With the increasing prevalence of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology, the intelligent and digital transformation of traditional factories is accelerating. The massive amounts of status data generated by manufacturing equipment during operation need to be reliably transmitted to the upper-level management system, and the industrial gateway is the key hub for realizing this process. On the one hand, it is used to convert and coordinate various industrial communication protocols , and on the other hand, it is responsible for uploading data securely, stably, and accurately, providing a reliable data foundation for enterprises to achieve real-time monitoring and intelligent decision-making.
In practical deployments, to efficiently collect device data, reduce cabling costs, and ensure communication efficiency, industrial gateways are typically installed in complex environments with strong electromagnetic interference, such as field distribution boxes and control cabinets. They must also withstand harsh conditions such as the coexistence of high and low voltage, mixed strong and weak current circuits, long-distance cabling, and frequent manual operation. Therefore, the anti-interference capability and electrical protection level of the industrial gateway itself often determine the upper limit of the overall reliability and are key factors in achieving stable operation.
As is well known, in various industrial sites, due to inconsistencies in equipment power supply systems and grounding methods, there is often an objective ground potential difference between equipment in different areas. At the same time, high-power loads such as frequency converters and high-voltage motors introduce strong electromagnetic interference (EMI) and common-mode voltage surges during frequent start-stop processes. The combined effect of these factors can easily cause transient interference and electrical surges in the communication link between the industrial gateway and field equipment, thereby affecting the reliability of the industrial gateway.
A schematic diagram of an electrical isolation scheme for an industrial gateway.
Therefore, when industrial gateways establish cross-regional communication links with field devices distributed in different areas through various communication interfaces, an electrical protection barrier with anti-interference and high-voltage resistance capabilities must be established at the interface level. Digital isolators are key devices used to achieve secure data transmission between two circuit systems while effectively suppressing DC current interference and transient current surges.
As shown in the figure above, in industrial gateways, digital isolators are typically deployed between the core processing unit and the external communication interface (or directly integrated as an isolation interface chip), thereby effectively blocking the propagation path of ground potential difference, surge voltage and common-mode noise, so that external abnormal voltage no longer affects the core processing unit, which can significantly improve the communication reliability and system security of industrial gateways in complex industrial network environments.
Against this backdrop, the reliability of industrial gateways no longer depends solely on communication performance or protocol compatibility, but has risen to the level of system-level electrical safety and anti-interference design. The ability to effectively isolate ground potential differences and various transient interferences directly determines the reliability of the communication link and the security of the system. This has led to the gradual upgrade of digital isolators with high isolation performance and high reliability from "optional enhancements" to a basic configuration in industrial gateway interface design.
For example, HOPERF's series of independently developed digital isolators, based on mature RF chip design experience and advanced manufacturing processes, adopt the mainstream capacitive coupling technology route and possess advantages such as high isolation withstand voltage, high common-mode transient immunity (CMTI), high transmission rate, low transmission delay, low power consumption and long-term reliability, making them an electrical safety "core".
In standard digital isolator applications for industrial gateways, HOPERF offers a variety of products with different channel configurations. These products can effectively suppress the interference of high-voltage transients (dV/dt) on digital signals and block adverse electrical effects such as surges and electromagnetic noise in high-voltage systems. They provide an electrical isolation solution that combines performance and cost advantages for systems with both strong and weak currents.
Meanwhile, its high CMTI (Common Mode Transient Immunity) significantly enhances its ability to resist common mode interference, ensuring stable signal transmission even in environments with strong interference and avoiding bit errors and communication interruptions. More importantly, the digital isolator structurally eliminates ground loop problems, enabling industrial systems with multiple devices and multiple grounding points to operate reliably for extended periods.
In industrial gateway isolation interface applications, HOPERF can provide RS-485 and CAN isolation interface chips to ensure the stability and timing consistency of communication links in complex environments. On the one hand, these isolation interface chips can withstand high common-mode voltage surges caused by ground potential differences, surges, or lightning strikes in long-distance bus scenarios such as RS-485, preventing the entire communication link from being blocked. On the other hand, the isolation interface chips can also limit faults to the external bus side, so that even if the field equipment malfunctions, it will not affect the main control system, thereby significantly improving system-level security and maintainability.
https://www.hoperf.com/service/apply/
If you are interested in HOPERF's independently developed series of digital isolators (basic isolation, isolation interfaces, isolation drivers, isolation ADCs/op-amps), please scan the QR code above or copy and open the link at the end of the article to apply for samples. We will be happy to serve you!
