White Papers

Mar 2021

PROFINET vs Ethernet: Overview, Roles, and Implementation

PROFINET is the Industrial Ethernet solution created by PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI). Ethernet is the most popular communication medium for creating networks worldwide. The roles and specifications of these two technologies often cause confusion. This White Paper will help clear any doubts by explaining the difference between Ethernet and PROFINET.

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Mar 2021

PROFINET Product Testing & Certification Guide

By reading this document, device manufacturers will learn how testing and certification work, how to prepare for testing, and how to get a product certified. Also, this guide contains suggestions and resources to complete the certification process with ease.

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Oct 2020

PROFINET IRT: The Solution for Synchronous Real-time Applications

PROFINET is the world’s most advanced Industrial Ethernet solution. It is a communication protocol to exchange data between controllers and devices. PROFINET can operate in demanding industrial environments and can deliver the speed and precision required by manufacturing plants. PROFINET employs various communication channels to deliver data with the appropriate speed and determinism. The PROFINET Isochronous Real-Time…

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Apr 2020

PROFINET Application Profiles: PROFIsafe, PROFIenergy, PROFIdrive

PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI) has specified over a dozen PROFINET Application Profiles. Application Profiles are an additional layer above the PROFINET protocol. A PROFINET product that supports one or multiple Application Profiles offers further functionality besides the standard PROFINET capabilities. The most commonly implemented Application Profiles are PROFIsafe for functional safety, PROFIenergy for energy management, and PROFIdrive for interoperable drive devices.

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Mar 2020

PROFINET Optional Features: Overview and Use Cases

All PROFINET products are developed according to international standards and certified by PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI). Aside from the mandatory characteristics in each PROFINET device, PI defines a list of optional features. These features are not required in all PROFINET devices; nonetheless, they can provide tremendous added value.

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Sep 2019

Countless Possibilities: PROFINET and Industrial Wireless

Wireless connections open up a wide variety of applications which are very difficult or impossible with regular cabling. PROFINET supports WLAN and Bluetooth as part of its specification. PROFINET enables wireless connections without limitations, even with safety messages (PROFIsafe).

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Aug 2019

Industrial Topology Options and PROFINET

Network topology is a term that describes network connections in homes, cities, offices, factories, etc. Fieldbuses and Industrial Ethernet protocols, such as PROFIBUS and PROFINET, offer a wide variety of topology options. This White Paper describes the different network topologies available for industrial environments. Then, it summarizes potential benefits and challenges for each topology in a PROFINET network.

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Feb 2019

The Easy Way to PROFINET – North American Edition

Are you ready to add PROFINET to your automation device? There are many choices of ways to add PROFINET to an automation device that it can seem daunting to know where to start. The starting point depends on the type of product, its existing design, quantity expected, and time to market needed. This brochure will explain the process and help you select a partner to expedite it: “The Easy Way to PROFINET – North American Edition”.

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Aug 2018

PROFINET Redundancy: It’s all about UPtime

Automation networks have always been designed to meet two key criteria: reliability and availability. Reliability is the first priority. Data that enters the network should be unchanged and always make it to its destination. Availability is a more complex problem because it’s not just about moving bits across a network. Redundancy mechanisms turn a reliable system into a highly available system, adding extra components or functionality to maintain reliable operation through a number of failures. This White Paper goes over the four components of a PROFINET redundant network. Then, it covers PROFINET’s scalable system redundancy configurations.

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Jul 2018

PROFIBUS vs PROFINET: Comparison and Migration Strategies

PROFIBUS is a classical serial fieldbus and PROFINET is an industrial Ethernet standard. They share similarities due to their common source, but PROFINET has additional capabilities that allow faster and more flexible communication. This white paper will explore the differences between them and explain migration strategies from PROFIBUS to PROFINET.

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