News Roundup

“I’m headed for the last roundup” – so sings Gene Autry in an MP3 track I listen to occasionally.  And today we’re headed for the last roundup… for now anyway.  We’ve had a video roundup and a white paper roundup and we’ll finish off the roundups with this news roundup:

At Control Engineering Automaker changes gears without changing grippers explains how an OEM used PROFIBUS and PROFIsafe in an application that reduces changeover time.

SPS 2012: Chip Enhances Fieldbus Motion Performance, a video at Automation World, features Innovasic talking about their unique approach to PROFINET at the chip level.  There are two speakers, but you just need to listen to the first one, Volker.

Why use PROFINET queries this blog post from Phoenix Contact South East Asia.  Answers it too!

PROFINET in Antarctica. Redundant PROFINET in Antarctica.  I shiver just thinking about it.  (‘It” being “redundant PROFINET” although, thinking about Antarctica, it was 92 here in Scottsdale last week.)  Read more here.

A really great webinar that doesn’t mention PROFINET and PROFIsafe as often as it should: “Wireless Networks and Machine Safety: Lessons Learned in a Non-Industrial Environment”  (Of course, for me you can’t say PROFINET too often).  I’m amazed at the number of non-industrial applications there are for PROFIBUS and PROFINET.  We have a Las Vegas show, KA, and Disney’s Radiator Springs Racers ride, but this is the first elephant house automation I’ve seen!  It’s an interesting and compelling story.

–Carl Henning