Here, you will find a comprehensive collection of terms and definitions related to industrial automation, communication technologies, and our innovative solutions. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the field, this glossary serves as a valuable resource to enhance your understanding of key concepts and terminology.
ASICs optimize data processing and improve real-time communications, while providing the flexibility of system-on-chip (SoC) alternatives.
A method of on-demand data transfer in industrial networks, enabling the exchange of configuration data, diagnostics, and urgent commands outside regular cyclic communication.
Technology that enhances efficiency by reducing human intervention, embedding decision-making within machines to improve speed, accuracy, and precision in manufacturing and production processes.
A communication concept transmitting safety-critical data over unsecured channels, ensuring reliable and secure signal delivery in industrial automation without requiring dedicated infrastructure.
A networking solution that improves performance by segmenting traffic at the data link layer, selectively forwarding data based on MAC addresses to reduce collisions and enhance efficiency.
A communication method where a single sender transmits data to multiple receivers simultaneously, commonly used in networking, radio, television, and digital platforms.
A system that enables data transfer between components within a computer or multiple computers, using hardware like wires and fibers alongside communication protocols.
A communication protocol based on the CAN standard, designed for industrial applications, enabling efficient and reliable data exchange between devices in automation systems.
An open fieldbus system developed by Mitsubishi in 1996, enabling high-speed communication and seamless data exchange between numerous industrial devices in large automation networks.
A communication protocol ensuring safe, real-time data exchange in industrial automation, integrating multiple safety systems on a single network to enhance reliability and reduce errors.
A hardware component with software that manages data flow in networks, ensuring reliable communication, error detection, packet routing, and traffic management for optimal performance.
A secondary integrated circuit that supports a main processor by managing power, I/O operations, memory interfaces, or connectivity, improving performance and efficiency in electronic systems.
A standardized framework enhancing interoperability, modularity, and scalability in industrial communication, enabling seamless integration across diverse systems and reducing dependency on proprietary protocols.
Measures and technologies protecting industrial control systems from cyber threats, ensuring the security of hardware, software, and operational processes in automation and critical infrastructure.
A communication method where data is exchanged at fixed intervals, ensuring timely updates and reliability in real-time control systems for industrial automation.
An error-detection method that verifies data integrity by comparing calculated CRC values before and after transmission or storage, ensuring accurate data transfer in digital systems.
A network protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses and configuration settings to devices, enabling seamless and efficient network connectivity without manual setup.
A type of computer memory module with DRAM chips, offering fast, volatile storage for applications and operating systems, featuring separate contacts for higher speed and capacity.
An organization or entity that collaborates to support development goals by providing expertise, funding, or technical assistance for successful project planning and implementation.
Software interfaces that enable PC cards to communicate with industrial devices, ensuring seamless integration of PCs into automated environments using Ethernet and fieldbus protocols.
A digital fieldbus protocol based on CAN, enabling efficient communication between PLCs and industrial devices like sensors and motors in automated manufacturing environments.
A standardized file format describing automation device capabilities and configurations, ensuring seamless integration and interoperability in CANopen, DeviceNet, and EtherNet/IP networks.
A standardized XML file used in EtherCAT networks to describe device features and configuration, enabling seamless integration and communication in industrial automation systems.
A compact, purpose-built electronic component designed to perform dedicated functions within larger systems, ensuring efficient and reliable operation in industrial, automotive, and consumer applications.
A specialized software or hardware solution used to design, simulate, and manage engineering processes, improving accuracy, efficiency, and collaboration across various technical disciplines.
A high-performance industrial Ethernet protocol enabling real-time control, low-latency communication, and precise synchronization in automation, robotics, manufacturing, and other industrial applications.
An industrial communication protocol built on standard Ethernet, enabling real-time data exchange, interoperability, and seamless integration in automation and control systems.
A widely used networking technology for LANs, enabling fast and reliable data transmission through standardized protocols, originally developed for connecting computers in local environments.
A communication path within Ethernet networks that ensures efficient, reliable data transfer, supporting high speeds and features like link aggregation for greater bandwidth and redundancy.
A real-time industrial Ethernet protocol based on IEEE 802.3, designed to ensure deterministic communication and precise synchronization in automation systems, enabling high-performance control applications.
A development tool used to test and validate communication protocols, interfaces, and components in industrial automation, enabling efficient prototyping and real-world performance evaluation.
A software framework enabling seamless integration, configuration, and management of field devices across various industrial communication protocols, ensuring interoperability in automation systems.
Machines replace manual processes to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Networking and industrial communication enable automated workflows using robots and programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
A high-speed data transmission technology using light signals through glass or plastic fibers, offering greater bandwidth, reliability, and efficiency compared to traditional copper cables.
The foundational layer in industrial automation where sensors and actuators control and monitor processes, transmitting real-time data to higher system levels for analysis and optimization.
A digital communication network in industrial automation enabling seamless data exchange between field devices, reducing wiring complexity and improving system efficiency and scalability.
Specialized software embedded in hardware that provides low-level control, manages essential functions, and enables communication between the device and other systems, stored in non-volatile memory.
A safety concept in industrial automation ensuring systems respond predictably to failures, protecting people, equipment, and the environment through automatic, reliable protection functions.
A standardized file used in PROFIBUS and PROFINET networks to define device capabilities and communication parameters, enabling seamless integration and interoperability in industrial automation systems.
A standardized XML-based format defining device characteristics and communication parameters in PROFINET networks, ensuring seamless interoperability and integration across industrial automation systems.
A device that enables communication between different industrial networks by translating protocols, ensuring seamless data exchange, connectivity, and integration across automation systems.
A communication protocol ensuring reliable data exchange by synchronizing devices, confirming readiness, and managing data flow in industrial automation and control systems.
A system that connects controllers like PLCs with field devices, enabling signal exchange between sensors, actuators, and robots for seamless automation and process control.
A global standardization body developing IEC standards to ensure safety, efficiency, and reliability in electrical, electronic, and industrial technologies, supporting international compliance and innovation.
A global professional organization advancing technology through research, standards development, and publications, shaping innovations in telecommunications, computing, and power systems.
A real-time operating system (RTOS) ensuring deterministic performance for industrial applications, featuring low latency, multi-core support, and seamless integration for precision-critical environments.
IO-Link is a standardized communication protocol for connecting sensors and actuators in industrial automation. It enables bidirectional data exchange, simplifies device integration, and enhances diagnostics, facilitating smarter and more efficient manufacturing processes.
A wireless extension of the IO-Link protocol enabling robust, real-time, bi-directional communication between masters and field devices, offering flexibility and reliability in industrial automation environments.
A standardized file format that describes IO-Link-enabled sensors and actuators, ensuring seamless integration, interoperability, and efficient communication in industrial automation networks.
An enhanced version of Ethernet designed for industrial environments, providing real-time control, determinism, and reliability for automation systems and time-critical applications.
A transformative approach that connects machines, sensors, and devices in industrial environments, enabling real-time data exchange, analytics, and automation for improved efficiency and reliability.
The exchange of data between machines, devices, and systems in industrial environments using fieldbus or industrial Ethernet, ensuring efficient, reliable, and automated manufacturing processes.
The fourth industrial revolution integrates digital technologies, automation, AI, and IoT into manufacturing, creating intelligent, interconnected, and highly efficient production systems.
A global standardization body that develops ISO standards to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency across industries, facilitating international trade and technological advancement.
A fundamental networking protocol that enables data transmission across interconnected networks, providing unique addressing and routing capabilities for seamless global communication.
A mechanism that allows a processor to pause its current task to respond immediately to high-priority events, improving system efficiency, multitasking, and real-time responsiveness.
The delay between data transmission initiation and reception, measured in milliseconds, influenced by network congestion, hardware, and processing times in industrial communication systems.
A vendor-neutral network discovery protocol that enables devices to share identity, capabilities, and status information with directly connected peers, simplifying network management and topology mapping.
A lightweight messaging protocol designed for low-bandwidth, high-latency networks, enabling efficient, reliable data exchange in IoT and industrial automation through a publish/subscribe model.
A communication architecture where a central master device controls and coordinates tasks with slave devices, enabling structured, efficient, and parallel data processing in industrial networks.
A compact integrated circuit that performs specific tasks in embedded systems, combining processor, memory, and I/O interfaces for efficient control within larger electronic devices.
An open and vendor-neutral industrial communication protocol developed in the 1970s to enable interoperability between PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA systems over serial, Ethernet, or wireless connections.
A network communication method where a single data packet is efficiently transmitted to multiple designated recipients simultaneously, optimizing bandwidth usage and reducing network congestion.
A communication approach supporting multiple industrial protocols on a single device or system, enabling interoperability and flexibility across diverse automation networks and legacy systems.
A process that monitors and evaluates data flow in industrial networks to ensure reliable, real-time communication, supporting efficiency, safety, and scalability in automated systems.
The process of monitoring, configuring, and maintaining industrial networks to ensure reliability, security, and efficiency, enabling real-time monitoring, fault detection, and optimization.
The physical and logical structure of a network, defining how devices are connected and communicate, influencing performance, reliability, and data flow efficiency in industrial systems.
A platform-independent industrial communication standard ensuring secure, reliable, and interoperable data exchange between automation systems, enabling seamless integration across diverse industrial environments.
A conceptual framework developed by ISO that standardizes communication functions across seven layers, enabling interoperability between diverse networking systems and technologies.
Interface cards used in industrial PCs to connect with fieldbus and Real-Time Ethernet networks, enabling real-time control, monitoring, and communication in automated systems.
A compact, rugged embedded PC standard introduced in 1992, designed for industrial use with stackable modules and long-term reliability, supporting various bus types like ISA and PCI.
An interface standard used in industrial automation to connect components like fieldbus cards and network adapters, enabling efficient integration and control within computer-based systems.
An advanced interface standard offering high-speed data transfer for connecting devices like storage, networking, and accelerators in industrial automation and computing systems.
A specialized industrial computer designed for controlling manufacturing processes, offering reliability, real-time processing, and durability in harsh environments for automation and monitoring tasks.
A fieldbus communication standard introduced in 1989, enabling efficient data exchange between PLCs and field devices like sensors and actuators in industrial automation systems.
A standardized industrial Ethernet protocol enabling real-time, cyclic, and acyclic communication in automation systems, ensuring seamless integration, high performance, and interoperability.
A safety communication protocol integrated into PROFIBUS and PROFINET networks, enabling safe data transmission for critical functions like emergency stops and machine guarding in industrial automation.
A communication method where a central controller sequentially queries devices for data, ensuring structured data collection but potentially increasing latency in industrial networks.
The use of software, hardware, and technologies to automate repetitive tasks and workflows, improving efficiency, accuracy, and coordination across industrial processes and systems.
A device or software that enables communication between different industrial protocols, ensuring seamless data exchange and integration in automation systems.
A layered set of communication protocols, each handling specific tasks to enable efficient data exchange between devices, simplifying network development, scalability, and troubleshooting.
QNX is a real-time operating system (RTOS) known for its reliability and modular architecture. Developed in the 1980s, it is widely used in embedded systems across industries like automotive and telecommunications, offering high performance and precise resource management.
A set of technologies enabling deterministic, real-time data exchange over Ethernet networks, ensuring precise communication for industrial automation, sensors, actuators, and control systems.
An integrated circuit that maintains accurate timekeeping, even during power loss, essential for computers, embedded systems, and time-sensitive applications.
A technology that enables monitoring, control, and optimization of industrial equipment and processes from remote locations, increasing efficiency, reducing downtime, and minimizing the need for on-site maintenance.
The phase in which a program actively executes, managed by a runtime system that handles memory, errors, and real-time processing in computing and industrial automation.
A standardized network management protocol enabling monitoring and configuration of devices using a manager-agent model, ensuring efficient communication in IT and industrial networks.
A high-speed serial communication protocol using the master-slave model, enabling efficient and reliable data exchange between digital circuits in industrial and embedded systems.
A high-speed, non-volatile flash memory using a 4-bit multiplexed I/O interface for faster data transfer, improving efficiency in automation and embedded systems.
A synchronous serial communication protocol used in industrial automation for transmitting precise position data from absolute encoders to controllers and drives in real-time.
A real-time communication protocol developed for digital drive systems, enabling precise, high-speed data exchange between industrial controls and motion devices via fiber-optic connections.
A process that transforms information signals for efficient transmission, enabling conversion, compression, and encryption while reducing interference in analog and digital communication systems.
Software or hardware tools used to monitor and analyze data traffic in industrial networks, helping optimize performance, detect issues, and enhance cybersecurity in automation systems.
A network device that efficiently directs data within a LAN by forwarding frames based on MAC addresses, reducing congestion and improving communication reliability.
A compact, self-contained computing module integrating a processor, memory, and essential components, enabling scalable, high-performance embedded system development with reduced complexity and faster deployment.
A System on a Chip (SoC) is an integrated circuit that combines various components of a computer or electronic system onto a single chip.
TCP/IP is a fundamental suite of communication protocols used for interconnecting network devices on the internet. It enables reliable data transmission, ensuring that information is sent and received accurately across diverse networks.
A standardized digital data packet used in industrial automation for transmitting control information between devices, ensuring reliable and structured communication within automated systems.
A device used for monitoring and analyzing network traffic without disruption, ensuring reliable communication in industrial automation by capturing data between connected systems.
A set of IEEE 802.1 standards enhancing Ethernet with deterministic, low-latency communication for real-time applications in industrial automation, automotive systems, and audio/video transmission.
A deterministic communication protocol using time slots for data exchange, ensuring reliable, fault-tolerant operation in mission-critical systems like aerospace and industrial automation.
A networking method that encapsulates data within another protocol, enabling secure and efficient transmission across diverse or incompatible networks by maintaining seamless communication.
A serial communication protocol enabling reliable data exchange between electronic devices, sensors, and controllers in industrial automation and embedded systems.
A real-time Ethernet-based industrial communication system ensuring high-speed, precise synchronization, and seamless integration of automation components, supporting Industry 4.0 with deterministic data exchange.
