IEC 61784-5-17:2013

Overview

IEC 61784-5-17:2013 is an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard focused on the installation of fieldbuses in industrial communication networks, specifically for CPF 17 (RAPIEnet). This document provides detailed installation profiles, supplementing the general requirements set out in IEC 61918 for industrial communication networks. The series aims to facilitate safer, more reliable, and standardized installation practices across varied industrial automation environments.

CPF 17, and its associated profile CP 17/1 (RAPIEnet), is addressed with specific installation requirements regarding network cabling, components, and verification methods. The standard ensures that communication systems in industrial facilities are implemented consistently, supporting interoperability, maintenance, and long-term performance.

Key Topics

Installation Planning

• Cabling in industrial premises: Includes the selection and routing of copper and optical fibre cables, ensuring compliance with safety and environmental considerations.
• Safety and security: Addresses electrical, functional, and intrinsic safety for fieldbus networks, as well as security for physical infrastructure.
• Environmental considerations and EMC: Focuses on selecting materials and installation techniques that ensure electromagnetic compatibility and resilience to industrial environments.

Network Capabilities

• Network Topology: Guidance on active and passive network topologies suitable for RAPIEnet.
• Ethernet-Based Systems: Specific parameters for balanced cabling, supporting standard data rates and channel lengths, with minimum requirements referenced to ISO/IEC 24702 and IEC 61918.
• Optical Fibre Networks: Defines fibre types, bandwidth, channel length, and insertion loss, ensuring suitable performance for industrial fieldbus applications.

Cabling Components and Installation

• Component Selection: Requirements for cable type, category, shielding, and connector compatibility (e.g., use of 8-way modular plugs per IEC 60603-7 for RAPIEnet).
• Installation Procedures: Documentation, device location, coding, labelling, earthing, and bonding to promote consistent and safe installation.
• Verification and Testing: Procedures for acceptance testing, including visual inspection, continuity checks, and performance verification tailored to both copper and optical fibre systems.

Documentation and Maintenance

• Planning and As-built Documentation: Emphasizes the need for comprehensive planning and installation records, facilitating easier troubleshooting and long-term network management.
• Maintenance and Troubleshooting: Guidelines for ongoing inspection, maintenance, and fault diagnosis to ensure continued reliable network operation.

Applications

IEC 61784-5-17:2013 is essential for professionals involved in:

• Industrial automation: Ensuring reliable and scalable communication infrastructure for manufacturing, process industries, and automated logistics.
• System integrators and planners: Offering detailed processes for planning, installing, and verifying RAPIEnet-based networks to meet both functional and safety requirements.
• Maintenance and operations personnel: Supporting standardized documentation and maintenance approaches for ongoing network reliability.
• Compliance and quality assurance: Enabling organizations to align installations with international standards, facilitating interoperability, audit traceability, and easier certification processes.

By adhering to this standard, organizations can seamlessly implement RAPIEnet fieldbus solutions within industrial premises, optimize network performance, and maintain cross-vendor compatibility.

Related Standards

• IEC 61918: Industrial communication networks - Installation of communication networks in industrial premises (core requirements referenced in IEC 61784-5-17).
• IEC 61784 Series: Profiles for fieldbus installations across various communication profile families.
• IEC 61158-1: Fieldbus standards framework and terminology.
• ISO/IEC 24702: Generic cabling standards for industrial premises.
• IEC 60603-7: Modular connectors for balanced cabling.
• IEC 61754 Series: Optical fibre connector interfaces.

For the optimal setup and operation of RAPIEnet in industrial environments, consulting and integrating these related standards into design and installation processes is strongly recommended.

Keywords: industrial communication networks, fieldbus installation, CPF 17, RAPIEnet, IEC 61784-5-17, cabling standards, Ethernet-based networks, optical fibre, industrial automation standards, network verification, IEC standards.