Choosing a Network Topology
Network Topology Options PROFINET gives you flexibility for network design. PROFINET supports line, tree, ring, and star cabled topologies. In addition, it supports wireless connections via Bluetooth or WiFi(we won’t get into the subject of wireless, but you can get an overview by watching this webinar: Wireless Webinar). The section below covers the pros and…
Burning Questions on Network Design
Last year we hosted a PROFINET Installation webinar. After an interactive Q&A section, we got several comments expressing interest in Network Design. This year we were able to put together an hour-long webinar on PROFINET Network Design. Due to time limitations, we were not able to answer all the questions that came in through the…
“Why do I care about TSN?!?!”
“Why do I care about TSN?” is a question we receive all of the time. The answer is subtle and related to the future of networking.
Another Record Year for PI Technologies
Every year PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) conducts an audited count of installed nodes for PI technologies. They recently concluded its annual notarial count for 2018. As in previous years, the numbers from 2018 indicate a very positive trend! PROFINET continues its accelerated growth and reaches 26 million devices, PROFIsafe and IO-Link surpass the 10…
PROFINET Addressing Parameters
If you are planning on adding new nodes into your PROFINET network, you will need to consider their addressing parameters. Each PROFINET device has 3 addressing parameters: a MAC address, a device name, and an IP address. The MAC address is predefined by the manufacturer, and usually, it can not be changed. On the other…
PROFINET Communication Channels
PROFINET is an open Industrial Ethernet standard. It is a communication protocol that exchanges data between automation controllers and devices. With over 25 million installed nodes (as of 2018), PROFINET is one of the most widely used Industrial Ethernet standards worldwide. But even though millions of users are familiar with PROFINET, not all users understand…
Industry Foursight
Industry 4.0 has a lot of requirements and it’s an exciting time to be involved in industrial automation. New solutions are taking shape and stand to make automation networks easier to manage, faster to run, and most importantly, provide value like never before. Concepts like TSN, OPC UA and APL are making headlines and the…
What about Fiber in Hazardous Environments?
Is fiber ok in hazardous environments*? We got this question in one of our PROFINET one-day training classes while explaining APL (Advanced Physical Layer). Ethernet is not intrinsically safe. Since IEEE 100BASE-TX Ethernet is the base technology for PROFINET, PROFINET cannot reach hazardous environments. There are options to go around this limitation. Some factories employ containment methods…
New Class Offerings in North America
2-day PROFINET Fundamentals Class (non-certified) PROFINET and PROFIBUS certified network engineer classes continue to be offered several times every year. Students learn how the underlying technology works from the application to the frame level and pass both a practical and written exam to become certified. A 2-day non-certified PROFINET Fundamentals class is now available to fit in tight…
Key Decisions for PROFINET Developers
Device manufacturers wanting to equip an automation device with a PROFINET interface have different options for implementation. Before deciding on a specific implementation method, it’s important to first determine which functions will be supported by the PROFINET automation device: Real-Time Requirements IEEE 802.3 ensures problem-free communication between PROFINET automation devices and among PROFINET automation devices…