Industrial Automation Networking
Industrial Networks
Built to Survive the Floor
AE Connect delivers ruggedized Industrial Ethernet switches, DIN rail networking, and hardened fiber solutions built for SCADA systems, PLCs, HMIs, and IIoT infrastructure on factory floors, process plants, and automation-critical environments.
-40Cto +75C Rated
DINRail Mount
IP30Enclosure
ISOCertified Mfg.
SCADA Ready
PoE for IIoT
Hardened Fiber
Why Industrial Networking is Different
Networking Infrastructure for Industrial Automation and IIoT
Factory floors, process plants, water treatment facilities, power substations, and automated warehouses are unforgiving environments for standard commercial networking hardware. Extreme temperatures, vibration, electrical noise, dust, and corrosive atmospheres destroy conventional switches within months, causing costly production halts and safety incidents.
AE Connect Industrial Ethernet switches and hardened fiber solutions are purpose-engineered for these environments - wide temperature operation, DIN rail form factors, redundant ring topology, and deterministic latency for time-sensitive SCADA, PLC, and HMI communications where packet loss and latency spikes are not acceptable.
- Wide temperature range: -40 degrees C to +75 degrees C operation
- DIN rail and panel mount form factors for control cabinet integration
- Fiber ring topology with sub-20ms failover for continuous process protection
- EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, and Modbus TCP protocol support
- PoE+ ports to power IIoT sensors, IP cameras, and wireless APs on the floor
- Redundant 12/24/48VDC power input for continuous operation during power events
Industrial Networking: Critical Facts
Temperatures Exceed 55 Degrees C on Factory Floors
Commercial switches fail above 40 degrees C. Only wide-temperature industrial switches survive
Electrical Noise Disrupts Standard Ethernet
Variable frequency drives and motors generate EMI that corrupts standard Cat5e cabling data signals
1 Hour of Production Downtime = Rs. 10 Lakh or More
Network failures in automation stop production lines, requiring ring redundancy for zero-downtime recovery
IIoT Devices Growing 35% Annually in Factories
PoE-enabled industrial switches power temperature sensors, flow meters, and IP cameras without separate power runs
Made in India: Lower TCO, Faster Support
No import dependency for replacement hardware. Local spares through 200+ dealer network across India
Common Pain Points
Industrial Automation Networking Challenges
Plant engineers, automation consultants, and industrial IT teams face these recurring problems when deploying standard commercial networking hardware in manufacturing and process automation environments.
Extreme Temperature Environments
Factory floors, boiler rooms, outdoor switchgear cabinets, and cold storage facilities push temperatures far beyond what commercial network switches can tolerate. Frequent hardware failures caused by heat or cold result in unplanned production stoppages and costly emergency replacements.
Electromagnetic Interference
Variable frequency drives, servo motors, welding equipment, and high-voltage bus bars generate strong electromagnetic fields that corrupt data signals on standard copper cabling. Packet errors and network dropouts in SCADA and PLC communication cause false alarms, command loss, and unsafe automation states.
No Network Redundancy on the Floor
A single damaged cable or failed switch in a daisy-chain industrial network topology brings down an entire production line. Without ring redundancy and sub-millisecond failover, any single point of failure stops automation, triggers safety shutdowns, and causes expensive production losses.
Long Cable Runs Across Large Plants
Large manufacturing facilities, refineries, and power stations span hundreds of meters or several kilometers. Copper Ethernet cannot reliably carry signals beyond 100 meters, and running separate power cabling to remote automation nodes across large plants is prohibitively expensive and complex.
OT and IT Network Convergence
Modern Industry 4.0 requires connecting OT (Operational Technology) SCADA and PLC systems to enterprise IT networks for data analytics and ERP integration. Bridging these networks without proper segmentation exposes critical automation systems to IT-side threats and compliance violations.
Difficult Installation in Control Cabinets
Standard rack-mount switches do not fit in industrial control panels and electrical cabinets designed around DIN rail components. Using incorrectly sized hardware requires custom mounting, cable management workarounds, and creates maintenance issues that increase mean time to repair for field technicians.
Our Architecture
AE Connect Industrial Network Architecture
AE Connect industrial networking solutions are architected in four integrated layers to deliver deterministic, fault-tolerant connectivity from the sensor and actuator level to the plant control center and enterprise IT network.
Field Layer
IIoT Edge Switches for Sensors and Devices
Compact DIN rail industrial switches at the field level connect PLCs, proximity sensors, IIoT devices, IP cameras, and HMI panels within individual machine cells or production bays. PoE+ ports eliminate separate power wiring to battery-free devices and wireless APs on the factory floor.
Zone Layer
Managed Zone Switches for Production Areas
Managed industrial switches aggregate multiple field-layer switches within a production zone or department. VLAN segmentation isolates SCADA traffic from general OT data. Ring topology with RSTP or proprietary ring protocols provides sub-20ms failover within each production zone.
Backbone Layer
Fiber Backbone Across the Plant
Hardened fiber switches and industrial fiber optic cabling form the plant backbone connecting all production zones to the control room. Single-mode fiber for inter-building runs across large sites, multimode for within-building zone aggregation. Immune to EMI that defeats copper on the plant floor.
Control Layer
Control Room Aggregation and OT/IT Bridge
Core managed switches in the control room aggregate all plant zone traffic and provide a secure, segmented DMZ for OT/IT network convergence. VLAN-based OT/IT separation with ACL policies ensures SCADA and PLC systems remain isolated from corporate IT traffic while enabling selective data flows for Industry 4.0 analytics.
Purpose-Built for Industry
Industrial Automation Networking Products
Every AE Connect industrial networking product is designed to operate continuously under the harsh conditions of manufacturing and process automation environments, with the rugged hardware and managed features that industrial projects demand.
8-Port Industrial L2 Managed PoE+ Switch
AE700-IPS8GE2GF-M
Purpose-built for industrial automation environments. Withstands -40 to +75 degrees C, delivers 8KV-15KV surge protection, DIN rail mounting, and 100,000-hour MTBF for 24x7 factory floor operation.
- 8x Gigabit PoE+ ports, 2x SFP uplinks
- Operating temp: -40 to +75 degrees C
- 8KV-15KV surge and EFT protection
- DIN rail mount, IP40 rated, 100k hr MTBF
8-Port Industrial L2 Managed PoE+ Switch (4x SFP)
AE700-IPS8GE4GF-M
Enhanced-fiber industrial switch with 4 SFP slots for multi-directional fiber ring topologies. Ideal for SCADA networks, conveyor line control, and distributed control system (DCS) communications.
- 8x Gigabit PoE+ ports, 4x SFP uplinks
- ERPS ring protection, sub-50ms recovery
- Extended temp range, surge protection
- VLAN, QoS, SNMP, RSTP/MSTP
16-Port Industrial L2 Managed PoE+ Switch
AE700-IPS16GE2GF-M
Expanded-port industrial switch for larger automation zones. Powers PLCs, sensors, IP cameras, and HMI panels across a single ruggedized DIN-rail chassis in harsh factory environments.
- 16x Gigabit PoE+ ports, 2x SFP uplinks
- DIN rail mount, extended operating temp
- ERPS ring, RSTP/MSTP redundancy
- Full L2: VLAN, QoS, SNMP management
24-Port Industrial L3 Managed PoE+ Switch
AE700-IPS24GE4GC-L3-M
Highest-port-count industrial switch in the AE700 series. Layer 3 routing enables inter-zone connectivity across production lines, substations, and remote automation nodes from a single ruggedized chassis.
- 24x Gigabit PoE+ ports, 4x SFP combo
- L3 routing: Static, OSPF, RIP
- Extended temp: -40 to +75 degrees C
- DIN rail mount, hardened chassis
24-Port L3 Managed Fiber Switch
AE800-24GF8GC410GF-L3M
High-performance fiber aggregation switch for plant-wide backbone connectivity. 128Gbps bandwidth and OSPF/RIP routing connect multiple automation zones across fiber ring backbone networks.
- 24x GE SFP + 8x combo + 4x 10G SFP+
- 128Gbps backplane, OSPF/RIP routing
- Dual power supply, redundant design
- VLAN, QoS, ERPS ring protection
Outdoor Optical Fiber Cable
AE-6CF-FRP-SM
G.652D single-mode outdoor fiber cable for long-distance industrial backbone runs. FRP strength member and PE jacket ensure durability in outdoor conduit, duct, and direct-burial installations across plant sites.
- G.652D single-mode, 6-24 core options
- Outdoor PE jacket, FRP strength member
- Attenuation: 0.36 dB/km at 1310nm
- Suitable for duct, conduit, OSP runs
Where We Deploy
Industrial Automation Applications
AE Connect industrial networking hardware is deployed by automation engineers, system integrators, EPC contractors, and plant IT teams across every major industrial sector throughout India.
Manufacturing Plants
Assembly lines, robotic cells, CNC machines, and quality inspection systems connected over hardened industrial Ethernet.
Oil, Gas and Refineries
SCADA and DCS connectivity across hazardous areas, pipeline monitoring, and process control in refineries and terminals.
Power Plants and Substations
IEC 61850-ready industrial networking for power generation, transmission substations, and grid automation systems.
Water Treatment Facilities
Outdoor-rated, corrosion-resistant networking for SCADA and PLC systems across water and wastewater treatment plants.
Transportation and Rail
Trackside networking, station control, passenger information systems, and safety-critical communications infrastructure.
Automated Warehouses
Conveyor control systems, AS/RS, barcode scanners, AGVs, and WMS connectivity in temperature-controlled environments.
Food and Pharma
Washdown-tolerant networking for GMP manufacturing lines, cold storage environments, and cleanroom process control.
Renewable Energy Plants
Outdoor networking for solar farm monitoring, wind turbine control systems, and remote SCADA in energy generation plants.
The AE Connect Advantage
Key Benefits of AE Connect Industrial Solutions
Industrial-grade AE Connect networking hardware delivers measurable reliability, safety, and cost advantages over commercial networking equipment repurposed for industrial environments.
Survives Industrial Environments
Wide-temperature operation from -40 to +75 degrees C, vibration resistance, IP30 metal enclosures, and surge protection handle conditions that destroy standard commercial switches within weeks on the factory floor.
Ring Redundancy in Under 20ms
Proprietary ring protocols and RSTP provide automatic path switchover in less than 20 milliseconds when a fiber link or switch fails - fast enough to prevent PLC communication timeouts and production line stoppages.
PoE+ Eliminates Field Wiring Costs
Industrial PoE+ switches power IIoT sensors, IP cameras, wireless APs, and HMI panels over a single Cat6 cable. Eliminates separate 24VDC power distribution to every field device, reducing wiring costs and panel space by up to 40%.
OT Network Security and Segmentation
VLAN-based isolation keeps SCADA, PLC, and HMI traffic completely separate from enterprise IT systems. 802.1X port authentication prevents unauthorized devices from connecting to automation networks and satisfies ICS security compliance requirements.
Full OT Network Visibility
SNMP v3 management, syslog, and web-based monitoring give plant engineers real-time visibility into switch port status, PoE power consumption, bandwidth utilization, and device connectivity from the control room without requiring on-floor inspection.
Made in India, Local Support
No import dependency for replacement hardware. Local spares available through 200+ authorized dealers across India, with fast factory dispatch from Ahmedabad. 25 to 30% lower project cost compared to equivalent imported industrial networking hardware.
Our Credentials
Why Automation Integrators Choose AE Connect
Made in India for Indian Industrial Conditions
AE Connect industrial networking products are designed and manufactured in India with local power conditions, climate, and industrial practices in mind. No import duties, no long freight lead times, and no overseas warranty claims.
ISO-Certified Manufacturing Quality
Our Ahmedabad manufacturing facility operates under ISO quality management certification. Every industrial switch and fiber product undergoes standardized testing for temperature cycling, vibration, and surge withstand before shipment.
Automation Integrator Friendly Channel
200+ authorized dealers and distributors across India, many of whom serve industrial automation projects. Competitive margins, credit terms, and technical support for registered system integrators and automation contractors.
Custom Specifications for Large Projects
In-house R and D capability enables custom switch configurations, extended temperature specifications, OEM labeling, and specialized form factors for large industrial projects, government automation tenders, and defence applications.
Pre-Sales Engineering and BOM Support
Network architecture review for industrial applications, switch selection by industrial protocol, PoE budget calculation, and ring topology design support from our technical team at no charge on qualified projects.
AE Connect at a Glance
Established in 200520+ years supplying networking products to Indian industry
Manufactured in Ahmedabad, GujaratComplete production and quality testing under one roof
200+ Dealers and Distributors Pan-IndiaLocal stock availability near every industrial project site
ISO-Certified Quality ManagementInternational quality standards for every product manufactured
Export-Quality ProductsAE Connect industrial switches deployed internationally
Complete Tender and BOM DocumentationProduct datasheets, ISO certs, and company profile for industrial tenders
Sectors We Serve
Industries We Serve
AE Connect industrial networking products are deployed by automation integrators, EPC contractors, plant engineers, and OEM machine builders across every major industrial vertical throughout India and export markets.
Discrete Manufacturing
Process Industries
Oil, Gas and Petrochem
Power and Energy
Water and Utilities
Rail and Transportation
Food and Pharma
Warehousing and Logistics
Automotive
Renewable Energy
Defence and Aerospace
Smart Infrastructure
End-to-End Support
End-to-End Industrial Project Support
Dedicated technical and commercial support from network architecture design for your automation application through product delivery, commissioning, and warranty service after installation.
Industrial Network Design
Ring topology design, switch selection by protocol (EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus), PoE budget calculation, and fiber routing plan for your specific plant layout and automation requirements.
BOM and Tender Documentation
Product-level BOM, industrial specification sheets, ISO certificates, and company credentials for EPC tenders, government automation projects, and OEM machine builder procurement processes.
Factory and Site Delivery
Direct factory dispatch from Ahmedabad with pan-India logistics to plant sites. Large project rollouts supported with phased delivery schedules aligned to installation milestones.
Warranty and Spares Support
Industrial warranty with local replacement through our nationwide dealer network. Critical plant sites can maintain local spare unit inventory through our authorized distributor channel.
Start Your Project
Harden Your Factory Network with AE Connect
Get product recommendations, industrial network design support, and project-specific quotations from the AE Connect team for your automation, SCADA, or IIoT infrastructure project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes industrial Ethernet switches different from commercial office switches?
Industrial Ethernet switches are specifically engineered for the harsh conditions of factory floors, process plants, and outdoor automation environments. The key differences versus commercial office switches are:
- Temperature range: Industrial switches operate from -40 to +75 degrees C versus 0 to 45 degrees C for commercial switches
- Power input: Industrial switches accept 12 to 48VDC power (from plant-standard DC supplies) rather than 100-240VAC
- Form factor: DIN rail and panel mount design for integration into control cabinets alongside PLCs, drives, and relays
- Redundancy: Ring topology support with fast failover under 20ms keeps automation running through network faults
- EMI immunity: Metal enclosures and shielded designs protect against electromagnetic noise from motors and drives
- Reliability: MTBF ratings of 500,000 hours or more versus 50,000 to 100,000 hours for commercial hardware
What is ring redundancy and why is it critical for industrial networks?
Ring redundancy creates a closed loop of network switches connected in a ring topology. Unlike a daisy-chain (linear) topology where any single switch or cable failure disconnects all downstream devices, a ring provides two independent paths between every switch. When one path fails, traffic is automatically rerouted through the other path in the ring. The key metric for industrial networks is failover time - the duration between a fault occurring and traffic switching to the alternate path. For automation systems running SCADA and PLC communications, standard RSTP recovery of 1 to 30 seconds is too slow and causes PLC timeouts and safety shutdowns. AE Connect managed industrial switches support fast ring protocols that achieve failover in under 20 milliseconds, fast enough to prevent any interruption to automation traffic. Ring redundancy is therefore essential for any production line where network downtime directly causes production stoppages.
Can AE Connect switches support PROFINET and EtherNet/IP industrial protocols?
Yes. AE Connect industrial managed switches are compatible with standard industrial Ethernet protocols including PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, and standard IEEE 802.3 Ethernet. These protocols all run over standard Ethernet frames and do not require special switch hardware - they are standard Layer 2 and Layer 3 Ethernet protocols. What they do require for real-time performance is:
- Low and deterministic switching latency, which AE Connect industrial switches provide through cut-through or store-and-forward switching with low port-to-port delay
- QoS (Quality of Service) prioritization to ensure PROFINET or EtherNet/IP IO traffic is never delayed by bulk data transfers on shared network segments
- IGMP Snooping to correctly handle multicast traffic used by PROFINET devices for device discovery and cyclic communication
- Ring redundancy with fast failover to prevent PLC communication timeouts when network faults occur
Why is fiber preferred over copper Ethernet on the factory floor?
Fiber optic cabling is strongly preferred for industrial backbone connections for three critical reasons:
- EMI immunity: Fiber is glass or plastic and carries light, not electrical signals. It is completely immune to electromagnetic interference from motors, drives, welding equipment, and high-voltage cables that cause data errors on copper cabling near heavy industrial equipment
- Distance: Copper Ethernet is limited to 100 meters. Industrial facilities spanning large areas need fiber, which covers up to 550 meters (multimode OM3) or 20 kilometers (single-mode OS2) per link without repeaters or media converters
- Safety: Fiber provides galvanic isolation between network segments, eliminating ground loop currents that can cause data errors and equipment damage in plants where different sections operate at different electrical ground potentials
How do I securely connect OT automation networks to the corporate IT network?
OT/IT network convergence for Industry 4.0 data collection must be done with strict network segmentation to protect critical automation systems from IT-side threats. The recommended architecture uses AE Connect managed switches to implement:
- VLAN separation: OT automation traffic (SCADA, PLC, HMI) on dedicated VLANs completely isolated from corporate IT VLANs at the Layer 2 level
- Firewall/DMZ: A dedicated industrial firewall or DMZ appliance sits between the OT and IT networks, permitting only specific data flows such as historian polling from IT to OT, while blocking all other cross-network traffic
- Access control: 802.1X port authentication on all OT switch ports prevents unauthorized IT devices or laptops from being connected to OT segments during maintenance visits
- Management separation: Switch management VLANs and out-of-band management paths keep network device configuration access separate from production traffic paths
What power supply does an industrial switch require and how is it wired in a control panel?
Industrial switches use DC power rather than AC power supplies, which matches the standard 24VDC control voltage already present in most automation control panels. AE Connect industrial switches accept input voltage ranges typically from 12 to 48VDC, covering both 12VDC and 24VDC system standards used in different industries. Installation in control panels is via DIN rail mounting - the same DIN rail that holds PLCs, relays, terminal blocks, and circuit breakers. Connection is through removable screw terminal blocks (not AC power plugs), which is standard industrial wiring practice. For high-availability installations, AE Connect industrial switches support dual redundant DC power inputs - if one power feed fails, the switch continues operating on the second feed with no interruption. Our technical team can review your panel layout and provide wiring diagrams for specific project installations on request.
Can AE Connect supply complete industrial networking for large EPC and turnkey automation projects?
Yes. AE Connect provides a complete industrial networking supply for EPC contractors, system integrators, and turnkey automation project teams. Our supply scope for industrial projects includes industrial unmanaged and managed DIN rail switches, industrial PoE+ managed switches, fiber switches with SFP ports, industrial fiber media converters, armoured fiber optic cables for plant backbone and outdoor runs, shielded Cat6 SFTP structured cabling, fiber patch panels, and passive components. We support large projects with network architecture design review, protocol-specific switch configuration guidance, phased delivery against installation milestones, volume pricing and credit terms for registered automation integrators, and BOM and datasheet documentation for project tendering. Contact our industrial project team with your plant layout and automation architecture details to receive product recommendations and a complete project quotation.