The Key to the Digital Enterprise

Industrial Communication: increasing efficiency and productivity based on proven standards

Without industrial communication, complex tasks like controlling machines and entire production lines, monitoring state-of-the-art transportation systems or managing power distribution would be impossible. The digital transformation would also be impossible without powerful communication solutions. The reliable, secure networking of machines and plants based on professional planning and realization using SCALANCE, RUGGEDCOM and SIMATIC NET network components provides the basis for all this to happen.

Do you have any questions? Our experts will be glad to help.

Contact us

  

Industrial Ethernet

The basis for efficient automation: with increasing digitalization, the requirements on industrial communications networks are rising continually. Powerful, integrated, and more and more real-time capable communications networks are required. Industrial Ethernet is the tried-and-tested technology that can meet these challenges – including the Ethernet-based standard TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) in the future.

Industrial Wireless Communication

Wireless communication offers many possibilities in the industry for particularly flexible and efficient automation solutions. We offer a comprehensive range of products, solutions and services covering the entire industrial wireless communication spectrum from Industrial Wireless LAN (IWLAN) to WiMAX and WirelessHART. Whether your applications include logistics or port facilities, automobile manufacturing or amusement parks, our components for wireless communication cover various indoor as well as outdoor applications, even under the toughest conditions.

Rugged Communication

With RUGGEDCOM, the name speaks for itself. RUGGEDCOM products set new standards for quality and reliability for communication networks deployed in harsh environments. Covering an extremely wide temperature range, they offer zero-packet-loss technology under high electromagnetic interference and enhanced Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (eRSTP™) for ultra-high-speed network fault recovery.

Industrial Remote Communication

Industrial plants are frequently widely spread apart – sometimes even across countries and borders. Siemens offers proven solutions for industrial remote access in public infrastructure, the manufacturing and the process industries, for both telecontrol and teleservice applications. For connecting plants distributed around the world, we offer a broad spectrum of industrial routers, both for wired and wireless access to private and public networks (remote networks). This also allows further remote applications such as video surveillance, condition monitoring, and smart grid applications.

Network Management

Monitor and manage your industrial networks from a central location with SINEC software family for all areas of network management.

Communication standards and bus systems

OPC UA

On the path to digitalization – thanks to open, platform-neutral communication with OPC UA

PROFINET

PROFINET – the leading Industrial Ethernet standard for automation – supports you in creating end-to-end, integrated processes and configuring networked interfaces.

Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN)

In industrial networks, the Ethernet-based standard TSN enables reserved bandwidths, quality of service (QoS) mechanisms, low transmission latency, and parallel transmission of multiple protocols – even real-time-capable ones.

PROFIBUS

PROFIBUS can be adapted to the most diverse applications following a modular concept and proves its worth in all segments of discrete automation and the process industries.

AS-Interface

AS-Interface (AS-i) provides you with an effective and powerful bus system which connects all sensors and actuators on the lowest field level with the superior control – with unrivaled ease, safety and integration!

IO-Link

Integrating all components is simplified by IO-Link in switchboards and IO-Link at the field level. They ensure maximum consistency and efficiency on the last steps to the process and thereby seamless communication.

Industries

Industry-specific Communication

The special requirements of some industries make special solutions necessary. Discover the industry-specific products and services for industrial communication from Siemens.

Power generation and distribution

When you want to protect high value assets, you need the most reliable, efficient, and automated operations in place. That’s where RUGGEDCOM communications solutions come in. Known for industry-leading reliability and performance – not to mention the ability to function as expected, even in the harshest conditions – RUGGEDCOM offers an impressive line of utility grade communications and smart grid technology.

Renewable energy

Whether on land, coast, or in the high seas, these types of automated energy systems require a certain type of rugged communications system. Without real-time condition and performance data available at all times, the consequences could be dire. With RUGGEDCOM networking equipment for smart grid technology applications, renewable power generation operators can count on state-of-the-art communications technology and maximum reliability.

Oil and Gas

The conditions that oil and gas operations face every day are extremely demanding, including challenges such as explosive atmospheres, high vibration and shock, electromagnetic interference, and extreme operating temperatures, making particularly robust communications technology essential. SCALANCE and RUGGEDCOM products and systems are purpose-built to withstand these harsh conditions. 

Manufacturing Industry

Companies must adapt to increasing dynamic markets. Competing successfully over the long term requires maximum efficiency throughout the entire product lifecycle, and industrial communication networks play an essential role in making this possible. They provide a platform for the smart use of all relevant data, from design and simulation to optimization and implementation, so that these phases can be linked and optimized.

  • Learn more

Process Industry

Intelligent use of data is crucial for operating plants safely and productively. It is also a real challenge in the process industry because of the size and complexity of some plants. But industrial communication networks can turn this challenge into an even greater opportunity. They provide permanent access to real-time data and thus, open up entirely new potential.

  • Learn more

Robust Communications for Transportation Systems

With a combined portfolio of RUGGEDCOM and SCALANCE networking products, Siemens is taking a leading role in redesigning and modernizing transportation networks around the world. We offer best-in-class, end-to-end networking solutions for road and rail that are able to withstand the harshest conditions. Improved mobility, efficiency, safety and sustainability are just some of the benefits appreciated by Siemens customers.

In focus

Industrial Communication Highlights

At Siemens, industrial communication is not only about hardware products. You can also obtain special services and support, along with domain-specific expertise to help ensure continued success for your projects.

CloudConnect

Shorter development cycles, higher productivity and improved quality – cloud computing is an important prerequisite to profit from the benefits of digitalization in industry. All this can work only if the cloud receives valid data from the field. CloudConnect connects machine developers, engineers and plant planners to the future – unbelievably simply, quickly, and securely.

Industrial Security

Thanks to increasing digitalization, more and more machines and plants are being networked. This is accompanied by new network security requirements that ensure the continued protection of machines, plants, and expertise. Industrial Security is based on a multilayered concept – “defense in depth” – that gives your plant both all-round, in-depth protection.

Industrial 5G

Industrie 4.0, the smart factory, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) – these are the future of industrial manufacturing. Designing production plants and intralogistics to be more flexible, autonomous, and efficient requires the right communication framework and comprehensive connectivity. The new 5G communication standard opens up important new prospects.

  • Learn more

Seamless Redundancy

With seamless redundancy you optimize the data transmission in your network – for wired and wireless communication. The advantage of seamless redundancy mechanisms is that no more data is lost when, e.g., a communication path fails or a part of the network is overloaded. 

Industrial Networks

Industrial communication networks are much more complex than traditional office networks. Successfully planning, designing, and implementing them therefore requires a partner that has comprehensive experience in this area, as well as thorough knowledge of automation and the industry as a whole.

Further information

Downloads and Media

Articles and videos with additional information on our products and services.

Ordering tools and catalogs

Follow us on Twitter:

Don't miss new videos on youtube:

References

Successful examples from practical application

Around the world, companies from all industries rely on our skills in all aspects of future-proof communications networks.
Constellation Brands (CBI) Nava Brewery
Food & Bev

Expanded plant capacity

  • CBI looked to expand plant capacity at its Nava brewery by 250 percent in three years.

  • It deployed a comprehensive, standardized communications network assisted by Siemens Professional Services to consult on a design and implement across the plant.

  • Network designed with security, redundancy, scalability, and management and remote monitoring capability.

Read more
Kissimmee Utility Authority
Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA)
Distribution Automation

Advanced metering system with “total reliability”

  • Design and build an AMI network to better serve customers, improve service reliability and provide capacity for future distribution system applications.

  • Network management system supported by robust switches and routers.

  • Serving Kissimmee’s current needs and future applications for decades.

Read more
City of Stamford Case Study
City of Stamford, CT
Intelligent Transporation Systems

City-wide, ITS reliability with remote monitoring and control

  • Design a IP-based network to robust hardware and software for optimal ITS reliability.

  • Remote access to an ITS based upon components with passive cooling.

  • Moved from an unreliable copper-based, low bandwidth serial communications traffic signal network to a secure, efficient, state-of-the-art fiber optic network and switches.

Read more
Metal processing
Production

Production Network 4.0

  • Central administration, high network availability and flexible expansion options

  • Full transparency during remote maintenance

  • Fast and simple diagnostics and monitoring

Read the success story
Molkerei Ammerland
Wiefelstede, Germany
Dairy industry

Digitalization as a growth enabler

  • Powerful, scalable, redundant and thus fail-safe network infrastructure

  • All production processes available 24/7

  • Network structure meets IT and OT requirements

Read the success story
Siemens Wind Power
Hull, UK
Wind power

Industrial network as blueprint for other locations

  • High-availability communications network enables totally smooth manufacture of rotor blades for wind turbines

  • Reliable communication under harsh conditions, even in humid and salty air

  • Entire network implemented in accordance with strict safety regulations

Read the success story
Volkswagen AG
Emden, Germany
Automotive industry

New network, new possibilities

  • Work stations operate together smoothly

  • Much improved safety

  • Redundant network ensures greater availability

Read the success story
Sapa Group
Leipzig, Germany
Manufacturing industry

Production network: transparent and safe

  • Scalable network security for transparent, access-protected, and failsafe production of aluminum profiles

  • Highly available SCALANCE W devices replace error-prone optical communication

  • SCALANCE S Industrial Security Appliances assure the transition from OT to IT

Read the success story
Beneo Palatinit GmbH
Offstein, Germany
Food & beverage industry

Redundant network technology ensures maximum availability

  • Significant increase in data transfer rates

  • Maximized failure safety

  • Milestone on the way to the virtualized future

Read the success story

Related topics

Industry Services

Comprehensive service portfolio for a lasting competitive edge

Safety Integrated

Safety Integrated fulfills the steadily increasing requirements for functional safety in machines and plants.

Totally Integrated Automation (TIA)

The world’s leading automation concept stands for absolute end-to-end consistency in three dimensions

Digital Enterprise for discrete industries

Digitalize now and gain a competitive edge with the Digital Enterprise Suite