What is IEC 61918+A11 - Industrial communication networks about?
IEC 61918+A11 specifies basic requirements for the installation of media for communication networks within and between the automation islands, of industrial sites. IEC 61918+A11 covers balanced and optical fibre cabling. It also covers the cabling infrastructure for wireless media, but not the wireless media itself.
IEC 61918+A11 covers the connection between the generic telecommunications cabling specified in ISO/IEC 11801-3 and the specific communication cabling of an automation island, where an automation outlet (AO) replaces the telecommunication outlet (TO). IEC 61918+A11 provides guidelines that cope with the critical aspects of the industrial automation area (safety, security, and environmental aspects such as mechanical, liquid, particulate, climatic, chemicals, and electromagnetic interference).
IEC 61918+A11 deals with the roles of planner, installer, verifier, and acceptance test personnel, administration and maintenance personnel and specifies the relevant responsibilities and/or gives guidance.
NOTE: If the interface used at the AO does not conform to that specified for the TO of ISO/IEC 11801-3, the cabling no longer conforms to ISO/IEC 11801-3 although certain features, including performance, of generic cabling, may be retained.
Who is IEC 61918+A11 for?
IEC 61918+A11 on Industrial communication networks is useful for:
- Communication network designer companies
- Chemical Industries
- Small- and Large-scale manufacturing industries
Why should you use IEC 61918+A11?
Process and factory automation rely increasingly on communication networks and fieldbuses that are inherently designed to cope with the specific environmental conditions of the industrial premises. The networks and fieldbuses provide for effective integration of applications among the several functional units of the plant/factory. One of the benefits of integrating field-generated data with higher-level management systems is to reduce production costs. At the same time, integrated data helps to maintain or even increase the quantity and quality of production. A correct network installation is an important prerequisite for communications availability, reliability, and performance. This requires proper
consideration of safety and security conditions and environmental aspects such as mechanical, liquid, particulate, climatic, chemicals and electromagnetic interference.
IEC 61918+A11 specifies design to improve generic telecommunications infrastructures within industrial premises and provides the foundations for some of the transmission performance .
IEC 61918+A11 provides a common point of reference for the installation of the media of the most used industrial communication networks for most industrial sites.
IEC 61918+A11 provides a consistent set of installation rules that helps for industrial automation islands where control applications reside.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN IEC 61918:2018+A11:2019 supersedes BS EN IEC 61918:2018, which will be withdrawn on 3 April 2022. BS EN IEC 61918:2018+A11:2019 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN IEC 61918:2018. These include:
- the reference to ISO/IEC 24702 has been replaced with reference to the new ISO/IEC 11801-3; this affects Table 2
- some terms and abbreviated terms have been modified in Clause 3
- Subclauses 4.1.2, 4.4.2.5, 4.4.3.4.1, and 5.7 have been updated
- Figure 2 and Figure 3 have been updated; Figure 13, Figure 16, Figure 30, and Figure 49 have been added
- Annex P has been added
