PROFIBUS Online Training Course: A Look Back
loading… Launched in April 2021, PI North America’s PROFIBUS Online Training Course has proven popular beyond our wildest expectations Some Background For over a decade PI North America hosted one-day PROFIBUS training classes around the country throughout the year. As the market shifted from digital fieldbuses to industrial Ethernet, we also began hosting one-day PROFINET…
What Standardization Means for the Future of omlox
loading… You’ve probably heard of omlox at this point. If not, here’s an overview: omlox The point is: what’s exciting about this technology today? What’s fundamentally different about omlox -apart from the technology itself is the fact that it’s a standard. “Wow, a standards organization that’s excited about standards, real original”, you might be thinking…
IoT vs IIoT vs Industry 4.0
loading… In this short article and video, we explain the key differences between the Internet of Things (IoT), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and Industry 4.0 IoT describes the concept that in addition to people using the Internet to communicate there are now devices and machines able to transfer information into the network. Industry…
Can PROFINET Projects Employ Cat 5, 5e, Cat 6, 6a, or Cat 7 cables?
loading… Cables in PROFINET Installations A PROFINET network is based on standard IEEE 802.3 Ethernet. You can utilize standard Ethernet cables (fiber optics or copper cables) in a PROFINET network. The most commonly used PROFINET copper cable is the 4-wire shielded, green-colored cable, which supports 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet at a distance of 100 meters….
PROFINET Switch vs Ethernet Switch
loading… PROFINET does not require specialized switches. PROFINET projects can employ standard Ethernet switches that satisfy the minimum requirements of 100 Mbit/s IEEE 802.3 and full-duplex transmission. Nowadays, most off-the-shelf Ethernet switches fulfill both requirements and therefore are suitable for PROFINET. Three terms you might encounter when choosing a switch for a PROFINET project are…
PROFINET Cable vs Ethernet Cable
loading… Manufacturing environments, where PROFINET is most commonly used, are characterized by having challenging environmental conditions. In that environment, standard Ethernet cables, like those you find in your office or home, might break or damage easily. Extreme temperatures, moisture, vibrations, electro magnetic interference, and many other factors contribute to the deterioration of cables. Due to…
PROFINET Controller vs Device
loading… PROFINET is a communication protocol to exchange data between controllers and devices. PROFINET components employ the consumer provider model for data exchange. With this model, controllers and IO devices can both assume consumer and provider roles, leveraging the full-duplex nature of Ethernet. Now, let’s explore three component roles you can observe in a PROFINET…
Is PROFINET deterministic?
loading… PROFINET network installations typically operate in demanding industrial environments. PROFINET exchanges IO data with the appropriate speed and determinism required by manufacturing plants. To ensure suitable performance, PROFINET delivers data through the following communication channels: TCP/IP or UDP/IP for non-time-critical tasks, PROFINET Real-Time (RT) for time-critical cyclic data exchange PROFINET Isochronous Real-Time (IRT) for…
Helpful Troubleshooting Tips for PROFIBUS Projects (plus common mistakes)
loading… This article lists the top five mistakes made in PROFIBUS networks and gives you troubleshooting information and tips on how to prevent them. Wrong cable Do not utilize telephone or other consumer-market off-the-shelf cables in a PROFIBUS network. Such cables are not built to survive in industrial facilities where PROFIBUS is used. PROFIBUS installations…
PROFIBUS PA: Overview and Description
loading… There are two flavors of PROFIBUS: PROFIBUS Decentralized Peripherals (DP) and Process Automation (PA) PROFIBUS PA is used in process automation. The physical layer of PROFIBUS PA is Manchester Encoded Bus Powered (MBP), and the physical layer for PROFIBUS DP is RS-485. Even though a different physical layer is employed, PROFIBUS PA is the…