The core components of industrial IoT and the complete guide to purchasing industrial switches
As an important pillar of modern manufacturing, IIoT achieves the comprehensive intelligence of production processes by connecting, monitoring and controlling various devices and sensors. The choice of its core components and infrastructure is crucial, especially industrial switches, which, as the hub of network connectivity, directly affect the performance, stability, and reliability of the entire system.

1. Core components of industrial IoT

Sensors and devices:

Function: Sensors and devices are the sensing layer of the industrial Internet of Things system, responsible for collecting field data such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and other physical quantities.
Importance: The selection and configuration of sensors and equipment determine the accuracy and reliability of system data, and are the foundation for subsequent data processing and analysis.

Network and communication infrastructure:

Function: It includes physical networks, communication protocols, and data transmission and reception mechanisms, which are used to connect sensors and devices to achieve real-time transmission of data.
Importance: The stability and security of the network determine whether the system can transmit data in real time and accurately, which is the key to achieving remote monitoring and control.

Data processing and analysis platform:

Function: Responsible for storing, cleaning, processing, and analyzing data collected from sensors and devices, providing real-time decision support, fault prediction, and optimization adjustments.
Importance: The ability to process and analyze data determines whether the system can extract valuable information from massive data and optimize production processes.

Applications and platforms:

Function: Provides visualization, monitoring, and control functions for data, helping users make decisions and manage.
Importance: The design and development of applications and platforms need to be combined with specific needs and user habits to improve the ease of use and practicality of the system.

2. Industrial switch purchase strategy

Number of ports and speed:

Select the appropriate number of ports and speed based on the number of devices to be connected and the data transmission rate required. Ensure that the switch can meet the expansion needs of the current and future periods.

Adaptability to the working environment:

Industrial environments are often complex and changeable, and switches need to have good temperature and humidity adaptability and EMC electromagnetic compatibility to ensure normal operation in harsh environments.

Protection level and installation method:

Choose a protection level of IP40 or higher to prevent dust from entering the interior of the device. Select the appropriate installation method based on actual needs, such as wall-mounted, rail-mounted, or rack-mounted.

Power supply type:

The range of power sources for industrial use is broad, and it is essential to select the power type that suits your specific needs, such as 12V, 24V, 48V, 110V, or 220V.

Stability and reliability:

Industrial switches need to run for a long time and cannot be replaced frequently, so stability and reliability are crucial. Selecting a switch with redundant functions and ring network technology can achieve automatic switching in the event of a failure, ensuring the continuity of network connectivity.

Network topology:

Determine the network topology structure according to actual needs, such as star topology or ring topology. Different structures have different requirements for industrial switches, for example, non-managed switches cannot be used to build a ring network.

Main functions:

Choose the appropriate switch type based on the application scenario, such as Layer 3 managed, Layer 2 managed, or unmanaged. The three-layer network management type supports routing functions and is suitable for the core layer and the aggregation layer of large networks; The second-layer network management type supports functions such as VLAN and redundant ring networks, and is suitable for the aggregation layer of the network; Non-managed mode is mostly used in the access layer of the network.

Safeguard measures:

Ensure that the switch has complete security protection measures, such as SSL/TLS, WPA3 and other security encryption protocol support. At the same time, keep the operating system and firmware of the device up to date to reduce security risks.
The selection of core components and infrastructure for industrial IoT requires comprehensive consideration of multiple aspects to ensure the reliability, stability, and scalability of the system. When purchasing industrial switches, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive evaluation based on actual needs and working environments, and choose the most suitable switch type and configuration.