After learning about what profiles are, it’s time to take a look at one of the several profiles for PROFINET. PROFIenergy is one of the easiest profiles to implement across a range of devices, from cameras to motors. PROFIenergy: A Big Deal PROFIenergy operates as a programming API, allowing application engineers to use common code blocks in PLCs to control […]
PROFIsafe (PROFINET safety) is a safety communication technology for discrete manufacturing and process automation systems. It was developed by PROFIBUS / PROFINET International (PI) to meet Functional Safety requirements for PI communication technologies (PROFINET, PROFIBUS, and PROFIBUS PA). As we talked about in Safety Basics, the PROFIsafe role in the safety universe is to minimize the chance of incorrect functioning of the control system. Incorrect functioning for a PROFsafe […]
PROFIsafe profile details are incorporated into the PROFIsafe driver firmware in both an F-Controller and an F-device. The PROFIsafe driver is an encoding/decoding package that ensures the integrity of the safety portion of the communication. Network Communication Challenges The following errors are potential problems in network communications. Repetition – malfunction of a bus device causes old and obsolete safety messages to be repeated at the wrong time […]
PROFIBUS PA ( Process Automation) was designed to work along with PROFIBUS DP (Decentralized Periphery) to make a consolidated network using DP for high-speed communications and PA for process environment. A network consists of a DP master (controller), a DP segment, a DP/PA coupler and the process network with slave devices. Fast DP controllers connected to slow PA instruments. How does […]
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is making direct access to process data at all levels more necessary by the day. End users, DCS and PLC manufacturers require process device data for control, monitoring, problem reporting, and inventory management simultaneously. There is a limit to the amount of data traditional fieldbuses like PROFIBUS PA can handle due to data packet […]
PA networks are designed to be operated as process “islands” within a larger PROFIBUS DP controlled network. The total network could consist of several of these “islands” all controlled by a single PLC/DCS. Each PA “island” starts with the DP/PA coupler which acts as the PA master and consists of several PA devices on a segment. Each “island” could be […]
The redundant title of this article is your first clue to the topic of this article: PROFINET media redundancy. PROFINET media redundancy is optional with all conformance classes, but in some applications, it is critical for correct operation (for example, hot backup in a safety application). PROFINET offers network media redundancy through a ring topology. PROFINET has two main media […]
We’re going to put PROFINET on our product. How should we go about it? Once you’ve figured out what PROFINET features you need to implement on your product, the next question is how to implement those features. There are four options, three of which are viable: Drop an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) on your PCB to handle your PROFINET […]
There is a common feature available on every PROFINET device that is commonly overlooked and sometimes misunderstood. This is known as the DCP signal service or the ‘flash LED’ function in the engineering tool. In this article, we will cover the benefit of this service and clarify the requirements for product developers. DCP Signal Service Nowadays, devices usually have some […]
PROFINET Commander is one of many PROFINET tools available that provide value to a variety of users interested in interacting with PROFINET devices. For automation product developers, it provides the ability to quickly test a new device or system under development. Meanwhile, vendor salespeople can demonstrate a product without extra hardware. End-user engineers can configure a device to check before employing […]
PROFINET Commander is a software utility that allows for simple setup of a PROFINET device or network without PLC logic. It can act both as a PROFINET IO controller and IO supervisor on a Windows PC. This allows reading and writing of device IO data, parameters, and access to data record objects. Additional functions are assignments of the device name […]
