About PI
PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI) is the largest automation community in the world and responsible for PROFIBUS and PROFINET, the two most important enabling technologies in automation today.
Both Process and Discrete Manufacturing enterprises have to stay competitive in today's global marketplace. That means automating as many production processes as possible, and linking them effectively to IT management systems so that timely and useful data reaches the right places fast, letting managers make the decisions that lead to 'results'.
Since 1989, PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) has been supporting that vision with the best automation technology available.
The common interest of our global network of vendors, developers, System Integrators and end users covering all industries lies in promoting, supporting and using PROFIBUS and PROFINET.
Regionally and globally about 1,800 member companies are working closely together to the best automation possible. No other fieldbus organization in the world has the same kind of global influence and reach. That´s why PROFIBUS and PROFINET are world leaders in industrial networking.
The International PI Organization
The international PI organization, spanning
- the PI technology and core unit PNO
- the regional PI associations (RPAs)
- the test, training and competence centers – PI-TL, PI-TC, PI-CC
PNO – Key Tasks:
- PI technologies (specifications), tools, …
- Certification office – PICO
- Marketing and information assets etc.
- RPA support center (and enabling) – PISC
- Administrations and enabling PI-TL, PI-CC, PI-TC
- RPA for member companies in DACH
- Other business office topics (support PNO board, …, CSRT)
PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI) operates through the PI Support Center (PISC) based in Germany/Karlsruhe and coordinates the activities of a network of REGIONAL PI ASSOCIATIONS (RPAs), PI COMPETENCE CENTERS (PICCs), PI TRAINING CENTERS (PITCs) and PI TEST LABS (PITLs) in major industrialized countries. Furthermore PI hosts a large number of active Working Groups having the responsibility for developing, standardizing and maintaining PROFIBUS and PROFINET.
- Regional PI Associations: Responsible for the regional support of PROFIBUS and PROFINET and localized marketing activities.
- PI Competence Centers: Deliver quality technical support to developers and users of PROFIBUS and PROFINET products and systems.
- PI Training Centers: Deliver high-quality training to engineers and users.
- PI Test Labs: Provide test and certification services to guarantee the quality and performance of PROFIBUS and PROFINET products.
Three significant technology collaborations are:
- ECT (EDDL Cooperation Team) - EDDL, or Electronic Device Description Language, is used by major manufacturers to describe the information that is accessible in digital devices. Electronic device descriptions are available for over 15 million devices in the process industry. The technology is used by the major process control systems and maintenance tool suppliers to support device diagnostics and calibration. Visit the EDDL web site.
- FDI (Field Device Integration) - an initiative to develop a commmon solution combining FDT (Field Device Type) technology and EDDL (see above) using a single interface. FDT standardizes the communication interface between field devices and systems. It is independent of the communication protocol and the software environment of either the device or host system. FDI will utilize the advanced features of the Unified Architecture (UA) technology of the OPC Foundation, another global automation organization having close links with PI. Visit the FDT web site.
- WCT (Wireless Cooperation Team) - a joint initiative to optimize the use of wireless technologies in the process industries using the WirelessHART standard being developed by the HART Communication Foundation.
PI extends its reach by collaborating with like-minded organizations in automation. In this way PI believes it can add value for end users by offering its expertise, experience and resources in pursuit of common objectives, thus helping shape the way global automation evolves.
PI collaborates with organizations such as DKE, IEC, ISA, NAMUR, AIDA, many universities and, of course, the end user and vendor communities. In addition there is close colaboration with the Interbus Club regarding their decision to choose PROFINET as their preferred Industrial Ethernet solution.
There’s only one way to operate successfully in today's tough business environment and that is to use the best automation possible. And in manufacturing plants, the best automation depends entirely on having the best networking and communications!
As the world’s premier industrial networking systems PROFINET and PROFIBUS deliver communications excellence, keeping plant floor controllers, supervisory systems and management computers acting in partnership, efficiently and fast..
PI, the organization responsible for PROFIBUS and PROFINET, works closely with other automation organizations to ensure this vision remains effective. It also encourages and supports new technologies like IO-LINK, a next-generation communications solution for advanced sensors and actuators, widening the possibilities still further.
PI automation solutions offer choice combined with advanced technology, with only one goal in mind – to deliver the best business results, enterprise-wide.
We're here to help. Please contact us using the appropriate method below:
Our address is:
PI Support Center
Ohiostrasse 8
76149 Karlsruhe
Germany
Our Telephone number is: +49 721 986197-0
Our Fax number is: +49 721 986197-11
Using email:
- For certification, registration, Vendor IDs: certification(at)profibus(dot)com
- Press Enquires to: press(at)profibus(dot)com
- Report problems to: webmaster(at)profibus(dot)com
- For information about events: events(at)profibus(dot)com
- For most technical questions, please directly contact one of the Competence Centers
- And if you have a more general question: info(at)profibus(dot)com
Around the world:
Regional offices worldwide can be found here
Visiting?
If you need to find us, then use the directions given below ...
PI Board:
Xaver Schmidt
Germany
Chairman
Michael Bowne
USA
Deputy Chairman