Tech Tip Roundup – Updated
One of our favorite topics is tech tips. We provide many in PROFINEWS. If you are a subscriber, you have been kept up-to-date with tech tips. If you are not a subscriber, subscribe here. Then read on for a current list (and read PROFINEWS for new ones). If you were already updated through the original…
Where Networks Fit in the IIoT
There has been a raft of articles about networks and their place in the Industrial Internet of Things. Basically, IIoT is at the intersection of IoT and Industrie 4.0. Here’s a 46-second video reminder of how the relate. There were three articles that caught my attention: 1. Modbus As an IoT Protocol??? John Rinaldi makes…
Choosing an Industrial Ethernet, a Checklist
What should you look for when choosing an Industrial Ethernet? These things: Is it an open standard? Can anyone build products for it? PROFINET is an open standard. It’s part of IEC 61158. Anyone can buy the spec from IEC and build products. To build an EtherNet/IP product, you must sign a contract with ODVA,…
7 Steps to IIoT
I saw a recent magazine article outlining six steps to take to implement the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). It was mostly political – form a team, get buy-in from a C-level executive, etc. It’s not that I think the political approach is not valuable, but most of us live in a technical world. So…
Spring – When a Young Man’s Fancy Turns to PROFINET
Yesterday was the official start of spring (because that’s when pitchers and catchers reported for baseball’s Spring Training). There are a lot of similarities between baseball and PROFINET: Green. They are both associated with the color green. Green grass on which to play baseball; green cable over which to send PROFINET. Pitch speed. Some pitchers’…
Worried about Bandwidth?
Worried about Bandwidth? Some students at our Long Beach PROFINET one-day training class were. It’s definitely something to think about. Here’s a start: There’s never a substitute for doing the engineering. PROFINET messages tend to be small. But design your topology to minimize the chance of using too much bandwidth. You can use line topology,…
Square Peg, Round Hole: The hidden cost of simplistic PROFINET application design
Carl is taking a short vacation. He may return with more off-topic news, but in the meantime enjoy this guest post from the PROFI Interface Center’s Kyle McMillan. The first time my new neighbor got to see me get mad was when I found him lying under his mower, trying to change a blade…
2017, A New Start
It’s a brand new year. A time to reflect on getting to this point (briefly reflect, I opine). A time to plan for the new year. (Forget resolutions; they never get followed through. Plan instead.) That brief reflection: 2016 was a good year for our technologies. PROFINET, PROFIBUS, and IO-Link all grew their installed bases….
SPS 2016: Members’ Booths
I tried, but did not quite succeed, in getting to the booths of all the PI North America members at the show. The Siemens booth engulfed one hall all by themselves. Here’s an overview: HMS was showing the Anybus Wireless Bolt which uses WiFi and Bluetooth to wirelessly connect devices in cabinets to Wireless…
What Do You Mean by Analytics?
I’ve been on an analytics kick lately with PROFIblog posts Statistics or Engineering which concludes: I think there is a huge opportunity for OEMs and SIs with deep vertical knowledge. They can leverage IIoT, PROFINET, and remote monitoring (and maybe even some magic statistics package) to add value for their customers and income for themselves….