Go with the Network that Works Part 2
This is a continuation from a recent post Go with the Network that Works with additional background to an article by Dan Hebert: Industrial Ethernet Cruises Powerfully Along in Industrial Networking. I like the subtitle in the print version: “Industrial Ethernet Cruises Powerfully Along. But Can It Be More Than You Really Need? Are Simpler,…
Read MoreGo with the Network that Works
I enjoy working with editors from the trade press – contributing to whatever topic they’re writing about. Of course, they have limited space in which to present their topic and they have to include viewpoints from multiple sources. Having neither of those restrictions here let me provide some additional background to a recent article by…
Read MoreThe Infrastructure Conference
The Infrastructure Conference? No, it was The Automation Conference, but the Industrial Ethernet panel I was on spent a lot of time talking about infrastructure. I was there representing PROFINET (and Industrial Ethernet protocols in general to some extent), but most of the other panelists were from vendors. We spent some time discussing wire, connectors,…
Read MoreFieldbuses, down; Industrial Ethernets, up?
Fieldbuses are down and Industrial Ethernets are up? Is that what a new IMS Research study shows (How Sustainable is an Industrial Fieldbus Infrastructure?)? Or, as Larry O’Brien put it in his blog post (What’s in a Node? Putting Market Research in Perspective): “[T]he study results have caused quite a stir in the media because…
Read MorePROFINET one-day training class – What is it like?
I’m sure you’ve been wondering what a PROFINET one-day training class is like. (Unless you’re one of the thousands of folks who have already attended one.) Here’s what happens: Badge pickup and onsite registration begin early on class day, like 7:00am. The class does not start until 8:30 but some folks arrive very early, perhaps…
Read MoreHanover Fair: News Roundup
After ranting just a little about PROFIpeople, I was called upon to introduce the international version of PROFInews. I’ll repeat the introduction in the next PROFInews North American Edition. And that introduction is about Hanover Fair so make that your first stop in the Hanover fair news roundup. And it’s followed by even more information.…
Read MoreHanover Fair – A Look Around
PI was once again part of the Field Communication Lounge at Hanover Fair. The Lounge covered almost 5,400 square feet and was shared with competing technologies, complementary technologies, and some that are both. But let’s ignore them and look around the PI portion of the Lounge (click image to enlarge): A one-minute clip of the…
Read MoreHanover Fair – Diagnostics
PROFINET diagnostics are a huge differentiator for PROFINET. Building on the concepts pioneered by PROFIBUS (at the device, module, and channel level), PROFINET adds diagnostics for the Industrial Ethernet network. Because PROFINET is just Ethernet, it leverages IT protocols to prevent or quickly find problems. How does that help? This short animation, introduced at the…
Read MoreHanover Fair: The News – PROFI Growth
I almost hate to talk about the numbers of PROFIBUS and PROFINET nodes – the growth is so great that it just seems like bragging. I did say “almost.” The numbers through the end of 2012: PROFINET jumped to 5.8 million nodes installed. PROFIBUS grew to an installed base of 43.8 million of which 7.5…
Read MoreHanover Fair: The News – New Competence Center
There was news of PROFIBUS and PROFINET at Hanover Fair: “50th PI Competence Center (PICC) Established” and it’s in the US! KW Software has become the fourth PICC in North America, joining the PROFI Interface Center (PIC), Molex, and HMS Networks. The PIC is a PICC for both PROFIBUS and PROFINET, the others for PROFINET. …
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