We’re Number One
loading… PI does not get to say that PROFINET is the best Industrial Ethernet; the market gets to say that. Which is why I was amused to see a technology that’s in fifth place in the market tout why they’re better than all the other Industrial Ethernets. The market has assigned them their place and…
Digital Twins
loading… Along with Cyber-Physical Systems, Big Data, Cloud, Analytics, and other Industrie 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things buzzwords is the concept of Digital Twin. Maybe Digital Twin is from Industrie 4.0 and not IIoT? Here is a definition of Digital Twin from Wikipedia: “Digital twins refer to computerized companions of physical assets that can…
Roll PROFINET Tape
loading… OK, no one rolls tape anymore; everything is digital. But video is still highly valued. Are you someone who prefers watching to reading? Then this post is for you. Here are some short videos to watch about PROFINET and PROFIBUS: Let’s start with the shortest video; it clarifies the relationship among PROFINET, Industrial Internet…
Keeping Up with the News
loading… How do you get your news? Newspaper? Magazine? TV? Or are you a “new media” person? Getting your news from blogs? YouTube subscription? Facebook? LinkedIn? Twitter? Electronic newsletter? I’m a “new media” person. Newspaper? Cancelled long ago. Magazine? Electronic version only, please. TV? That’s for sports and science fiction shows. I use all the…
IO-Link to the Rescue
loading… Take my old prox switch… please. And give me a new one with IO-Link. The old one just closes contacts. IO-Link, however, uses the same wires for the contacts but superimposes a digital signal over those wires. The old prox switch could be trained with a button to set the operating distance. IO-Link lets…
PROFINET in Food and Bev
loading… When you think of PROFINET do you think of automotive? You should because all auto makers use PROFINET somewhere. But there are many other vertical markets where PROFINET excels. PI Middle East featured an event last year focused on food and beverage. A reminder that PROFINET (and PROFIBUS) is used there. You probably were…
Teach Me PROFIBUS
loading… Are you new to PROFIBUS? Ready to start a new PROFIBUS project? Are you required to troubleshoot and maintain a PROFIBUS network? Here are some suggestions to learn about PROFIBUS: Read about PROFIBUS. The best place to start is the 36-page System Description: PROFIBUS Technology and Application. It’s contents: Chapter 1 contains an introduction…
Hannover Messe Report: Ease of Use
loading… If there was one big blinking neon light not to be missed from Hannover Messe this year it was: OPC UA. Like Karsten mentioned in PROFINEWS, it was everywhere -that and TSN. But what is the subtext to be gleaned behind these technologies? -EASE OF USE- This is the holy-grail for all manufacturers, and…
Tech Tip Roundup – Updated
loading… One of our favorite topics is tech tips. We provide many in PROFINEWS. If you are a subscriber, you have been kept up-to-date with tech tips. If you are not a subscriber, subscribe here. Then read on for a current list (and read PROFINEWS for new ones). If you were already updated through the…
PI Profile
loading… PI (PROFIBUS and PROFINET International) is a successful organization. Here’s why… First, why only one “P” in the name? When we started, there was only PROFIBUS. PROFINET came along later. I kind of visualize PI like this: The superimposed PROFINET green P is eclipsing the PROFIBUS Blue P in PI. But both are there…