Smart sensors for field applications - Intelligent function monitoring of industrial plants

Future communications networks of industrial plants will have to deal with the visions and requirements of "Industry 4.0" in process automation. Innovative approaches to communications and functionality aimed at exploiting the potential offered by I4.0 will need to provide added value. This paper presents an approach that extends simple sensors and actuators at the field level to IP communications and related services and features. Connected via an industry standard IP network, this opens up possibilities of additional monitoring functions for the benefit of increased reliability and increased availability of plants.