What are the differences between PROFIBUS V0, V1, and V2?

The question was prompted at the Vancouver PROFINET one-day training class.  (Yes, we get PROFIBUS questions at the PROFINET class and vice versa.)

Here’s the summary:
DPV0: Cyclic Data Exchange, Diagnostics (all devices)
DPV1: Acyclic Data Exchange, Process Alarm Handling (process automation)
DPV2: Clock Synchronization & Time Stamp (drives)

It’s important to note that the versions build one on the other and are interoperable and backward compatible.  In practical terms, this means that you can have, for example, a V1 controller over V0 and V1 slave devices.  The V0 devices will only report cyclic data and diagnostics (but these devices don’t have more to report anyway).

We generated a bit of internal discussion from this question revolving around PROFIsafe.  We show a timeline that shows PROFIsafe as being part of V1, but should more accurately indicate that its association with V1 is strictly from a timeline point of view.  PROFIsafe is an application profile and can therefore be used with any version of PROFIBUS… and with PROFINET.

After all the discussion, I’m finishing this on the plane for Poland and our international gathering of RPAs (Regional PI Associations) and PICCs (PI Competence Centers).  I’m looking forward to the information exchange with other regions of the world.  (We have about 80 folks from 22 countries and 6 of the 7 continents – including the Indian subcontinent.  Alas, we have no RPA in Antarctica.)  I’ll blog and tweet interesting news from Krakow.

Now I’m posting from Chicago since yesterday’s flight across the water was cancelled due to mechanical issues.  My first trip to Europe for PTO also had an unplanned 22-hour layover in Chicago.<sigh>

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