I hear the Ghostbusters song in my head when I read the title (the song from the original movie, not the new one). Anyway…
Technology is cool, but it’s the people who
- Create it
- Support it
- Teach it
- Design with it
- Install it
- Commission it
- Fix it
From my vantage point in PI North America I’ve watched many companies evaluate and adopt PROFINET. They like the technology for its own sake of course; it does what it’s supposed to do and does it well. They like it because it is a truly open technology. But in the end, the tipping point may have been what they called “the ecosystem.” People in the ecosystem are who you’re gonna call.
Questions about joining PI North America? Questions about PROFINET or PROFIBUS? Call PI North America, the Regional PI Association (RPA) for North America. It’s one of 25 RPAs around the world. Mike, Michael, Carl, Lynne, or Marsha will answer the phone.
Questions about adding PROFINET to your product? Questions about getting a PROFIBUS or PROFINET network working? Call a North American PI Competence Center (PICC). The PROFI Interface Center, Molex, and Phoenix Contact Software are PICCs in North America. Torsten, Hunter, John, Kyle, Dan, and Eric are the people.
Questions and more questions about the bits and bytes? Training is available from PI Training Centers (PITCs). Instructors include James, Ron, Hunter, and John.
Questions about product testing? The North American PI Test Lab (PITL) is the PROFI Interface Center in Johnson City, TN. Kyle manages that. John is dedicated to PROFIBUS there.
There are also Working Groups completing specifications, application profiles, documentation, and guidelines. Their interface with most of the world is the PI Support Center. Peter is in charge of a staff of 10 there.
Globally there are
- 25 RPAs
- 54 PICCs
- 29 PITCs
- 10 PITLs
Visit www.profibus.com for the detailed list of the people and their local phone numbers and email addresses.
You are able to ask questions in many languages in many places. Go ahead and call.
–Carl Henning
[Cross posted at GE Automation blog: http://www.geautomation.com/blog/who-ya-gonna-call]