, such as the oil and gas industry, chemical processing, paper & pulp manufacturing and processing, the metals industry and many others.

Belden’s cable solutions offer cost, quality and performance benefits to everyone in the value chain - manufacturers, global companies with assets in multiple countries, main instrument builders (MIVs) and EPC contractors. The most significant potential to save money on is preventive instrument maintenance which is also the largest post on the costs side.

For industrial process control instruments, analog 4-20 mA and 10-50 mA current loops are commonly used for analog signaling, with 4 mA representing the lowest end of the range and 20 mA the highest. The key advantages of the current loop are that the accuracy of the signal is not affected by voltage drop in the interconnecting wiring, and that the loop can supply operating power to the device.

In addition to process control, industrial automation also encompasses discrete automation or factory floor automation, in facilities where the production process is not continuous but in batches. Typical examples include automotive production and assembly plants together with pharmaceutical and laboratory facilities.

In these applications, modern open bus-systems allow real-time processing, through having distributed intelligence in the field. Key Discrete Automation Protocols include Profibus, DeviceNet, ControlNet, Modbus, Interbus-S, Melsecnet and CC-Link. Each Protocol has its own characteristics and defines a specific cable type for communication.

Belden’s recently introduced products on show complement the full range of Belden Profibus PA cables and Halogen Free DeviceNet cables:

7000x series of PROFIBUS PA cables for process automation

This Series is aimed at process automation systems designed by Siemens for the processing industry. The range includes 2 PVC versions, an LSNH version and an LSNH/SWA (Steel Wire Armoured) version. The cables meet all requirements of IEC 61158-2 FieldBus for use in industrial control systems and are suitable for use in hazardous areas.

LSNH & LSNH/armoured DeviceNet cables

Belden already offers one of the largest selections of DeviceBus available on the market today. The new Belden halogen free versions of DeviceBus cables are suitable for use in ODVA DeviceNet networks and meet IEC 60332-3-24 standards. The LSNH versions may be used for indoor and outdoor applications and at low temperatures of up to -45˚C.

Circuit integrity PLTC cables complying to UL and IEC standards

New Belden 300 V instrumentation cables meet the UL 2196 and IEC 60331 Standards for circuit integrity. This is very important in the processing industry to prevent loss of assets in the event of fire. These cables can be used in the emergency shutdown system as well as in the gas / fire detection systems. They are standard halogen free and are suitable for in and outdoor applications as well as for hazardous areas.

Expanding DataBus cables

Also on show are Belden’s new FieldBus Type A multi-pair cables and foil/braid cables. These provide installation flexibility in many different environments and where multiple or extended cable runs are required.

The number of devices possible on a Fieldbus link will vary depending on factors such as the power consumption of each device, the use of repeaters, signal attenuation, type of cable used and distance. Because of the superior features of Belden DataBus cables, standard distance limitations can be exceeded without any system enhancements or any sacrifice in system performance.

Fieldbus is an all-digital, serial, two-way communications protocol that standardizes the interconnection of field devices at a communications rate of 31.25 kB/s. Users can reduce the amount of I/O and control equipment (due to distribution of control into the field devices), plus they can use fewer Intrinsically Safe (IS) barriers, cabinets, cables and connectors. The twisted pair cable becomes the integral part of a more efficient, more reliable, and more cost-effective industrial control system.

With FOUNDATION Fieldbus, end users have the freedom to implement tightly integrated digital control based on a unified system architecture and a high-speed backbone (HSE) for plant operations. This, in turn, removes the constraints on device and sub-system interoperability. Fieldbus has chosen Ethernet for HSE control backbone 100Mb/s transmissions.