WE ARE NETWORKING THE WORLD
2011 has been even more exciting for us than 2010, with both PROFIBUS and PROFINET continuing to scale new heights as their popularity grows. During the year, one of our background tasks in PI has been to develop a new corporate strategy. Discussions have taken place at many meetings and conferences and the views of the Regional PI Associations (there are now 27 around the world) have been carefully listened to.
Everyone agrees that the strength and scope of the PI Community is one of the best aspects of our organization and we will be utilizing more of this message as 2012 unfolds. The concept of 'PROFInetworkers' is being investigated and a powerful new visual identity has been developed, based on a 'Cats Cradle' metaphor (lower image) illustrating the matrix of interests involved with PROFIBUS and PROFINET. PI not only represents the technology and the users but also the members, the networking opportunities, plus the enthusiasm, ideas, synergies and expertise that arise out of all that.
But let's stay with the present for a little while longer. This is the final issue of PROFINEWS in 2011. Once again it's packed with news, new products and applications and I hope you enjoy it as usual. May I wish you and yours 'all best wishes' for the Holiday Season and a Peaceful and Prosperous 2012 to follow. We'll be back with PROFINEWS starting January 25th and I look forward to being with you again then.
Jörg Freitag, Chairman, PI
GENERAL NEWS FROM PI
Polar Bear seeks friends: Meet our new PROFIsafe friend Knut, a polar bear with extraordinary talents when it comes to functional safety. He's starred on several fair booths driving the PROFIsafe demonstrator car ... and not once has he had an accident! He's even got his own page on Facebook - with 104 friends at the last count and seeking more! Can you be one of his friends? FIND KNUT HERE!
New videos now available include 'I am PROFINET', produced by PI North America, which features a host of PROFINET supporters from well-known companies re-affirming their loyalty.
LinkedIn discussions about PROFINET can be FOUND HERE
Carl Henning of PI North America continues to Blog about the recent SPS/IPC/Drives Fair in Nuremberg, Germany.
CASE STUDIES: INSPEKTOR FINDS SCORCHED PCB
Bombardier Aerospace in Belfast, Northern Ireland, specializes in designing and manufacturing large aircraft parts, including fuselages, wings, engine nacelles and flight control surfaces. They use riveting and drilling machines by BRÖTJE-Automation at the production site based on PROFIBUS DP communications. A master system controls the riveting and drilling equipment and the lifting, lowering and swiveling of the components. In spring 2011 one PROFIBUS network started failing sporadically. To find the reason, BRÖTJE-Automation carried out measurements using the PB-INspektor from Indu-Sol and detected that one node was disturbing the system. The node could not be identified, however, and therefore an Indu-Sol instrument specialist was called for further investigation. The initial physical measurement by the PROFI-TM Professional showed no fault. Even a test by the line tester gave no clue as whether there was any faulty cabling. Finally one of the failures was recorded by the PB-INspektor and an analysis of the snapshot (pictured) confirmed that the "disturber" was a reader whose PCB had heated up excessively causing the reader to scorch. The device was replaced and the bus checked again to make sure that no other device was causing trouble and no other defects were occurring. Since then the plant has run properly without any failure of the PROFIBUS system. INDU-SOL
CASE STUDY: HIGH VOLTAGE TEST LAB USES PROFINET
The Arnheim-based Dutch company KEMA is a specialist for the functional and safety testing of high voltage electro-technical devices. They recently opened a new test lab using a system designed by Alewijnse Industrie. Previously, installing and disassembling individual measuring stations was a time-consuming chore. The new solution had to add a high degree of flexibility so Alewijnse developed a modular system supporting 16 different testing stations each controlled by its own PLC. PROFINET is used for centralized control and data storage, while enabling decentralized execution of tests at the individual measuring stations and ensuring overall system safety. Protective cages including doors and door switches are integrated into the safety network and connected to the PROFINET Remote I/O stations from Phoenix Contact using plug connectors which allow the entire measuring station to communicate with the SCADA system and the central controller. One advantage of PROFINET is that the PROFINET controller immediately recognizes any component that is connected. Each component is assigned a unique ID to ensure that only the part of the testing program relevant for that device is executed. This allows KEMA to flexibly deploy the testing devices at different measuring stations in a fraction of the time. Also, the controller only needs to be programmed a single time since the program can be copied to the 15 other PLCs. Another benefit is ease of cabling: KEMA operates a star-shaped fiber network for electromagnetic screening reasons. The individual stations are numbered using standard techniques such as IP address assignment. PHOENIX CONTACT
(Top image: from left to right, Henk Theunissen, Consultant IA&MES Alewijnse Industrie, Pieter Kuijpers and John Mooren, Test Engineers at KEMA at one of the operating stations; middle image: Central operating station with test configuration; bottom image: The flexible PROFINET infrastructure is highly advantageous since the testing configurations change on a regular basis.)
MEMBER NEWS
Trebing + Himstedt (top image) will open a sales and support subsidiary in the United States on January 1, 2012. Victor Wolowec (right) has been named General Manager of US Operations. That's Victor with Steffen Himstedt, sealing their cooperation at this year's PI North America General Assembly Meeting in October. T+H has also announced the signing of WESCO Industrial Automation Group to distribute their Industrial Communication Solutions and Services for fieldbus and Ethernet networks in selected North American territories. T+H
PROCENTEC (middle image) has become the first PROFIBUS Training Center in Germany. At a ceremony at the recent SPS/IPC/Drives fair in Nuremberg, Procentec Germany received its official PROFIBUS “Certified Training Center” Certificate from Jörg Freitag, PI Chairman. PROCENTEC Germany is now able to offer “Certified PROFIBUS Engineers” and “Certified PROFIBUS Installers” training classes independently. Training dates for 2012 can be found HERE.
HARTING has opened an office in Canada at Saint-Laurent, QC. "Now that we have boots on the ground," says Mr. Rolf Meyer, President and CEO of HARTING, Inc. of North America, "we want to persuade the Canadian market to see HARTING in a different light - not only as a leading innovator and brand, but also as a local partner that delivers the best value proposition in terms of quality, price, reliability, and longevity." HARTING
IDX (bottom image) in South Africa has begun the process to become an accredited PI Training Center and a PI Competence Center for PROFINET. The market for PROFINET has started to open up as the number of PROFINET installations increases. In September, Dennis van Booma from PROCENTEC demonstrated the new ComBricks test tool to 50 people at a breakfast. The PROFIBUS Competence Center in South Africa has seen a large increase in PROFIBUS training during 2012. IDX
NEW PRODUCTS
Remote I/O is smaller, faster (top image): The SIMATIC ET 200SP is a scalable and highly flexible distributed I/O system for connecting process signals to a central controller via PROFINET. Its compact design saves valuable real estate. Up to 64 I/O modules can be plugged into passive base units in any combination. SIEMENS
Light-section sensor has PROFIBUS-DP (second image): Efficient data exchange via PROFIBUS-DP expands the functionality of the LRS switching light-section sensor from Leuze electronic. Using up to 16 detection windows with logical linking means up to 16 inspection tasks can be processed simultaneously in 10 millisecond cycles. LEUZE
Motor protection using IO-Link interface (third image): Siemens Industry Automation Division has equipped its complete range of monitoring relays with the IO-Link interface. The relays protect motors and plant components reliably by monitoring temperature, speed, network quality, current and voltage. IO-Link transfers measured values and messages to the control system. SIEMENS
Wireless Bridge for Ethernet (fourth image): The Anybus Wireless Bridge makes life easier for system integrators and network designers needing to create connections through hazardous areas, hard-to-reach locations, or moving installations. The Wireless Bridge is compatible with all popular industrial Ethernets including PROFINET. HMS INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS
Remote I/O Toolbox: Renesas and TMG Technologie und Engineering have announced a jointly-developed Remote I/O toolbox. The toolbox contains a set of hardware and software modules that lets vendors quickly and easily build Remote I/O products ready to be certified for PROFINET, and/or vendor declarations for IO-Link. RENESAS ELECTRONICS EUROPE.
Universal Motor Controller (bottom image): The UMC100-FBP from ABB offers comprehensive electronic motor protection, efficient motor control, quick fault detection and diagnosis as well as easy integration into control systems. It has a PROFIBUS interface and can measure active and apparent power, voltage, energy and power factor. In addition, harmonic disturbances are detected. ABB
AROUND THE WORLD
France PROFIBUS-PROFINET recently delivered three technology sessions to an eclectic mix of industry representatives including continuous and batch process users, integrators, OEMs, teachers, lecturers and students. 127 people attended the three conferences, which were held in Rennes, Paris and Mulhouse. The morning agenda was centered on PROFIBUS while the afternoon sessions concentrated on PROFINET. The commissioning of a PROFINET installation was also demonstrated, during which the question was asked of each node; "PROFINET spirit, are you there? If yes, blink," which of course it did! FRANCE
