Document Category: PROFIsafe

The statement that PROFINET is proprietary is a myth that we will debunk. A proprietary standard is owned by a company or organization. Such an entity exercises sole discretion as to who may use their technology and under what terms. An open standard is publicly available and has various rights to use associated with it.…

In the PROFINET world, PROFINET Real Time (RT) and PROFINET Isochronous Real Time (IRT) are common terms. PROFINET RT and IRT can be employed to deliver data within a PROFINET network. PROFINET RT is equipped in all PROFINET components and fulfills the majority of industrial automation timing requirements. PROFINET IRT is optional as it is…

When building an industrial network with PROFINET, you will employ three major pieces of hardware: controllers, devices, and general infrastructure. Controllers can be PLCs, DCSs, or PACs. Devices can be I/O blocks, RFID readers, drives, process instruments, proxies, or even other controllers. And cables, connectors, switches, and other components make up the network infrastructure. You…

This article answers a very general but common question: What is PROFINET? PROFINET is an open Industrial Ethernet solution based on international standards. It is a communication protocol designed to exchange data between controllers and devices in an automation setting. It was introduced in the early 2000s and is the most well-adopted Industrial Ethernet solution.…