We’ve reached the end of an era; the end of another BAS era. Goodbye RS-485 serial, and hello CAT6 Ethernet. Change is scary, but those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future. And, the BAS advantages of this move are becoming overwhelming.
The first BAS divergence was marked by the major shift from pneumatics to DDC, moving from air pressure in tubing to digital accompanied by RS485, RS232, and LON. And, with that, everything changed. From controllers to sensors to actuators, everything became digital and included data and feedback. We, as an industry, became proficient in utilizing serial networks and computers to add visibility and control at a level far beyond that of the pneumatic era. Granted, it took years for the change to settle, but by the early 2000s the industry had changed and leaped forward, with no looking back.