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PROFINEWS 81

GE Intelligent Platforms has launched PACSystems with integrated real-time PROFINET. A high speed network with the ability to drop large amounts of I/O without compromising performance, PACSystems with PROFINET can operate in high-noise areas and cover large distances in real time with an elegant redundancy capability to maximize uptime. "The new PACSystems with PROFINET helps our customers increase production uptime, increase asset performance and improve their reliability,” says the company. GE INTELLIGENT PLATFORMS

A brand new PROFINET System Description has been published. This 28 page document covers all functional aspects of PROFINET in an easy-to-understand format, and is an ideal way to understand what PROFINET can do for modern plant automation.  The second publication - a PROFIdrive System Description - explains the choices available with this powerful profile for drives. Find the PROFINET System Description here.  Find the PROFIdrive System Description here.

The continuing growth of PROFINET and PROFIBUS is underlined by the large number of products on the market. There are now more than 2,100 PROFIBUS and about 500 PROFINET devices and services available for online search in our Product Guide.

Carl Henning of PI North America spoke at the recent Freescale Semiconductor launch of its latest chip solution for PROFINET implementation.   Freescale and Molex demonstrated the Molex PROFINET IO-Controller software running on the P2020 QorIQT multi-core processing platform during the Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) held in San Antonio, Texas in June. The combination enables the simultaneous use of PROFINET while a complex real-time process is being controlled. Molex offers licensed stack software, development tools and expert consulting services. FTF

A PI Competence Center in Sydney, Australia, has come to the rescue of Rio Tinto’s Clermont Mine in North Queensland, using well-proven PROFIBUS diagnostic tools to identify and fix a range of installation issues that badly hindered production.

The surface coal mining operation involves a continuous mining and transportation system.  Excavated coal is loaded onto dump trucks, transported to a nearby sizer where it is crushed, then dumped into a tipper and discharged onto another conveyor belt linked to a mobile spreader. This system uses three PROFIBUS DP networks, the first operating the sizer, the second operating the tipper car and the third the spreader itself.  

Australian MiningSix months after operations began, communication issues arose resulting in significant downtime and frequent breakdowns in the dispersing operation.  Rio Tinto contacted the PI Competence Center (PICC) in Sydney. PICC engineers visited the site and used

PROFIBUS diagnostic tools such as ProfiTrace and ProfiCore

to identify the causes. They uncovered these issues:

? PROFIBUS cable was coiled up tightly inside the ducting, creating spurious inductive signals.

? Non-certified PROFIBUS cabling was used inside the lube system.

? Cable shielding and screening was not adequate, resulting in interference.

? Cables were not properly terminated and repeaters were not correctly installed.

? Cables lying parallel to high voltage lines caused distortion and interruption to signals.

? Cables were often bent and pushed into cabinets, rather than installed as straight runs.  

There was no doubt that PROFIBUS was the perfect choice of fieldbus technology for these applications, but non-standard installation and faulty design led to the problems. Fortunately the PICC was able to fix all issues quickly using readily available tools and expertise.  PI AUSTRALIA

Fieldbus Foundation, the HART Communication Foundation (HCF) and PI have joined forces to create a common architecture for a WirelessHART gateway device. Cooperation on this architecture is an extension of the three organizations' successful collaboration on Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) and is another step towards delivering open systems to process industry end users.  The specification enables anyone to design and build gateway products.

The gateway allows a WirelessHART mesh network to communicate with a host via the Fieldbus Foundation's HSE protocol, PROFIBUS and PROFINET. I/O mapping and the use of DD files are consistent among these protocols. The diagram shows how data from a wireless mesh sensor network could be integrated into a host automation system. The collection of sensors is configured as a mesh, so devices can communicate directly, or route messages through another sensor if the primary path becomes blocked. www.eddl.org

Common WirelessHART Gateway specified by PI, FF and HART ...

Xaver Schmidt, head of the PROFINET Marketing Working Group, attended the Lucerne meeting to explain the latest news and

JAPAN PROFIBUS AND PROFINET DAYWith the cooperation of 30 vendors and 2 Associations, Japanese PROFIBUS Organization (JPO) held two 'PROFIBUS & PROFINET Day 2011' in Osaka and Tokyo in July. About 300 participants listened to ten seminar sessions covering the latest news about PROFIBUS and PROFINET, with emphasis on how to develop devices easily. This year, visitors were particularly interested in an engineering demonstration of PROFIBUS and PROFINET systems in which five controllers from different vendors were shown being connected to five devices from different device makers. The engineering was completed very smoothly and quickly and visitors realized that with PROFIBUS and PROFINET they do not need to worry about vendor selection because most active vendors have PROFIBUS and PROFINET controllers and devices in their product line. JAPAN

The president of the new RPA in Spain, Ignacio Alvarez, introduced himself and his http://www.profibus.com/community/regional-pi-associations/spain/

Paula Doyle, Chairman of PI Middle East writes: “Paula Doyle, Chairman of PI Middle

At the harbor of Rotterdam, Ertsoverslagbedrijf Europoort C.V. (EECV) runs one of Europe's

PROSOFT NEW QUANTUM AUTOSCAN MODULEProSoft Technology’s PROFIBUS DP-V1 Master module for Schneider Electric Quantum PLCs and all PROFIBUS DP-V1 Master gateways now supports the Autoscan feature. Autoscan reduces start up times and simplifies troubleshooting. For users migrating from the Schneider Electric PROFIBUS Scanner, Autoscan can help reduce engineering and implementation costs. For critical applications, the in-chassis PROFIBUS DP-V1 Master module also offers hot standby, with switchover under 300 milliseconds. PROSOFT TECHNOLOGY

ZMDI has announced the fhttp://www.zmdi.com/io-link

Bernie Anger, General Manager Control and Communication Systems for GE Intelligent Platforms, has been elected to the PI North America Board of Directors.  The appointment follows GE Intelligent

Plug-based PROFINET proxy from HilscherThe dot marking system MARKER3000 made by ADT of Germany has been sold for years to the automotive industry with a PROFIBUS interface. But things are changing and most of the well known car manufacturers in Europe are switching to PROFINET.

This posed some challenges for ADT since MAKER3000 is a sophisticated device sold in small numbers - maybe 20 per year. A new bus interface would take about half a year of development and an investment of perhaps $40,000 including certification. Fortunately, Hilscher provided a handy alternative with its netLINK PROXY module.

netLINK PROXY is a device that turns any PROFIBUS slave into a PROFINET device in minutes. Like an ordinary fieldbus plug it is mounted directly on the slave’s PROFIBUS interface. The output is an RJ45 port for PROFINET.

“We are very happy to have netLINK PROXY as an interim solution," said Johann Krutsch CEO of ADT

. "It tides over the period required for our PROFINET development and, to be honest, with a price of just $150 it was hard to give our own PROFINET development a ‘go’ at all. To PROXY or not to PROXY was really the question”. HILSCHER

Paula Doyle of PI MIddle EastPaula Doyle writes: "Greetings from the UAE! Interest in the PROFIBUS Association Middle East is growing and we have been getting great feedback from the region. A recent visit to one of the largest global Oil and Gas exhibitions, ADIPEC, showed the importance of PROBUS in this market with many vendors showcasing PROFIBUS products on their stands. Plans are going ahead to formally launch the organization in the near future and there are certified training sessions planned in Dubai for December, March and May. We plan to establish regional Competence Centers that can cover our large geographical area and I'm pleased to announce that we have three strong candidates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia & Lebanon. As always - if you would like further information, or would like to share some wisdom, please get in touch at middle.east(at)profibus(dot)com"

The 2011 PI Conference is to be hosted by PNO on February 15-16 at ZKM in Karlsruhe, Germany. The Conference will be dedicated to 'Automation and Energy Efficiency' and a full program has now been published covering technology sessions, panel discussions and the real world experiences of end users.

Specific topics include PROFINET in factory and process automation, PROFIenergy, drives with PROFIBUS and PROFINET, life cycle management with PROFIBUS PA, functional safety with PROFIsafe, sensor/actuator communication with IO-Link, wireless communications, and device integration and system engineering.

There will be a mini-exhibition running alongside the event and a series of live demos. The keynote speaker will be Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer, former German Federal Minister for the Environment.  All sessions will be in German. For more information, and to download the program, please VISIT THIS PAGE.

 

The Genoa Fieldbus Competence Centre (GFCC) has been accredited as a PROFIBUS and PROFINET PI Training Center (PITC). GFCC is already a PROFIBUS and PROFINET Competence Center (PICC). GFCC http://www.gfcc.it/

PI MIDDLE EAST In June 2011, PI Middle East welcomed Dr. Hassan Kaghazchi, Chairman of PI Ireland, who certified three new Competence Centers in UAE, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Each Competence Center is already a strong player in their local automation market.  Paula Doyle, PI Middle East Chairman  said: "We are delighted to enhance our regional network with three PICCs whose focus is firmly on the end-user. I want to commend all three for their hard work and preparation. I also thank our vendor members for supporting the centers with donated equipment. A Water & Wastewater Technical Seminar has been scheduled for October in Abu Dhabi and the first Metals Technical Seminar is scheduled for November, also in Abu Dhabi. middle.east(at)profibus(dot)com

Joerg Freitag at a recent Standards meeting in ChinaIn November 2010, the Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) adopted both PROFINET IO and PROFIdrive as Chinese national standards (PROFINET IO: GB/Z 25105.1–.3-2010 and PROFIdrive: GB/Z 25740.1–.2-2010).

The occasion was honored by an official ceremony at the offices of the Minister in Beijing in the presence of more than 50 high-ranking representatives. Experts have already begun preparing PROFINET IO, PROFIsafe and PROFIdrive for full GB/T Standard status. PROFIsafe is already GB/Z.

PROFIBUS achieved GB/T status in 2006 and is currently experiencing unprecedented growth in China. Rapid growth for PROFINET is now expected. Our picture shows PI Chairman Jörg  Freitag speaking at the Standards meeting.

PROFINET for PROCESS

The 'PROFINET for Process Automation' application profile has been published, enabling PROFINET to be targeted at both manufacturing and process environments - just like PROFIBUS.

Four key aspects of Process Automation are incorporated: the integration of existing fieldbuses; configuration in run; time synchronization and time stamping; scalable redundancy.

With immediate effect manufacturers can implement these functions into PROFINET devices for process automation, smoothing the way for cost-optimized solutions and better investment protection.

The mechanisms underlying the profile have been included in Specification V2.3. This new PROFINET specification also includes functions for high performance applications.

PI members can download the specification HERE.

Non-members contact info(at)profibus(dot)com for a quote.

PI is now producing videos based on educational, news and technology topics. Branded as PROFI-TV (see logo above) the collection is aimed at helping viewers access the PI organization and its technologies more easily. Current titles include 'The Benefits of PROFINET' and 'How to Implement PROFINET'. Watch the videos here. Members can download these films by logging in. The videos are also available on Youtube where you can subscribe to keep up to date as new ones are added.

There are many other ways in which you can access PROFIBUS and PROFINET over the internet. Here are some:

? profiblogger (another PI TV channel)

? PROFINET LinkedIn Group

? PROFIblogfrom Carl Henning in North America.

? Carl Tweets too; follow him @CHenning

? Webinars Find them here.

All Things PROFINET now has lots more Device Developer material, including a table showing which company can best help with your kind of PROFINET implementation.

www.profibus.com now has a completely revised technology section.

                                                           Jörg Freitag, PI Chairman

Brazilian PROFIBUS and PROFINET seminarsDuring September and October 2010, RPA Brazil organized a series of seminars about PROFIBUS

/PROFINET for users, integrators and engineering companies. The goal was to present the fundamentals and principles of PROFIBUS such as interoperability and highlight that PROFINET is a leading protocol for implementing Industrial Ethernet that can help bring IT standards to the plant floor. There were three events - held in São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Curitiba - with an average of 70 attendees. One aim was to present technological resources and development tools for PROFINET. The events were conducted by the RPA Directors and an expert in PROFINET from Germany. BRAZIL

In industry a large number of 4-20mA transmitters are compatible with the HART protocol and in some cases these devices are connected to the control system via a PROFIBUS networked remote I/O stations.

A remote I/O can diagnose whether the 4-20mA HART signal is within its limits - i.e. locate a wire break - however it does not in itself allow any real connectivity to the device. In the absence of a HART multiplexer, these devices are only configurable using a handheld communicator or a HART modem. Unlike PROFIBUS PA instruments that can be viewed in multidrop mode, this necessitates connecting to each device separately in order to set the desired parameters. The result is that the user must go into the field to do a job that can otherwise be undertaken from the control room.

The problem can be resolved however if the HART bypass capability of the remote I/O station such as STAHL IS1 is utilized. This is a commonly unused capability of HART devices connected to remote I/O stations. Gateways such as Endress+Hauser's Fieldgate FXA720 in combination with Fieldcare from E+H facilitate such a process and can be connected to the internet allowing communication with the HART devices over PROFIBUS network from any location in the world. For fuller details of this technique please email info(at)profibus(dot)ie

With PROFIBUS, the use of manufacturer-specific description files means that users have to replace a process field device with an identical one. The recent introduction of PROFIBUS PA Device Profile 3.02 changes all this as a new field device can now automatically assume the device version of an older device without any interruption to the process. The replacement device thus presents itself to the control system as its predecessor, even though it may be 10 years more advanced.

This brings some valuable benefits. During a subsequent planned shutdown, the new functionality can be integrated by updating the description file. The same applies to the integration of an EDD or a DTM during a device replacement. It is also possible with Device Profile 3.02 for a new device to assume the functionality of several predecessor versions.

Device Profile 3.02 has recently undergone tests at BIS Prozesstechnik in Frankfurt, where one of the world's largest multi-vendor fieldbus test installations (see right) is installed. The laboratory is also a test center for EMC and actuator technology (SIL, CE, TA-Luft), a PI Competence Center (PICC) for PROFIBUS, and a Fieldbus Foundation Center of Excellence.

In the Profile 3.02 tests, two scenarios were considered: first, the replacement of an existing device while the process was running and, second, the display of status signals according to NE 107. Two field devices – a Samson actuator and an Endress+Hauser head transmitter – were tested in combination with five different control systems from Siemens, ABB, and Schneider. Three types of segment coupler were also included in the tests.

To start, a PA device assembly was configured and commissioned for each control system. Each was then replaced with a newer version. The cyclic transfer of measured values and the status of the measured value were monitored. The tests also included the mapping of specific diagnostic information onto four standardized categories according to NAMUR Recommendation 107. Different error scenarios were simulated. All tests were successfully passed.

Profile 3.02 can also handle faster uploading of parameters for optimizing transmission times. Different quantities of data must be transferred depending on the phase in the life cycle of a field device. Thus, a portion of the parameters must be adapted during commissioning, another portion during subsequent maintenance activities, and a large portion during device replacement. Depending on the functionality of the device, it is not unusual to deal with 300 parameters. The new PA Profile 3.02 optimizes the transfer by grouping parameters. This allows the transfer times to be reduced many times over (5- to 10-fold, depending on the data quantity). These functions are not yet available in devices so further testing will be carried out later.

Take our survey and tell us what you think about PROFINETPI is undertaking a worldwide survey about PROFINET. We want to know what you think about it. Are you using it yet? How do you rate its efficiency? It will take you no more than 5 minutes to answer a few key questions on-line here, and in that time you could help us improve the relevance of PROFINET to your needs. (link to come here).

The special capabilities needed by PROFINET to make it fully acceptable to the process industries are being specified now by PI Working Groups and nearing review. They should be released early in 2011. PROFINET supplements PROFIBUS in hazardous environments by providing a high-speed, high-bandwidth backbone for PROFIBUS PA (and other networks) while providing immediate connectivity for drives and discrete IO. The specialist process automation requirements being addressed are: Proxies, 'Configuration in Run' (CiR), Time Sync / Time Stamping and Scalable Redundancy. PI North America member GE is participating in the Working Groups to help develop these capabilities.

Planning GuidelinePI has published a 'PROFIBUS Guideline for Planning'. It's the third of a three volume 'Installation Guide'. The first two volumes - 'Cabling and Assembly Guideline' and 'Commissioning Guideline' - have been available for sometime. The volumes cover PROFIBUS DP and PROFIBUS PA. In addition to providing support for the plant topology definition, the guideline covers the selection of cable types and plug connectors, the planning of copper and optical transmission lines, tips for estimating bus cycle times and information regarding shielding and grounding. There's also a template for planning and documenting plants. A pdf is available here for free download.

A new White Paper from HMS gives a quick overview of PROFINET and points out what needs to be taken into account for a successful migration from PROFIBUS to PROFINET. It shows the main differences between the two and points out their common ground. It also gives a basic overview of the key functions and features of PROFINET without getting lost in bits and bytes. The White Paper is available in English here.

As the fourth biggest passenger-car seller in China, Chery Automobile China, is enjoying great success. It is upgrading its transfer press line and increasing throughput by adopting state-of-the-art safety systems. PROFINET with integrated PROFIsafe is being used for automating the feeders between the individual press stages, based on Siemens SIMATIC safety products. PROFINET IRT is employed to enable virtual real-time communication within the system and to synchronize the feeders within one millisecond. CBE 20 communication processors with integrated ERTEC chips ensure that the SINAMICS converters respond equally quickly. PROFIsafe meets the strict European safety requirements of SIL 3 (Safety Integrity Level 3). The PROFINET bus architecture is open and can be enhanced at any time. No separate bus structures or cable systems are required for the safety-specific functions or for the drive synchronization. Thanks to the uniform bus structure of the system controller, drives and peripheral systems, Chery is able to reap considerable savings. The whole system runs on a single platform, resulting in significant cost reductions for engineering, commissioning, maintenance and ongoing production. It has helped Chery increase throughput by 15% compared with manual systems. SIEMENS

FC3121 and FC3122 PROFIBUS PC Fieldbus Cards now have a PCI Express interface enabling up to 30 kB of PROFIBUS I/O data to be transmitted per channel. The cards can be used as single-channel (FC3131) or dual-channel (FC3122) PROFIBUS masters or slaves. Both can be equipped with NOVRAM cards, in which case secured data can be transmitted to another fieldbus card within this module, thus ensuring high availability of the machine or plant controller. BECKHOFF

The Genoa Fieldbus Competence Centre (GFCC) is a new PI Competence Centre

(PICC) in Italy. GFCC is based in Genoa and is a spin-off from Genoa University. It has been founded by

Alberto Sibono

. In charge are Prof. Paolo Pinceti and Dr.Ing. Micaela Caserza Magro of Genoa University.

GFCC operates in the fieldbus and industrial automation sector, providing high added-value services ranging from audit and certified training to the on-site diagnosis of industrial networks. Some of its activities are oriented towards research, as its academic origins suggest.

GFCC is a PI Competence Centre for PROFIBUS, PROFIBUS PA and PROFINET and is staffed by three Certified PROFINET Engineers, three Certified PROFIBUS Engineers and one Certified PROFIBUS PA Engineer having more than 20 years of experience in fieldbus communications. GFCC can operate in Italian, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese languages.

The Swedish PROFIBUS/PROFINET Group is now preparing for the Scanautomatic Fair in Gothenburg 26-28 October. With help from PI Chairman Joerg Freitag the aim is to show Scandinavian industry how PROFIenergy can save money and the environment! With seminars and a product display in a large booth the Group expects visitors to attend from Norway and Denmark too, thanks to the short distance between Gothenburg, Oslo and Copenhagen. SWEDEN

France event held at GDF SUEZ60 people attended PROFIBUS and PROFINET workshops in Paris and Lyon recently. Members of the French Association presented the latest innovations offered by PROFIBUS & PROFINET in terms of interchangeability of instruments, the PROFIBUS PA 3.02 profile, energy savings with PROFIenergy, isochronism using PROFINET IRT and safety with PROFIsafe. Q&A sessions allowed participants to leave with a good understanding of these topics. Participants in Paris also visited a PROFIBUS installation at GDF SUEZ (where the event took place). PowerPoint presentations are available at FRANCE. If you want to be informed of future exhibitions and workshops please email: france(at)profibus(dot)com

WIRELESSHART SEMINAR AT PICC BRESCIA

A vendor-neutral seminar called “Using WirelessHART Communication in Process Industries” was organized in June courtesy of CSMT Gestione - the PI Competence Center at Brescia, together with the HART Communications Foundation. Since 2007 the Wireless Cooperation Team - PI is one of the three member organizations - has been working to harmonize interaction between WirelessHART and the PROFIBUS/PROFINET technologies. More than 50 participants attended. Technical sessions were managed by experts Pepperl+Fuchs, Emerson Process Management and Endress and Hauser. Topics included the basics of the HART protocol, an overview of WirelessHART and a brief introduction on implementation. The scalability and ease of integration with existing PROFIBUS and PROFINET installations together with the security mechanisms were stressed. Interoperability between different vendors' devices was proved through live demonstrations. One attendee commented that he was skeptical about the performance of wireless in industrial applications. "However," he said, “looking at devices from different providers exchanging data after very few configuration steps was impressive!”. ITALY

MESCO IO-LINK TESTERThe new IO-Link test specification (Revision 1.1) is now available from MESCO Systems in its IO-Link Master Tester, which may be customized for use with different field bus interfaces. PROFIBUS DP is the first supported fieldbus version.  The device simulates the IO-Link Device and allows the Master to be analyzed. A monitoring function for trouble-shooting is incorporated.  MESCO is an approved IO-Link Competence Center and also offers fully-tested IO-Link Stacks. MESCO SYSTEMS.

Balluff RFID systems based on IO-LinkBalluff BIS M series RFID systems now feature an IO-Link interface. Up to four read/write heads can be integrated into the control level "plug and play" using an IO-Link Master, with no additional managing unit. With a large variety of rugged data carrier types and read/write heads systems operate without contact and are wear-free. They are ideal wherever low data amounts are needed for traceability. Specially designed for harsh environments, the systems provide virtually unlimited read/write cycles for flexible, fast communication even over long distances. BALLUFF

Softing Evaluation Kit for PROFINETSofting has a new evaluation kit for integrating PROFINET into devices. The hardware consists of a base board and an Altera Cyclone III FPGA module which provides huge flexibility. Various peripheral interfaces are available to test different integration possibilities. Today, the product supports PROFINET IO Device Conformance Class A and B. Support of Conformance Class C will be available next year. A PLC program for communicating with the Evaluation Kit, example programs and documentation are included. The protocol software is portable and can be used in other environments. SOFTING

E+H UV SensorEndress+Hauser has a new UV sensor and Memograph transmitter with built-in PROFIBUS connectivity for the in-line measurement of UV absorption. A built-in reference channel and an optimized measuring filter permit extremely precise, linear and reproducible measurement. The Easycal sensor system and the precision optical path length adjustment tool allow liquid-free in-line calibration. Available are FM and ATEX approved lamp housings for hazardous area applications. ENDRESS + HAUSER.

tREBING + hIMSTEDT Diagnosis for PROFINET and PROFINETThis software package enables PROFIBUS and PROFINET networks to be monitored with one solution. The concept is comprised of a web-based software tool and a network access point which is available for fixed installation or for mobile use.  Intuitive handling, protocol-independent diagnosis functionalities and uniform views make using the package really simple. An automatic alert allows short reaction times in case of failures. Diagnosis information is available directly or can be integrated into higher-level applications via OPC. The package will be presented at SPS/IPC/DRIVES in November. TREBING + HIMSTEDT

Thanks to the software PC Worx RT Basic from Phoenix Contact, the industrial PC is now a fully fledged control unit. In taking advantage of the constantly increasing processor power of modern computers, the user is now able to combine the programming, visualization, and control of applications in a single device. The software PLC is programmed using the engineering environment PC Worx in one of the five IEC languages.   If the machine or plant requires a medium to high performance, the combination of PC Worx RT Basic and the industrial PC Valueline with an Intel Core2Duo processor provides the ideal solution. This solution yields a processing time of 0.7 µs for 1 kBit instructions. When separately used, the processor kernels for control and the Windows environment enable real-time capable implementation of the control tasks. Existing programs written in a high-level language or other hardware and software running under Windows can still be used.   PC Worx RT Basic is optimally integrated into the Profinet system, as the device comprises both a Profinet I/O controller as well as a Profinet I/O device function. A PC controller board realizes the connection of Interbus systems. In addition to an FTP and a Web server for visualization with the WebVisit tool, the software PLC supports a number of IT standards such as http, FTP, SNTP, SNMP, SMTP, SQL, and MySQL. PC Worx RT Basic is characterized by a significantly lower wiring requirement and a smaller control cabinet volume.

RT PC CONTROL FROM PHOENIX CONTACTThanks to new PC Worx RT Basic, this industrial PC is now a fully fledged control unit. When used separately the processor kernels for control, and the Windows environment, enable real-time implementation of control tasks. The device supports PROFINET I/O controller and PROFINET I/O device functions. A further board supports Interbus. HTTP, SNTP, SNMP, SMTP, SQL, and MySQL services are built-in. PC Worx RT Basic is characterized by a significantly lower wiring requirement and a smaller control cabinet volume. PHOENIX CONTACT

On 12. March 2010 the first ever PROFIBUS Product Developer Workshop took place in Shenzen, in the south of China. The event was organized by profichip China one day after the SPS Industrial Automation Fair in Guangzhou. In the one day sessions over 30 engineers were trained how to start developing a PROFIBUS product. Main topics were: the software and hardware structure of an integrated PROFIBUS interface, the differences between DP-V0, DP-V1 and DP-V2 protocols, PROFIBUS ASIC's from profichip GmbH, the RS485 physical interface design, and PROFIBUS tools. PROFICHIP

profichip GmbH from Germany has received an award for its proficonn chip – the smallest PROFIBUS DP Interface module worldwide. The award was the Innovation Prize 2010 in the hardware category of the prestigious ‘Initiative Mittelstand’ awards presented at the recent CEBIT fair.

proficonn interface modules enable easy and immediate hardware integration of a PROFIBUS DP slave interface. The module contains the PROFIBUS protocol and the complete RS485 interface including DC/DC transducer, dc decoupling and RS485 driver. 

PROFICHIP

 

The online Product Guide of PROFIBUS and PROFINET products has been revised to improve usability. By reducing the selection criteria, products can be found much more easily. For vendors product data can also be entered faster. In addition the presentation of certified products has been improved, to facilitate identification. The Product Guide is a free and well-proven benefit for members and users. The Guide is kept fully up to date by vendor members themselves.

PRODUCT GUIDE

A completely new marketing brochure for PROFIenergy has been published, along with four other updated brochures covering PROFINET, PROFIBUS PA, PROFIdrive and PROFIsafe. All comply with the latest corporate design of PI and are available for download in pdf format

FROM HERE

Attempts to establish Regional PI Association (RPA) in the key Middle East area have not so far proved fruitful ... but that’s all about to change! Paula Doyle from Ireland has recently taken up a new job in Dubai with Siemens and part of her mission is to set up an official RPA (Regional PI Association) as soon as possible. Paula is from Limerick in Ireland, where she gained her PhD. For the past four years she’s been in Scandinavia developing new control products for ABB. Her position with Siemens in Dubai is firmly centred on PROFIBUS and will allow her to focus her marketing skills on helping PI expand in the Middle East, a key area that deserves more support from the PI community. Her presence at the 23rd PI Meeting in Rome (see full report left) gave her the chance to meet current RPA Chairmen and to find out 'how they did it'. We’ll keep you informed of Paula’s progress.

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.

 


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


IO-Link Technology Days are being organized by MSC Gleichmann Schweiz, HMT microelectronic and MESCO Engineering in September and December. An overview of the IO-Link Consortium will be presented along with hardware and software elements of IO-Link and the testing requirements for conformity.  Component manufacturers will present products for developing IO-Link devices.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING FOR MEMBERS IN NORTH AMERICAThe 2011 Members General Assembly Meeting has been scheduled for October 4th-6th in Scottsdale, AZ, when members of PI North America will gather for two days of presentations, strategy sessions and southwestern hospitality all designed to enhance PROFIBUS and PROFINET activities in North America! This annual event brings together vendors and users to provide a fuller appreciation of the PROFIBUS and PROFINET marketplaces and is also an opportunity for members to shape PI North America's marketing focus. An online Registration Form is here.   NORTH AMERICA

PI SOUTH AFRICA LECTURESIt’s been a busy few months for the South African Regional PROFIBUS Association (SARPA) chaired by Rob Mackenzie from Endress+Hauser. First, it hosted a booth at the biennial Process Expo in May - an opportunity for both seasoned and unseasoned users to join the PROFI User Forum (www.profibus.co.za) and learn how to troubleshoot PROFIBUS Networks. Brendan Gunn, from The PROFIBUS Competence Center of South Africa (PCC), presented one hour lectures and demonstrated ProfiTrace from PROCENTEC, NetTEST II from COMSOFT and the BC-600-PB from Softing using the PCC’s mobile training rigs featuring a new addition to the PROFIBUS product family: PROCENTEC’s COMbricks which is a permanent monitoring system for PROFIBUS networks. Elsewhere, certified PROFIBUS training courses are being filled to capacity and in September the PCC will welcome Dennis van Booma to validate the center for certified PROFINET training. The PCC’s website has also had a revamp. SOUTH AFRICA

Indian PROFIBUS, PROFINET AssociationUL Group, which hosts the Indian PI Competence Center (PICC) and is a lead member of the Indian PROFIBUS, PROFINET Association (IPA) held a series of technology seminars and training sessions over the past three months in Pune. Courses covered ‘PROFIBUS Basics’ and ‘PROFIBUS Maintenance & Troubleshooting’. The plan is to extend these throughout the country. The sourses are devised and conducted by the PICC team and attended by end-users, OEM’s , System Integrators, designers and maintenance personnel. Courses start with a pre-evaluation of the participants - to better understand their level of knowledge - and concludes with a post-evaluation which indicates the enhancement of their knowledge. According to feedback, by attending the course participants have become confident PROFIBUS engineers. profibus(at)ulepl(dot)com

BRAZIL PICC TRAINING CLASSESIn June, the (PITC) PI Training Center Brazil organized the third of its 2011 training classes, entitled "Introduction to Configuration and Installation of PROFIBUS Networks." Ten professionals participated, coming from end users, integrators and PROFIBUS suppliers. The photo right shows participants at the end of a successful day's work. BRAZIL

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

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.

 

 



Manual control systems at a Southeast Asia fats and oil producer are being re-vamped with automation systems based on PROFIBUS and PROFINET, leading to ROIs measured in months.

Oleo Fats, the number one supplier of specialty fats and oils to the Philippines’ food industry has an annual growth rate around 10 percent. Production is a continuous refining of crude coconut oil and other vegetable oils, involving steps such as degumming, neutralization, bleaching, and deodorization. Straight oil can then be sold as a frying product, or undergo further processing such as blending or hydrogenating to realize other products such as ice cream and soft candy, hamburger buns and other baked products

PROFIBUS AT OLEO FATS IN THE PHILLIPINNESThree years ago the company took a serious look at automation as a means of overcoming issues related to their manual operations, notably data analysis, alarm responses and diagnostics. There was also a growing need to connect production to the company’s information system.

The first phase saw refining plants PRP 3 and PRP 5 converted. A SCADA plus PLC system now uses AS-i bus for field level connections with a link device to PROFINET, on which the PLCs and Operator Stations are connected. An investment of almost 12 million pesos was recovered within just nine months through greater product consistency and less downtime. The company is now starting to think of implementing a manufacturing execution system.

PROFIBUS AT OLEO FATS IN THE PHILLIPINNESA second automation phase, involving refining plants PRP 1 and PRP 6, uses PROFIBUS PA to network the process instruments, while keeping AS-i bus for motors, on/off valves and level switches. A DP/PA coupler is used for interfacing the PROFIBUS PA network to a backbone PROFIBUS DP network.

This use of PROFIBUS PA for mass flowmeters, radar level transmitters, pressure transmitters, and modulating valves makes this site one of the most significant PROFIBUS implementations in Southeast Asia. Oleo Fats say they are now able to troubleshoot operations just by looking at the Operator screen. There’s no need to climb on top of a tank or go around collecting lots of data, potentially wasting tons of oil while diagnosing and rectifying problems.

“Having that information right before you has really been the number one benefit,” they say. Automating the plant has also enabled a much smoother and predictable production output, with quality and consistency gains.

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

PROFINET INSPECTORPN-INspektor is a passive data logger for PROFINET networks. An integrated TAP makes it an intelligent measurement point for online analysis. By storing data in the device events on the bus may later be traced and evaluated. The network condition can be displayed on any PC using a browser in the form of a subscriber-related matrix, thus obviating the need for additional software. Pre-defined trigger functions respond to changes in the network and an integrated potential-free contact raises an alarm if pre-set thresholds are exceeded. This information reflects the current condition of the communication quality in the network and provides information on random events. It can serve both as an acceptance and test method for new systems as well as providing essential information for maintenance and remote servicing.   INDU-SOL 

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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

PROFINET, PROFIsafe, PROFIBUS node counts rise significantly


In 2010 nearly twice as many

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

In recent years it has been a pleasure to watch GE Intelligent Platforms join PI North America and participate in PI Working Groups at an international level helping develop the PROFINET specifications. Recently we welcomed Bernie Anger of GE Control and Communication Systems to our Board of Directors. Now, a further chapter in this exciting story is unfolding as GE Intelligent Platforms announces plans for a series of technology seminars based on their PROFINET applications. These plans are truly global and in this issue you can read (above right) about the North American venues decided so far (there are 60!).  China dates have been added too, and European and Australian events are to be announced shortly. I am truly delighted that GE Intelligent Platforms is demonstrating its commitment to PROFINET like this. It's further proof that PROFINET is on the way to achieving the same status in automation as PROFIBUS did before it. Why not call your favored supplier, or your local Regional PI Association (there are 27 around the world - see left) to find out what PROFINET can do for you?

Michael J Bryant, PI Deputy Chairman

Harting Fast Track switches favor PROFINET IO datagrams to enhance determinism. Now, thanks to Ha-VIS pre-Link, an innovative connection technology, today’s 4-pole M 12 d-coded connectors can easily and quickly be exchanged for 8-pole x-coded connectors, without requiring new data cable connections. “With Fast Track Switching and Ha-VIS preLink as PROFINET solutions we have advanced our vision of an Ethernet communication platform for all applications," says the Company. HARTING

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.

 

Paula to set up Dubai office

Attempts to establish Regional PI Association (RPA) in the key Middle East area have not so far proved fruitful but that’s all about to change. Paula Doyle has recently joined Siemens in Dubai and is planning to set up a formal RPA there shortly. Paula is from Limerick in Ireland, where she gained a PhD. For the past four years she’s been in Scandinavia developing new control products for ABB. Her move to Dubai means she can now focus her marketing skills on helping PI expand in the Middle East. She told PROFINEWS that legal requirements in Dubai mean that some kind of PI Competence Centre (PICC) will have to be established first. Her attendance at the 23rd PI Meeting gave her the chance to meet many of the other RPA Chairmen and to see how they did it. We’ll keep you informed of Paula’s progress.

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 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.

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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