VARAN

VARAN (Versatile Automation Random Access Network) is a real-time Ethernet-based industrial communication system designed for industrial automation and adhering to the Industry 4.0 approach. It is a high-performance network that connects systems, machines, and components from the management level down to the smallest sensors, operating in hard real-time.

VARAN achieves cycle times below 100 microseconds (μs), enabling high-speed data exchange. The synchronicity jitter, a measure of timing precision, is less than 100 nanoseconds (ns), ensuring precise synchronization. Existing communication protocols like CANopen can be seamlessly integrated into VARAN networks. VARAN's simple functionality allows for rapid implementation, even in small sensors and actuators. It employs a manager-client principle to avoid collisions on the bus, enhancing reliability and determinism.

Real-Time performance

VARAN achieves cycle times below 100 microseconds (μs), enabling high-speed data exchange for time-critical applications. The synchronicity jitter, a measure of timing precision is less than 100 nanoseconds (ns), ensuring precise synchronization of devices on the network.

Data transmission

Instead of standard Ethernet frames, VARAN uses smaller data packets with a payload of 1 to 128 byte increasing resistance to disruptions and improving overall performance. Unconfirmed messages are repeated within the same bus cycle until a valid confirmation is received, ensuring data consistency and reliability.

Network topology

VARAN supports flexible network topologies, including line, star, and tree structures, allowing for versatile and scalable system designs. Distributors called "VARAN splitters" are used to build tree and star topologies which helps in distributing data packets to all output ports and shielding the network from undesired access.

Implementation

The VARAN protocol is implemented completely in hardware, reducing the burden on the control CPU. VARAN allows fast asynchronous direct access to devices during the bus cycle.

Architecture

VARAN employs a manager-client (controller-device) principle to avoid collisions on the bus, enhancing reliability and determinism. VARAN supports networking of several autonomous systems in a multi-manager structure. VARAN minimizes network administration costs through automatic addressing of devices.

Open standard

As an open and manufacturer-independent standard, VARAN promotes interoperability and flexibility in choosing components from different vendors.

These technical features make VARAN a high-performance, real-time Ethernet solution tailored for industrial automation applications, offering deterministic data transmission, flexible topologies, and seamless integration with existing protocols.

VARAN is prominently utilized in several key areas of industrial automation, primarily due to its ability to deliver high-speed, deterministic data exchange. The key areas where VARAN is most commonly applied include:

Real-Time Control Systems: VARAN is designed to manage high-speed communication and is used extensively in systems requiring real-time data exchange, such as industrial machinery control systems. This includes CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines, robotics, and automated assembly lines where timely and deterministic communication between components is crucial.
Process Automation: In environments such as chemical processing, food and beverage production, and pharmaceuticals, VARAN’s deterministic communication capability ensures precise control and monitoring of processes. This helps in maintaining the desired parameters for production quality and safety standards.
Motion Control: VARAN is also employed in applications involving motion control, including servo drives and coordinated multi-axis movements. The protocol’s rapid data exchange is essential for synchronizing motion and ensuring smooth operation in tasks like packaging, material handling, and robotic arms.
Automated Warehousing and Material Handling: Automated warehouses, including those employing Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS), benefit from VARAN’s reliable and fast communication to manage inventory movement and storage dynamically and efficiently.
Building Automation: In contexts such as smart buildings, factories, or large-scale commercial properties, VARAN can integrate with various subsystems for lighting, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), and security systems. This integration promotes energy efficiency and centralized control.
Test and Measurement Equipment: VARAN is used in equipment that performs high-speed data acquisition and processing, which is vital for testing components and systems in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, and electronics.

By facilitating rapid and precise data communications, VARAN significantly enhances the reliability and performance of these industrial applications, ensuring that processes remain efficient and synchronous. The protocol’s emphasis on real-time, deterministic data transfer makes it a preferred choice in scenarios where timing and precision are of utmost importance.

Hilscher is a leading company in industrial communication solutions, offering products and services that enable machines and devices to communicate seamlessly across various industrial networks and protocols like VARAN.

This includes a wide range of interface solutions for connecting sensors, actuators and controllers to industrial communication networks. The communication controllers of the netX family form the basis for this. The multi-protocol-capable SoCs can be integrated into automation components as required and their extensive chip peripherals enable powerful, efficient and flexible solutions. A protocol change is achieved by simply reloading Hilscher's own netX firmware, which is provided for all common fieldbus and industrial Ethernet protocols. Building on this, the company also offers embedded modules and PC cards in all form factors in order to realise the netX communication interface with less integration effort.

Hilscher also offers a comprehensive managed industrial IoT range under the netFIELD brand. This ranges from edge gateways as an application-oriented computer platform with integrated container management and the Edge OS Runtime running on it to the central cloud portal, via which the docker containers are deployed to the edge devices, through to turnkey containers for communication applications.

Gateways and switches, devices for network diagnostics as well as masters and bridges for the wireless connection of IO-Link sensors round off the automation portfolio.

In addition to the hardware solutions, the company also offers a wide-ranging ecosystem that includes the appropriate firmware, protocol stacks, development boards, and extensive product support and development services. This comprehensive approach ensures long-term availability and continuous expansion of Hilscher's innovative multiprotocol portfolio, further strengthening its position as a trusted partner in the industrial automation industry.

In summary, Hilscher's deep expertise and innovative multiprotocol solutions are at the core of its role in enabling seamless industrial communication and supporting the digital transformation of the industrial sector. Through its partnerships, product offerings, and ecosystem, Hilscher plays a pivotal part in addressing the challenges of heterogeneous communication landscapes and empowering industrial customers to achieve greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency in their automation systems.

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