What follows is an excerpt from the recently released White Paper entitled 6 Reasons to Give PROFIBUS PA Another Look.
Fieldbus systems have a proven track record that goes back to the early 1990’s, and PROFIBUS has been at the forefront. These systems are deployed throughout the industrial automation landscape in the automotive, machinery manufacturing, food & beverage, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Somewhere in the region of 50 million PROFIBUS nodes are currently installed in the field. They ensure reliable process data transport, simplify engineering design and installation, and play a key role during ongoing operation.
Tailor-made
PROFIBUS PA has been used in process automation for more than 10 years. Over 8 million field devices already communicate using PROFIBUS DP/PA in this arena, generating significant value-add for users. Device power and process data as well as device status signals and diagnostic data are delivered via the bus cables. Technology is not the only crucial factor. The enthusiasm, ideas, and expertise of the users and manufacturers who stand behind PROFIBUS continue to drive development. The close link between PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) and end users and their organizations ensures that the technology continues to move forward while remaining aligned with application needs. Prominent examples include NAMUR, an international user association of automation technology in process industries and AIDA in the automobile industry. The result is a set of user-friendly technologies that are quickly ready for practical application.
Strong organization
The technology network gives users in a broad range of industries the opportunity to learn from each other. PI offers technologies for the full spectrum of industrial communication, ranging from factory and process automation to high-performance motion control applications including functional safety. The worldwide network of competence centers, training centers, and test labs ensures that support and reliable technology are available around the world. So, the potency and reliability of the cross-industry PI technology network continues to increase. 
–Michael Bowne