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PROFINEWS 73

PI and its members were strongly represented at the recent Hannover Fair in April, with a new booth design reflecting the latest corporate design standards. Multi-vendor demonstrations, a host of new products and many educational seminars gave visitors a full insight into PI activities. Major topics included PROFINET, PROFIsafe, PROFIdrive, and of course the new PROFIenergy profile which promises to cut energy consumption dramatically.

Among the many presentations given on the PI booth was one about FDI technology. PI is actively working as part of the FDI Cooperation to help develop FDI, which will lead to a big reduction in the costs of maintaining plant assets. It enables both FDT- and EDDL-based host systems to manage field devices using a single engineering package, so it will make different engineering solutions for different devices obsolete

. It also provides a scalable alternative in applications ranging from simple configuration to the complex management of sophisticated field devices.

 

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

PROFIenergy can operate either alongside existing automation processes on a single controller platform, or a separate, dedicated, energy management controller can be used. PROFIenergy is applicable to single devices such as actuators and remote IO, as well as sub-systems such as robot cells and paint lines.

PROFIenergy is thus an ‘enabling technology’ that allows intelligent energy management strategies to be deployed over existing PROFINET networks. Vendors support PROFIenergy by implementing the required functions in their devices or sub-systems, thereby making PROFIenergy available ‘on tap’. Actual energy savings depend on how end users choose to adapt PROFIenergy to their automation networks.

Early estimates by one automotive manufacturer suggest that savings of up to €60,000 per annum could be achieved for a robot cell through the use of PROFIenergy.

PROFIenergy can operate either alongside existing automation processes on a single controller platform, or a separate, dedicated, energy management controller can be used. PROFIenergy is applicable to single devices such as actuators and remote IO, as well as sub-systems such as robot cells and paint lines.

PROFIenergy is thus an ‘enabling technology’ that allows intelligent energy management strategies to be deployed over existing PROFINET networks. Vendors support PROFIenergy by implementing the required functions in their devices or sub-systems, thereby making PROFIenergy available ‘on tap’. Actual energy savings depend on how end users choose to adapt PROFIenergy to their automation networks.

Early estimates by one automotive manufacturer suggest that savings of up to €60,000 per annum could be achieved for a robot cell through the use of PROFIenergy.


PROFINEWS is published by PI, a global community supporting technological excellence in industrial automation. It represents PROFIBUS, PROFINET and IO-Link and actively collaborates with other leading automation groups such as ECT, HART, FDI, FF, OPC and WCT.

www.profibus.com or www.profinet.com


In what is hoped to be a biennial event a PROFIBUS Ireland seminar was hosted by Automation Research Centre (ARC) in January. PROFIBUS Ireland and the University of Limerick organized the event. 55 participants enjoyed a morning program of eight presentations from an international group of speakers, including PI Chairman Jörg Freitag. In the afternoon there was a tour of the Bulmers cider-making facility in Clonmel, where PROFIBUS is used extensively. According to Terry Gilham, Project Manager at Bulmers, there has been only one failure of a PROFIBUS network in the

past 13 years! The plant manufactures over 55,000 bottles of cider per hour! Meanwhile, PICC Ireland and its Brazilian counterpart are collaborating in a student exchange program to encourage further research into PROFIBUS, PROFINET and related technologies, and to aid dissemination of knowledge between PICCs.  The first exchange student is Guilherme Septarom (left) who is a final  year electrical engineering student from the University of Sao Paulo. He is with PICC Ireland for 6 months from January 2010 and his focus is to investigate the application of Bluetooth in PROFINET networks. IRELAND

The PTO's General Assembly Meeting is taking place August 3 - 5. It's a real, two-day, event this year following the virtual, on-line, event of 2009. This year marks PTO's 16th anniversary and the usual recipe of strategy, technical presentations, user experiences, marketing discussions and social happenings will take place in Scottsdale, AZ. PTO is experiencing a significant upturn in interest in its one-day training events. Two in March/April were fully booked, with 140 attendees each. PTO

The annual PROFIBUS and PROFINET UK Conference, scheduled for 29-30 June 2010 at Stratford-on-Avon, will feature PROFIenergy strongly. Papers will discuss how PROFIBUS and PROFINET systems can be integrated into energy management programs, particularly in relation to energy efficient drives. UK

Eight members of PI supported the KPA booth at the Automation World 2010 fair.Plans are already in hand for the next year's event, which it is hoped will be supported by even more members.  KOREA

UL Group organized three PROFIBUS training programs for various customers in Feb 2010. The first two PROFIBUS courses were conducted for the engineers in paper plants which use PROFIBUS for machine and utilities control. The third was for a company working on cement plant projects. All the courses were tailored to customer requirements and about 35 engineers were involved in total. UL Group plans to conduct more such courses which will enable customers to manage their PROFIBUS networks more effectively, with minimal downtime. In the last 2 years more than 3000 engineers have benefited from UL Group seminars concerning PROFIBUS.  india(at)profibus(dot)com

To support the rapid worldwide dissemination of its unique point-to-point connection solution for smart actuators and sensors, the IO-Link consortium has created a new infrastructure. Accordingly, IO-Link is now part of Technical Committee (TC6) within PI and is also represented on the Advisory Board.

 

Working Groups (WGs) in the areas of technology, marketing, network integration, and profiles make up the infrastructure for further technical development and efficient dissemination of IO-Link technology. A new Steering Committee (SC) has been formed, to include representatives of all IO-Link interest groups (master manufacturers, device manufacturers, system providers, service providers, and chip manufacturers).

 

Perhaps the biggest change is the elimination of the membership entrance fee of EUR 10,000. Membership in a Regional PI Association and acknowledgement of the IO-Link System of Rules now provides access to the specifications, participation in WGs, and use of the "IO-Link" logo.

IO-Link enables quick and easy expansion or simplification of PROFIBUS and PROFINET networks. An IO-Link expansion module attaches directly to the network as a node, allowing up to four intelligent sensors to be connected. This cuts costs by up to 40% claims Balluff because one expander and 4 discrete sensor hubs can replace 5 discrete PROFIBUS modules. Further, up to 76 sensors per node are possible.
BALLUFF

STEINHOFF has extended their QNX based product suite to include Linux platforms. Now, PROFIBUS DP can be integrated in DACHSview-SDL with function block libraries for all boards from Softing which are offered from STEINHOFF with Linux and PREEMPT-RT Linux drivers.
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India ran a series of workshops in December for engineers from the cement and electronics industries. About 55 people attended. The event was a great success says Dileep from UL.

PI has abolished the certification fees for PROFINET products for PI member companies, now that the certification process has been fully developed. Certification nows covers the entire functionality of PROFINET, extending from IO devices with RT functionality and IRT functionality to IO controllers.

 

 



Comau Inc. of Southfield, MI, USA has developed an assembly machine architecture called SmartCell that offers flexibility not only in terms of the products manufactured but also in production volumes and investment capital. Based on tried and tested PROFIBUS networks, SmartCell also employs IO-Link to ensure transparent and rapid connections between PROFIBUS and the multiple sensors deployed on an innovative automated tool change system.

At the heart of the SmartCell are two tooling arms and a pallet positioning system to allow assembly operations in all axes. The dedicated tooling is in the form of compact “shoeboxes” that reside inside the cell. SmartCell is capable of holding eight shoebox tools. Tool changes take place continuously. By using two tooling arms, one working while the next is reconfiguring, production is continuous and uninterrupted.

A key engineering challenge was how to achieve good production rates and high reliability. The shoebox tools have up to 16 sensors and pneumatic clamps so, according to Gary Beebe, Controls Engineer: “We had to keep our tool change time down to a minimum and remove as many points of potential failure as possible.”

Balluff Inc. (Florence, KY) recommended using IO-Link, which acts as a transparent extension of PROFIBUS through standard cabling to small machine-mounted I/O blocks located on the shoebox tooling.

Balluff provided a solid-state, non-contact connection interface for IO-Link using the inductive coupling principle, which passes power for the sensors and the IO-Link communications signals through an air gap down to the shoebox tool. Balluff Inc. also provided an RFID system so the tool mounted tags could be seamlessly read to ensure uninterrupted machine operations in the event of misplaced tools. New pneumatic cylinder position sensors from Balluff were employed, combining two sensors into one connection to provide both open and close position feedback.

The SmartCell with Balluff's IO-Link technology has significant customer payback in the areas of scalability and cost. At the start of production, investments can be scaled by utilizing a single SmartCell. As product demand increases and capital becomes available, more SmartCells can be added in a parallel process flow to increase production. During the end of a product's life cycle, existing SmartCells can be easily repurposed to other products by simple shoebox tool changes.

By implementing a manufacturing strategy using SmartCells, costs are dramatically reduced in multiple areas claims Comau. “Fixed and variable costs are reduced by 40%, floor space is reduced by 60%, and the number of automation components is reduced by 75%.”

The scalable nature of the parallel process gives assemblers the flexibility in investment, production, and product, meeting today's call for cost control, flexibility, and scalability says Comau. BALLUFF

Certification

PI has decided to abolish certification fees for PROFINET devices developed by member companies.

 

Another Story

This is another news brief telling you what happens in PI

Comtrol has added TCP/IP to PROFINET IO connectivity to the Devicemaster UP line of Industrial Ethernet gateways. The device provides connectivity to both serial and Ethernet TCP/IP raw/ASCII devices and provides detailed diagnostics. It configures in minutes. Supported PLCS include ET-400, S7-400 and S7-300, the Omron CJ Series, and Bosch Rexroth IndraControl types. COMTROL

The latest Subcon-Plus-Profibus/90° family of connectors offers the option of insulation displacement technology, allowing PROFIBUS cables to be used with solid or flexible copper conductors and reducing assembly times significantly. The high-grade shielded connector housing permits excellent interference immunity even at maximum transmission rates.
PHOENIX CONTACT

The AnyBus X-gateway is a configurable stand-alone module that allows plant-floor PROFIBUS devices to communicate with a Modbus-TCP network and vice versa. Typical applications are installations with mixed usage of Siemens and Schneider Electric, ABB or GE PLCs. The X-gateway is DIN rail mounted and functions as a server (slave) on the Modbus-TCP network and as a master on the PROFIBUS side. HMS INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS

The latest version of the PROFItrace troubleshooting & maintenance tool contains an OPC server, offering a standardized way to get data into other applications. Procentec says "the opportunities are vast!" For example, ProfiTrace tags can be displayed in a SCADA/HMI package, or linked to an SMS/email client; reports can be generated in Word/Excel.
PROCENTEC

A new set of free Windows7 drivers is available for Softing PROFIBUS PC interface boards, including PCI Express, PCI, PC/104plus and USB types. These drivers support 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows7, Vista and XP. This allows 32 bit applications to run on 32 bit and 64 bit operating systems and native 64 bit programs to be built.
SOFTING

Version 3.1 of ProfinetCommander, the PROFINET development and test tool that makes it easy to build a PROFINET network without PLC programming skills, now includes the option to display I/O data in hex, binary, or decimal, GSDML file parsing support for UNIX or Windows and added decoding of PROFINET port data change notification alarms. PIC

A new ERTEC200-based PNIO Starter Kit is available, offering an easy way to add PROFINET to automation devices. It includes all the hardware, software and debugging tools needed to setup a PROFINET IO device prototype, including an Evaluation Board, ERTEC200 samples, the PNIO Stack and real time examples in source code. SIEMENS

Balluff's latest PROFIBUS blocks feature robust, all metal low profile housings that can survive rough treatment, high density inputs enabling the use of splitters to double the input count, easily accessible set up switches, and large status LEDs. There is a range of inputs that can be set for normally open or normally closed operation.
BALLUFF.

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in devices such as compact IOs.“

PROFIenergy takes off: Phoenix Contact has also become one of the first companies to introduce PROFIenergy devices (see product story right). The goal, said Bibelhausen, is to make the company's entire PROFINET portfolio available in PROFIenergy-compliant versions.

 

Siemens has also introduced a PROFIenergy-enabled ET200S (right). Ruttkamp said: "For I/O, there will be downloadable PROFIenergy modules, as with our PC-based solutions. PROFIenergy technology is an important part of our “green” portfolio which underlines our contribution to sustainable environmental protection and energy savings.”

As the Chinese "Year of the Tiger" was being celebrated in February, Phoenix Contact formally announced its new PROFINET chip - the TPS-1. Known as 'TIGER' it is a highly integrated single-chip ASIC for easy implementation in low end compact devices and drives. The chip supports existing PROFINET RT and IRT specifications.

 

Volker Bibelhausen, Director of the Automation Business Unit of Phoenix Contact Electronics said: "With the TIGER chip, even small and simple field devices can be connected to PROFINET cost-effectively."

 

Siemens collaborated with Phoenix Contact in the development of TIGER and Uwe Ruttkamp, Director Product and System Management SIMATIC, confirmed that: "We plan to use TPS-1

In a new market study called “The World Market for Industrial Ethernet – 2009 Edition”, IMS Research in UK estimates that with a market share of 28% PROFINET is amongst the top most-used Industrial Ethernets worldwide. The study particularly notes that PROFINET offers an Industrial Ethernet solution for a comprehensive range of applications, including high-speed motion control. PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP/IP are 'top dogs', says IMS, accounting for 80% of the total market. EtherCAT and Powerlink, which focus mainly on drive technology, were estimated to have market shares of 4% and 11% respectively (see graphic). IMS Research forecasts PROFINET to grow the most between 2008 and 2013, with +8.7% (CAGR). It predicts EtherNet/IP will grow more slowly (by +7.1%) and Modbus TCP/IP will decline (by about -0.4%). IMS RESEARCH

A comprehensive offer of products and services is now available from a wide range of providers to aid with the design and development of PROFINET devices. As well as sophisticated SDKs, firmware based on Standard Ethernet interface, PROFINET ASICs, and ready-to-install modules can now be easily purchased to support fast and effective deployment of PROFINET devices. A brochure entitled “The Easy Way to PROFINET Technology" has been published and is now available for download HERE. This includes a full overview of all providers. With the release of the new TPS1 (TIGER ASIC) by Phoenix Contact, yet another PROFINET chip is now available to assist device implementers. TIGER has been designed especially for compact devices (e.g. compact IO modules or drives). 

EtherCAT and Powerlink, which focus mainly on drive technology, were estimated to have market shares of 4% and 11% respectively (see graphic).

IMS Research forecasts PROFINET to grow the most between 2008 and 2013, with +8.7% (CAGR). It predicts EtherNet/IP will grow more slowly (by +7.1%) and Modbus TCP/IP will decline (by about -0.4%). IMS RESEARCH

In a new market study called “The World Market for Industrial Ethernet – 2009 Edition”, IMS Research in UK estimates that with a market share of 28% PROFINET is amongst the top most-used Industrial Ethernets worldwide. The study particularly notes that PROFINET offers an Industrial Ethernet solution for a comprehensive range of applications, including high-speed motion control. PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP/IP fill the top slots, accounting for 80% of the total market.http://www.imsresearch.com/index.php

Joerg Freitag, Chairmain of PIMike Bryant, Deputy Chairman of PIHello. On behalf of the PI organization and its staff we welcome you to the latest version of PROFINEWS. Recently, we refreshed our corporate identity, with new colours and a brand new image for 2010, and this newsletter is part of that renewal process. PROFINEWS remains one of our key marketing tools and we want it to keep pace with the times.  This issue marks the moment when its production and distribution become fully automated using 'cloud' technology. It's also fully email-friendly and accessible via smartphones and PCs. Our goal is to continue delivering valuable technical information and key marketing messages via PROFINEWS. Let us know if you have any suggestions for further improvements, or for any additional services we can provide to help you understand and use the two most successful industrial networking technologies in the world - PROFIBUS and PROFINET.

Jörg Freitag, PI Chairman
Michael Bryant, PI Deputy Chairman

The new

GHS 12G/8

Gigabit Modular Switch allows 12 Gigabit ports to be installed on a mounting rail. It is especially suitable as an automation backbone and for connecting to IT networks. It supports standard IT protocols as well as PROFINET and

can be expanded up to 28 ports. The switches support smart energy management strategies via

PROFIenergy. PHOENIX CONTACT

The new

GHS 12G/8

Gigabit Modular Switch from Phoenix Contact allows 12 Gigabit ports to be installed on a mounting rail. It is therefore especially suitable for use in a powerful automation backbone and for connecting to the higher-level IT network. It supports all commonly used Gigabit and Fast Ethernet data transfer standards, standard IT protocols as well as PROFINET.

 

The modular concept allows expansion to 28 ports. Twisted pair and fiber options are available.

The switch includes diagnostic and configuration functions Important parameters can be read and set at the device using an operator console. S

upport for the energy management of automation systems via the PROFIenergy profile is incorporated

.

 

The new

GHS 12G/8

Gigabit Modular Switch from Phoenix Contact allows 12 Gigabit ports to be installed on a mounting rail. It is therefore especially suitable for use in a powerful automation backbone and for connecting to the higher-level IT network. It supports all commonly used Gigabit and Fast Ethernet data transfer standards, standard IT protocols as well as PROFINET.

 

The modular concept allows expansion to 28 ports. Twisted pair and fiber options are available.

The switch includes diagnostic and configuration functions Important parameters can be read and set at the device using an operator console. S

upport for the energy management of automation systems via the PROFIenergy profile is incorporated

.

 

Of those 31.4 million PROFIBUS devices, 5.4 million are now used in process automation so it's clear that PROFIBUS has assumed the dominant fieldbus role. The latest PA Profile V3.02 is expected to accelerate this since it contains a set of important asset management features specifically requested by end users.

 

In the Functional Safety market, PROFIsafe continues to lead as well. The 220,000 purchased PROFIsafe devices in 2009 equals the number purchased the previous year. The installed base of PROFIsafe now exceeds 850,000 devices.

 

NB: PROFINET market statistics are collected by an independent and fully neutral third party. Only end devices are included in the count; infrastructure devices are excluded.

 

PROFINET, PI's Industrial Ethernet solution, continued its growth during 2009 with 500,000 additional devices sold. The installed base was 2.1 million by the end of 2009. Sales in the previous 12 months (2008) were 460,000, showing that the economic downturn did not affect the successful progress of PROFINET.

 

PI sees this as a great achievement. Jörg Freitag, PI Chairman said: “In this difficult economic climate, to maintain the 10% growth we acheived in 2008 is a sign of the overwhelming acceptance of PROFINET by automation users. Our Ethernet-based solution offers significant added value. We continue to seek further benefits for our users - for example our new energy savings profile PROFIenergy."

 

The number of PROFIBUS devices sold worldwide rose by 3.1 million, to a total of 31.4 million. Freitag added: “The automation industry has been hit hard by the 2009 recession. Nevertheless, the installed base of PROFIBUS devices increased by 11 %, another major success for us."

PI and its members were strongly represented at the recent Hannover Fair in April, with a new booth design reflecting the latest corporate design standards. Multi-vendor demonstrations, a host of new products and many educational seminars gave visitors a full insight into PI activities. Major topics included PROFINET, PROFIsafe, PROFIdrive, and of course the new PROFIenergy profile which promises to cut energy consumption dramatically.

 

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

PROFIenergy can operate either alongside existing automation processes on a single controller platform, or a separate, dedicated, energy management controller can be used. PROFIenergy is applicable to single devices such as actuators and remote IO, as well as sub-systems such as robot cells and paint lines.

PROFIenergy is thus an ‘enabling technology’ that allows intelligent energy management strategies to be deployed over existing PROFINET networks. Vendors support PROFIenergy by implementing the required functions in their devices or sub-systems, thereby making PROFIenergy available ‘on tap’. Actual energy savings depend on how end users choose to adapt PROFIenergy to their automation networks.

Early estimates by one automotive manufacturer suggest that savings of up to €60,000 per annum could be achieved for a robot cell through the use of PROFIenergy.

PROFIenergy can operate either alongside existing automation processes on a single controller platform, or a separate, dedicated, energy management controller can be used. PROFIenergy is applicable to single devices such as actuators and remote IO, as well as sub-systems such as robot cells and paint lines.

PROFIenergy is thus an ‘enabling technology’ that allows intelligent energy management strategies to be deployed over existing PROFINET networks. Vendors support PROFIenergy by implementing the required functions in their devices or sub-systems, thereby making PROFIenergy available ‘on tap’. Actual energy savings depend on how end users choose to adapt PROFIenergy to their automation networks.

Early estimates by one automotive manufacturer suggest that savings of up to €60,000 per annum could be achieved for a robot cell through the use of PROFIenergy.

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

PROFIenergy

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

PROFIenergy takes off

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

FDI workshop

At the Hannover Fair on April 20, 2010, experts discussed the latest development of FDI technology. The primary benefit of FDI is that end users with either an FDT- or an EDDL-based host will have a single source solution for managing field devices. Users will no longer need to manage disparate device descriptions, which will reduce the costs associated with maintaining assets in the field.

The FDI project will also provide a very scalable solution that users can deploy in applications ranging from simple configuration to complex management of the most sophisticated field device. This makes different solutions for different devices obsolete. An example of this is that FDI device packages for applications such as valve diagnostics will provide the same functionality regardless of the host system.

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Thomas Tauchnitz, Sanofi Aventis. Participants were Kimikazu Takahashi (Yokogawa), Hartmut Wallraff (Invensys), Daniel Huber (ABB), Hans-Georg Kumpfmüller (Siemens) and Dr. Raimund Sommer (Endress+Hauser).

Welcome to our new PROFINEWS newsletter

PROFIenergy can operate either alongside existing automation processes on a single controller platform, or a separate, dedicated, energy management controller can be used. PROFIenergy is applicable to single devices such as actuators and remote IO, as well as sub-systems such as robot cells and paint lines.

PROFIenergy is thus an ‘enabling technology’ that allows intelligent energy management strategies to be deployed over existing PROFINET networks. Vendors support PROFIenergy by implementing the required functions in their devices or sub-systems, thereby making PROFIenergy available ‘on tap’. Actual energy savings depend on how end users choose to adapt PROFIenergy to their automation networks.

Early estimates by one automotive manufacturer suggest that savings of up to €60,000 per annum could be achieved for a robot cell through the use of PROFIenergy.

PROFIenergy takes off

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

PROFIenergy can operate either alongside existing automation processes on a single controller platform, or a separate, dedicated, energy management controller can be used. PROFIenergy is applicable to single devices such as actuators and remote IO, as well as sub-systems such as robot cells and paint lines.

PROFIenergy is thus an ‘enabling technology’ that allows intelligent energy management strategies to be deployed over existing PROFINET networks. Vendors support PROFIenergy by implementing the required functions in their devices or sub-systems, thereby making PROFIenergy available ‘on tap’. Actual energy savings depend on how end users choose to adapt PROFIenergy to their automation networks.

Early estimates by one automotive manufacturer suggest that savings of up to €60,000 per annum could be achieved for a robot cell through the use of PROFIenergy.

PROFIenergy starts to climb

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

6666666666666666Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

PROFIenergy can operate either alongside existing automation processes on a single controller platform, or a separate, dedicated, energy management controller can be used. PROFIenergy is applicable to single devices such as actuators and remote IO, as well as sub-systems such as robot cells and paint lines.

PROFIenergy is thus an ‘enabling technology’ that allows intelligent energy management strategies to be deployed over existing PROFINET networks. Vendors support PROFIenergy by implementing the required functions in their devices or sub-systems, thereby making PROFIenergy available ‘on tap’. Actual energy savings depend on how end users choose to adapt PROFIenergy to their automation networks.

Early estimates by one automotive manufacturer suggest that savings of up to €60,000 per annum could be achieved for a robot cell through the use of PROFIenergy.

Automation users try when they can to minimize energy consumption, responding to pressures to cut costs and comply with increasingly stringent ‘green’ obligations.

Methods range from switching off equipment manually to installing semi-automated shut-down systems. Both are usually crude, expensive and hard to manage. To maximize energy savings a single, standardized, approach supported by vendors and users industry-wide is required – hence the PROFIenergy Profile.

The idea for PROFIenergy came from AIDA, the Association of German Automotive Manufacturers, who asked PI to develop a way of intelligently managing the energy consumed by power-hungry equipment such as robot cells. If these Energy Consuming Units (ECUs) could be switched on and off in an open, consistent and managed way, they argued, substantial cost savings could be achieved.

The PROFIenergy Profile enables control devices (e.g. PLCs) to send signals such as Begin Pause and End Pause over PROFINET to each ECU, in accordance with production circumstances such as lunch breaks, holidays, random line stoppages and even maximum load conditions. On receipt of the PROFIenergy commands, software ‘agents’ in the ECU firmware initiate ‘sleep’ modes that are pre-defined by the equipment vendor.

PROFIenergy can operate either alongside existing automation processes on a single controller platform, or a separate, dedicated, energy management controller can be used. PROFIenergy is applicable to single devices such as actuators and remote IO, as well as sub-systems such as robot cells and paint lines.

PROFIenergy is thus an ‘enabling technology’ that allows intelligent energy management strategies to be deployed over existing PROFINET networks. Vendors support PROFIenergy by implementing the required functions in their devices or sub-systems, thereby making PROFIenergy available ‘on tap’. Actual energy savings depend on how end users choose to adapt PROFIenergy to their automation networks.

Early estimates by one automotive manufacturer suggest that savings of up to €60,000 per annum could be achieved for a robot cell through the use of PROFIenergy.

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MTP Module Type Package enables modular production in which individual components can be flexibly combined.

IO-LINK is an independent sensor / actuator interface solution for use with all automation technologies.

omlox is an open technology standard for real-time indoor localization systems for industrial manufacturing.