Power line communication technology in industrial networks

The PLC technology could be an additional alternative on the market for data transmission in industrial applications, like networks used to controlling machines and collecting sensor readings at field level. This paper presents a study about the industrial needs concerning data transmission, the sources of interference and attenuation for PLC signal in industry and the best technology available for these applications. The results of real communication tests with G3-PLC MODEMs working in a physically simulated industrial environment are presented. Different bands and subcarrier modulations were tested in order to recommend the one with best performance.