Application Guide

Oliver Haya - Business Development Manager, Rockwell Automation June 2020

Brian Allport- Product Manager, ProSoft Technology

Wireless functional safety

Applying CIP Safety on moving and remote equipment with wireless communications
This application guide addresses how to apply functional safety communication protocols like CIP Safety over wireless/
cableless communication networks. The advantages for wireless networks are discussed, followed by principles for
functional safety. Industrial communications, particularly EtherNet/IP™ are reviewed in both wired and wireless
contexts. The diagnostic capabilities of CIP Safety are introduced, followed by the procedures for deploying a successful
wireless network using CIP Safety.

Industrial communications are evolving

The last 15 years have seen unprecedented growth in industrial connectivity. This has been driven by increasing
demand for system performance while being supplied by consumer and IT communication technologies that
brought costs down. At home and in the office, we have built up an expectation of how well wireless should perform.
And that has led wireless communications to become the first-choice connection method at home and for many
communications at the office. Wireless solutions are becoming more common in industrial environments and for
good reason. These are some of the many ways that wireless industrial communications are enabling more effective
production:
• Modular and flexible plant design
• Remote process instrumentation • Independent cart technology (ICT)
• Data collection on legacy equipment • Automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS)
• Automated guided vehicles (AGV) • Predictive analytics for moving machinery
• Automated mobile robots (AMR) • Reducing cabling for hygienic design

With each new advance in technology, wireless communications achieve better performance, so there are likely to
be even more cases that can be enabled. There are some cultural and technical barriers that must be addressed at
companies adopting wireless communications within operational environments, such as achieving employee safety.

What about safety?

Safety is particularly important for mobile equipment, moving machinery, reconfigurable plants, and anywhere where
humans are in immediate proximity to dangerous items in the industrial control system. These applications present
unique challenges for industrial communications, such as how to communicate industrial information wirelessly and
how to keep employees safe while interacting with mobile machinery. Wireless communications have been making
steady improvements and many applications can be accomplished today with functional safety as part of the design.
How can safety work over wireless? First, it makes sense to consider functional safety requirements generally, and
how those work over industrial communications. There are many standards related to functional safety in different
contexts. The common themes for industrial control systems are:
• Reduce the risk of a component failure or system failure • Detect when failures occur
• Quantify the risk of failure after reductions are in place • Ensure that failures always lead to a safe state

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Wireless Functional Safety Application Guide

This is done by using good design practices, applying apply those techniques to electronics in the system, while
oversized components, performing statistical analysis of IEC 13849 adds in electromechanical systems. How do
failure modes and running diagnostics regularly, among those good principles apply to something like networked
other techniques. Modern standards for safety system communications, especially wirelessly?
design, such as IEC 61508 and IEC 62061, specify how to

Foundations of EtherNet/IP
We will begin with examining how standard industrial communications work. It is helpful to review the OSI model and
the TCP/IP model for communications to understand how different parts of the communication system work together
for the EtherNet/IP industrial communication protocol.
1. Data that must be communicated between two devices
is generated in the higher, or application, layer using the
Common Industrial Protocol, or CIP™, protocol. This is the
same layer that familiar functions like HTTP and SMTP exist in.
2. In the transport layer, the CIP information is encapsulated.
In the case of EtherNet/IP, that is a TCP or UDP header.
3. In the network layer, logical addressing information is
added. In the case of EtherNet/IP, that is the Internet Protocol
(IP) information; the packet is now ready for network access.
4. In the datalink layer and the physical layer, the packets
are converted to the transmission media, sometimes with
additional measures to avoid packet collisions. Combined
these may be called network access layers.
This hierarchical organization is important because the
critical user data for CIP is completed in the first step, independent of the transport, network, datalink,
or physical layers. With that independence, different networks are possible, as well as different
transmission media.
That means you can use one protocol, EtherNet/IP, for communications over copper, fiber, and wireless,
and through Layer 2 switches and Layer 3 routers. Next, we will examine how those communications
work over wired links.

Wired EtherNet/IP
When using different network access layer implementations of EtherNet/IP, there are key differences to consider.
Different transmission speeds, packet-per-second limitations, and collision detection/prevention mechanisms may be
in place. Further, the quality of the physical media is important to consider. These differences can be demonstrated to a
small degree with fixed media like copper wiring:

Datalink and/or Max throughput Typical latency Collision detection and Quality of physical media
physical layer variant speed prevention

10BASE-T1S (SPE) 10 Mbit/s 170 us ± 15 us Point-to-point half/full- 15 m, 2 wire, Powered,

duplex, or half-duplex 18 AWG twisted-pair
multi-drop (CSMA/CD)

10BASE-T1L (APL) 10 Mbit/s 185 us ± 15 us Point-to-point only, full- 1000 m, 2 wire, Powered, 24
[1000 m] duplex AWG twisted-pair

100BASE-TX (Fast) 100 Mbit/s 85 us ± 15 us 85 us ± 15 us 100 m, 4 wire, Cat 5

1000BASE-T (Gig) 1000 Mbit/s 60 us ± 10 us Full-duplex 100 m, 8 wire, Cat 5e

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One advantage of fixed systems is that their reliability is highly predictable. While there are different speeds shown,
the achievable net data rate can be impacted by a limited number of factors. The primary impact for reductions in
throughput is based on lost, dropped, or damaged packets. This can be measured by packet loss and the bit error rate
(BER). With Ethernet communications, the higher levels of the OSI model are designed to detect errors in the lower
levels. The errors referenced here are primarily physical layer errors.
Packet loss can occur when cables are broken, collisions occur, or switch firmware mishandles
the packet. These are all rare events when full-duplex communications are used. However, the
lack of full-duplex communications can increase the packet collisions; this is mitigated by the
CSMA/CD protocol. This protocol allows each transmitter to listen to the shared media before
starting to transmit. When a collision is detected, the two (or more) guilty transmitters stop
transmitting and wait a random time interval before trying again.
Individual bit issues when using physical media usually arise from interference on the
transmission media. For copper, that can be electromagnetic interference. The different
grades of cables, shielding, twisting, and distance are all part of strict requirements around
the physical media to reduce the risk of electromagnetic interference. Sometimes, electromagnetic interference cannot
be avoided, or long distances must be employed; fiber-optic transmission presents an effective, but costlier solution.
The most common bit errors in fiber come from dirty connectors, crushed media, and imperfections in the fiber.

Wireless EtherNet/IP
Wireless technologies make advanced mobile automation systems more valuable in every way. They make it possible
to design more sophisticated machines, like smart conveyors and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), capable of
performing tasks that would never be possible without wireless systems. But designing and deploying a robust
wireless network that can keep up in an industrial environment requires forethought, careful design, and expert help.
When considering using wireless communications, the same metrics can be applied as wired communications.

Wireless medium Max throughput speed Typical latency Type Distance

Zigbee (802.15.4) 0.25 Mbit/s 40-350 ms Mesh 10-20 m

Bluetooth (802.15.1) 1-2 Mbit/s 40-100 ms Point-to-point 2-5 m

Wi-Fi 3 (802.11g) 3-54 Mbit/s 1-4 ms WLAN 35-100 m

Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) 72-600 Mbit/s 1-4 ms WLAN 35-100 m

Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) 433-6933 Mbit/s 1-4 ms WLAN 35-50 m

Radio waves from the radio transmitting devices lose strength exponentially as they propagate away from the
transmitter. Even when two devices are physically close to each other, if their transmitting equipment and receiving
equipment are focused for a narrow transmission field but not aligned to each other, the communications could be
transmitted without being received. Similarly, obstacles and other materials in the environment can block the signal or
weaken it.
Ignoring the needs of the network or other aspects (like PLC programming) can also lead to communication faults.
Best-case scenario: This can result in downtime and lost productivity, which in turn results in lost profits. Worst-case
scenario: It’s a serious safety hazard. Since wireless technologies have entered the industrial sector, machines
can now move and communicate in ways that would never have been possible with hard wires. But adjusting to this
new normal requires rethinking the way we approach machine communication.
Obstructions or interferences mean that wireless networks change topology more often than wired networks. As signal
strength changes, wireless devices will hop to another access point, which can create packet timeouts. In an office
Wi-Fi environment, walking between your desk and a conference room with your laptop will likely trigger the transition
to a new access point; however, that transition does not change your productivity for the day. It happens fast enough
not to interrupt your work. Industrial communications that transition could take long enough to disrupt the process
if the devices and network are not configured properly. The amount of motion will impact how often reconfiguration
happens, so you should consider these four different movement profiles:

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Wireless Functional Safety Application Guide

1. Fully fixed point-to-point

2. Movement around a fixed point
3. Movement on a fixed pattern
4. Irregular movement
In any of these cases, proper antenna design and a site survey must be considered for reliable wireless performance, as
well as the impact of what roaming between base stations will do to the performance of the system.

Fully fixed point-to-point

Fully fixed point-to-point transmission is very useful when there is no easy way to get
communications between the two stations where adding cable ducts could cause
challenges for personnel and forklifts. There is a single point-to-point connection between
the wireless stations.

Movement around a fixed point

Transmission for movement around a fixed point could be best characterized as monitoring
rotating equipment. A single point-to-point connection is likely to be used; however, the
geometry and obstacles between those points may be changing. These applications do not
usually need long-range transmission, but the constant movement may influence antenna
design so that it can cover the path of the moving parts. Wireless communications offer a
lower-maintenance solution compared to the traditional answer, slip rings.

Movement on a fixed pattern

Movement on a fixed pattern can take a few forms. The simplest form could be an automated
storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) or gantry crane – out and back on a straight line. A more
complex pattern could be an automated guided vehicle (AGV) following an embedded path in
the floor, a roller coaster following the fixed rails of the ride, or a monorail transport system in
an automotive factory. Each example has different considerations:
• Any of these may be a long enough distance that multiple radio base stations would be
required for a system like Wi-Fi to work across its entire range.
• Another option to consider if the path is a single continuous loop is radiating cables, also
known as leaky feeders or leaky coax. These coaxial cables with engineered modifications
to the outer conductor create a tunnel of signal to follow curvilinear paths without creating
excess radio noise outside of the path.
• Straight systems can sometimes use infrared or laser-based optical communications,
although that requires maintaining line-of-sight between the transmitter and receiver.

Irregular movement
More intelligence in devices is contributing to an increase in irregular movement,
such as autonomous mobile robots (AMR). Another example of irregular movement
would be humans with a wireless communication device that is part of the automation
system, such as a wireless teach pendant or emergency stop device. Keep in mind that
a tablet computer used for dashboards is likely not going to cause the process to stop
if communications are lost, so it should be considered more like an IT asset than an
OT asset. For this case and the other cases in this section, it is likely that multiple base
stations will be required to cover the space adequately.

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Applying CIP Safety to wireless applications

Both wired and wireless communication networks have complexity, from the device to the switch, router, through all
the network media, and to another device. It would be a massive undertaking to try to make an entire communication
network meet the principles of functional safety, and any change to any part of the network could require revalidation.
While this idea is a theoretical possibility, functional safety over communication networks instead follows a concept
called the “black channel principle,” which is laid out in IEC 61508.
The black channel principle stipulates that two safety devices must have enough intelligence in themselves, and
enough diagnostics in their communications, that the entire communication network has zero impact on the ability of
the device to detect communication errors. Even though Ethernet communication networks have considerable error
detection built into them, none of that may be used to satisfy any part of the safety function.
CIP Safety™ devices create a logical
connection to each other, independent of
the network technologies being used. In
the devices, common errors are mitigated
with various techniques, as described in
IEC 61784-3-2. Time stamps are used with
time expectation to detect if packets are
lost, delayed, repeated, or transmitted out of
order. Unique device identifiers are used to
authenticate the communication between
two safety devices. Additional diagnostics
and checks are included to validate that
the messages are not corrupted in transit
and all these features are separate from
standard communication methods.
When these mitigations are put together as CIP Safety, a single connection between two devices, wired or wireless, can
be used for communications certified up to SIL 3 per IEC 61508 and up to Category 4/PLe per ISO 13849-1.

Choosing wireless products for your automation

Getting into the application, good design starts with good information. In order to build a network that can manage the
tasks and traffic you need, you have to know the layout of the system you’re trying to build, the distance your network
needs to cover, and the number of mobile devices the wireless system will be handling. You need to consider the
amount of traffic that will be exchanged over the wireless system in order to make sure your network can handle it.
There is a lot of radio frequency noise in industrial environments, the same kind of radio frequencies wireless
networks run on. There is also usually heat, dust, and other contaminants on the floor that require more hardy wireless
networking equipment than the off-the-shelf equipment available at consumer electronics stores.
Both consumer and industrial networks run on specific standards, which essentially allow WiFi-equipped devices
the ability to communicate with each other quickly and easily. Industrial systems have a distinct (though similar)
system compared to the consumer one. The industrial version includes features and specifications designed with the
particularly high stakes of the industrial environments in mind.
Network interruptions resulting in even half a second without connectivity could create serious safety hazards for
the people who work around the machines in these environments. Considering the physical environment and the
network’s needs isn’t limited to predicting the inside temperature and air quality. The environment also includes the
people employed there and how the network can help keep them safe.
You will want a product that’s industrially hardened versus something you can get off the shelf at a store. The
temperature specs, the vibration specs, and metal enclosure versus plastics all need to be considered. Industrial
hardware has to be equipped for heat, dust, and dirt. You’ll also need a product that can roam quickly, to keep
communication seamless. If it doesn’t roam well, you can lose the connection, the line would stop, and you would have
to restart.

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Wireless Functional Safety Application Guide

Remember: Nearly everything comes from the network, except the power. All operational steps, all diagnostics, all
sensors have to be flawless — the smallest hiccup can shut the system down. These machines are in environments with
both people and robots, moving freely. They need to be safe.
Know which setup decisions will most likely impact wireless network performance. That means looking carefully at the
PLC communications, the requested packet interval (RPI), and the time out multiplier — if you set it too short, you can
expect communication faults. That’s why many experts advise setting it higher (typically to a value of 4 on a wireless
system). Getting the RPI right is important — too fast and it’ll create unnecessary traffic on the network, overloading it
causing communication faults.
Knowing the number of connections to each carrier is important too. You have to know the total network load or how
many packets per second will be produced, because if they overwhelm the network, you’ll get communication faults
and the system will stop. It’s best to have a dedicated channel that’s not used in any other wireless systems in the
facility. That allows radios to talk without interference from other wireless networks.
Some questions to consider while engineering and deploying a wireless system:
• Do you have a line of sight?
• What are the RPI requirements of the automation system?
• CIP Safety: What is the timeout interval set to? (RPI x timeout = The safety requirement of the system)
• What is the size of the network, and how many access points are required?
• What RF channels are free, and what will the customer allow this application to access?
• What policies are in place so the customer won’t introduce interference in the future as new networks are needed?

Plan and build your wireless EtherNet/IP installation

Involving experts in wireless networks for industrial environments is critical. ProSoft field application engineers help
with the initial design, as well as testing and implementation after that. Having the right experts from the beginning
ensures you’re asking the right questions and making the right plans in the long-term.

Determine your needs – traffic rate, latency, power consumption, distance

You must understand what your needs for wireless Ethernet will be. You should try to predict what will be going across
the wireless bridge: what kinds of packets (big or small), how many packets per second will be transmitted, and your
application information, such as control loop times and safety reaction time limits that will need to be accounted for.
Tools like Integrated Architecture® Builder and the Safety Reaction Control Limit Calculator can help you illustrate what
those requirements will look like for your application.
With the basic information about what needs to be transmitted, review what kind of motion path is being considered,
how many devices are transmitting wirelessly, and how far the transmissions need to go. This is a good time to also
consider the environmental factors that are involved, such as heat, humidity, shock, and vibration.
All factors mentioned can influence your decision for what kind of technology to use, along with which specific product
characteristics are required for your antennae.

Perform a site survey

Each facility can be different and bring unique challenges to implementing a wireless system. How a facility was
constructed and arranged will change where devices must be placed because different surface finishes and
geometries reflect and dampen radio waves. During a site survey, link testing is done to determine Access Point
placement. It is important to perform site surveys. ProSoft’s team of field application engineers has services to assist
with the site surveys.

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Commissioning
ProSoft can help commission the system so you reach the desired
level of uptime. Since missed or delayed packets can lead to the
safety function being activated, you want to make sure that packets
are making it across the wireless bridge as expected. In the Logix
Designer application, you may want to experiment with changing
the Advanced Connection Reaction Time Limit Configuration during
the commissioning process. This can help determine the cause
of nuisance faults if they are occurring during testing. The lower
these settings are, the more likely you are to see packet loss faults
generated by late or lost packets. Remember that changes to these
advanced settings directly impact the connection reaction time limit
and the overall safety function reaction time.

Application example
The typical CIP Safety over wireless Ethernet application would
use ProSoft’s RLX2 wireless Ethernet radios. These applications leverage 802.11n technology, which enables a standard
wireless Ethernet connection in both the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands, and ProSoft’s industry-leading ultra-fast roaming.
Roaming is when a client device, or something that you have connected to a wireless network, moves out of range of
one access point and into the range of a new access point. When this happens, there is a hop-over time for the client to
roam from access point to access point, and in industrial automation systems it is critical for this roam to happen as fast
as possible to avoid communication loss.

Radiating Cable Industrial

Compact GuardLogix VFD
Hotspot Radio

Paint Shop

Industrial
GuardLogix® Hotspot Radio
Industrial
Compact GuardLogix VFD
Hotspot Radio

General Assembly

Body Shop

Industrial
GuardLogix® Hotspot Radio

Industrial
Compact GuardLogix VFD
Hotspot Radio

Industrial
GuardLogix® Hotspot Radio

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Wireless Functional Safety Application Guide

CIP Safety over wireless is heavily leveraged in several applications, including factory automation in production
environments like those found in automotive assembly plants. In these plants, several different types of conveyance
systems, such as AGVs, are used to move vehicles and parts throughout the production cells. In these systems, the auto
manufacturers prioritize the safety of their employees, and the flexibility of the system for future enhancements. This
creates the requirement for Functional Safety via CIP Safety, and the wireless link to enable it.
In the typical AGV application, there are several AGVs traveling hundreds of feet. Each AGV would be outfitted with
electronics including sensors for collision avoidance, location awareness, and safety, as well as drives for propulsion,
I/O, and a safety controller such as a Compact GuardLogix®. This AGV system requires a wireless communication
connection to the main safety controller, which may be a GuardLogix. This main controller also serves as the traffic
cop for the entire AGV application and thus the system requires control, safety, and diagnostic data to be transmitted
wirelessly. To establish this wireless link, an RLX2 industrial radio from ProSoft may be installed on each AGV in a
Repeater mode, and installed in the network with the main control system in Master mode.
While connected to the main controller network, Master RLX2 radios are to be installed around the AGV application
as specified by the site survey. These radios may be installed with directional antennas, omni-directional antennas or
radiating cable depending on the results of the site survey. The Repeater radio may be installed onboard the AGV in the
control cabinet, with an omnidirectional antenna installed outside of the control cabinet to ensure line of sight to the
Master throughout the application.
Field Application Engineers from ProSoft help to ensure the success of the application through:

• Understanding the technical requirements

• Conducting site surveys
• Determining the best wireless frequency to use for the network
• Identifying master radio and antenna locations
• Identifying optimal radio settings

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