PROFINET is the world’s most advanced Industrial Ethernet solution. It is a communication protocol to exchange data between controllers and devices. Controllers can be PLCs, DCSs, or PACs. Devices can be I/O blocks, vision systems, RFID readers, drives, process instruments, proxies, or even other controllers. PROFINET is fully compatible with – and leverages all the features of – office Ethernet. However there are differences, office Ethernet is not capable of real time performance for industrial automation. Office Ethernet is also much less able to withstand harsh industrial environments.
Based on its experiences with PROFIBUS, a real time fieldbus that is the most popular automation networking solution in automation today, PI Working Groups comprising more than 500 experts from major automation suppliers spent many years creating a comprehensive real time Ethernet solution for automation: PROFINET.
This solution is able to operate in the difficult industrial environments and is capable of delivering the speed and precision required by manufacturing plants. It can also provide additional functions – for example, Safety, Energy Management, and IT Integration. These can be used in combination with the control and monitoring functions. Users have a choice on which services they would like to utilize.
Here are some other advantages of working with PROFINET at the IO level:
Highly scalable architectures
Access to field devices over the network
Maintenance and servicing from anywhere (even over the internet)
Best in class diagnostics
Lower costs for production/quality data monitoring
