China
Go Digital, Go PROFINET: PI-China Joint Booth at CIIF 2020
From September 15 to 19, the 22nd China International Industrial Fair (CIIF 2020) opened in Shanghai. With the theme of “Go Digital, Go PROFINET,” the PI-China booth showed customers that PROFINET is the communication standard for digital transformation in Hall 6.1. Trade visitors witnessed future communication technology like OPC UA, TSN, and how they work together with PROFINET. Visitors also saw many PROFINET products from different manufacturers, especially Chinese manufacturers, with the products integrated into a complete system.
As a simple, serial, two-way, point-to-point digital communication protocol, IO-Link is a pillar of the Industrial Internet of Things and Industry 4.0. It is the necessary means to realize the digital transformation of a factory. IO-Link China, together with many members such as Pepperl-Fuchs, Onsoon, Balluff, IFM, Turck, SENTINEL, and other members, showed their latest solutions and products to the majority of end-users in China.
IO-Link Product Catalog Released
The IO-Link China Committee was established in 2019 and has now expanded to more than 40 members. The IO-Link Product Catalog includes IO-Link masters and devices, such as sensors, actuators, and IO devices. It is an effective tool for helping customers understand and choose products and solutions suitable for their application scenarios. This Product Catalog will be updated regularly to highlight the rich ecosystem of IO-Link products.
IO-Link Device Test Tool and IO-Link USB Host
A domestic IO-Link technology development provider, Hefei Ansheng Intelligence, has produced the first domestic version of an IO-Link device test tool. It includes completely independent intellectual property rights, and supports all test cases of IO-Link Test Specification V1.1.2. They can be performed simultaneously over 4-channels, supports automatic scanning device, is simple and easy to operate, and can generate a PDF test report. At the same time, an IO-Link USB host was also displayed, which supports one tool for dual-use. It can be used as a configuration tool together with PDCT and as a protocol test tool, and/or together with an IO-Link test tool.
32-Channel Terminal IO-Link Device
Traditional IO-Link devices support 8 or 16 channels. Tianjin Centene has launched a 32-channel IO-Link device at the IO-Link, which can connect up to 256 switch nodes. A single master station has higher performance, and users can achieve reliable and accurate data transmission with lower costs and higher efficiency. As the representative of the IO-Link International Committee in China, IO-Link China is fully committed to supporting the application and promotion of IO-Link in China.
Brazil
PI Brazil Adapts to Promote Knowledge During Pandemic
The pandemic environment and the resulting social isolation changed the routines of people and businesses around the world. Everything and everyone had to review the “modus operandi” of their activities, including relationships, work routines, education, leisure, health, etc. And for PI Brazil, it should not be different. To continue offering quality content for the industry’s professionals, the Association strengthened its partnerships and has been applying and participating in activities in the virtual environment through online seminars and courses.
On July 30th, it promoted the webinar ‘IO-Link: Smart Sensors and Actuators for Industry 4.0’, presenting the technology as a practical solution, capable of transforming a simple industrial object into a smart one.
Professionals from Vale Carajás Receive Online Training from PI Brazil
During August and September this year, PI Brazil hosted the training ‘Maintenance in PROFIBUS DP/PA Networks’ for professionals of Vale Company, Carajás Plant, in Pará state. The employees were divided into four groups, and all of them received the same content with a total time of 24 hours, all online.
The course dealt with the requirements for physical installation of PROFIBUS DP/PA networks, focusing on cabling, grounding, connectors, cable testing, distance requirements, layout and parameters of PROFIBUS networks; and configuration of PROFIBUS DP/PA networks, GSD files, slaves, configuration and assembling of a network, and device testing.
PI Brazil and Ambev Promote Technology Webinars
In September, PI Brazil promoted two technology webinars in a partnership with Ambev – ZBS Jacareí. The first webinar, ‘Analysis and Diagnostics of PROFIBUS Industrial Networks’, took place on September 17, and was taught by Alexandre de Oliveira, director vice-president of the Association and PICC/PITC Westcon coordinator. The second webinar, ‘Analysis and Diagnostics of PROFINET Industrial Networks,’ was presented on September 24th, by Paulo Toledo, coordinator of PROFIBUS/PROFINET PICC Toledo & Souza. Over 40 Ambev professionals, including employees and associated people, participated in the events. All of them received participation certificates.
PI Brazil Presents Ethernet-APL Technology – in a Webinar
‘What is APL-Ethernet and how to Migrate from PROFIBUS-PA’ was the subject of one more free webinar promoted by PI Brazil on October 9th. Renato Rodrigues, a specialist for Products and Process Automation at Pepperl+Fuchs Ltda, presented the more recent technology for field networks (Ethernet-APL) and the main benefits and installation topologies. The director of PROFINET Technology for the Association, Márcio Santos, participated in the webinar with demonstrations and integrations of PROFINET process automation systems, linking PI’s importance as a promoter for such technologies. More than 50 people watched the online seminar.
Netherlands
During these times, when physical meetings are difficult, PI Nederland is committed to bringing suppliers, end-users, and system integrators together to share their knowledge. We inform end-users from the industry about the latest technologies and developments through online education weeks. The online weeks consist of a series of webinars around a specific theme. These webinars are given by our members, as well as industry-leading keynote speakers. Experience has shown that substantive, non-commercial presentations have the best results with potential customers.
In June, the Association hosted the Industrial Ethernet online education week together with the industry association FHI. Three days with ten 30 minute sessions, together with eight participants this week, achieved 350 registrations and 200 visitors. In October, the IO-Link education week was hosted, reaching 222 unique viewers with nine presenters. With an exciting program including a large end-user from the dairy industry and external speakers from Germany, it was a beautiful and interactive event. In the week from 2 to 6 November, PI Nederland organized the first online PROFI education week. There were interactive webinars shared over several parts of the day. Topics discussed included Advanced Physical Layer (APL), Single Pair Ethernet, Time Sensitive Networking (TSN), and technical developments concerning PROFIBUS, PROFINET, and IO-Link.