Amberg, Germany
The PROFINET community continues to drive progress toward secure industrial communication: At the third PROFINET Security Plugfest on March 24–25, 2026, at the technical university of applied sciences OTH Amberg-Weiden, organized by the PNO and aia automations institut GmbH, leading automation providers tested the latest security features.
The central focus was the Service eXchange Protocol (SXP), the foundation of PROFINET Security. Early SXP implementations at Layer 2 and Layer 3 demonstrated how the protocol enables secure and interoperable communication across various automation environments.
The plugfest confirmed the high level of maturity of the new security technologies. This demonstrated stable PROFINET AR (Application Relation) establishment as well as device access via SXP across multiple manufacturers. Multi-controller scenarios, as well as Layer 2 and Layer 3 scenarios, also functioned reliably. Robust operation was also evident in shared-device and parallel-protocol configurations. Furthermore, immediately actionable technical insights were gained that contribute to further optimization.
All SXP implementations were developed in parallel with the finalization of the PROFINET V2.5 specification. The insights gained are directly incorporated into the standardization process and accelerate the path toward a secure, certification-ready solution. Participating companies used the plugfest to immediately clarify technical questions, coordinate implementations, and define expectations for certification. The feedback gathered enhances usability, diagnostic functions, and test coverage along the security roadmap.
The PI certification system provided important support with the PROFINET Trial Test & Security Bundle, which provides early test cases and tools for security extensions, thereby creating a uniform technical basis for SXP testing. In addition, a new SXP demo provided reference examples, source code, and templates that significantly accelerated integration.
The next Security Plugfest will take place in September 2026. With each plugfest, PI reinforces its goal of providing secure, interoperable, and future-proof industrial communication—and further expanding PROFINET as the reliable backbone of tomorrow’s networked production.
Minneapolis, MN, USA
PI North America, in cooperation with the PROFI Interface Center, held its fourth North American PROFINET Plugfest, on April 15–16, 2026, hosted by Emerson. Thirty-six engineers from thirteen companies brought seven controllers and fifteen devices to the plugfest. Participating companies included Banner Engineering, Cisco, Dunkermotoren, Emerson, Grid Connect, Hilscher, InduSol, Phoenix Contact, Real Time Automation, SICK, Siemens, and Valmet. The event took place over two days at Emerson’s facility in Eden Prairie, MN.
All PROFINET products must be certified in PI test labs, but the plugfest provided the opportunity for engineers to test their PROFINET devices and controllers in an environment that comes close to the real automation world. Some of the products were nearing completion, so the plugfest provided a chance to evaluate them before formal certification. Testing was carried out in small groups around individual controllers with the devices circulating among the various controllers prior to creating one large network. Since every participant aims to learn the limits of their tested devices, a confidential atmosphere was a basic condition.
Michael Bowne, Executive Director at PI North America, said, “We’ve never had participation to this level at a PROFINET Plugfest in North America. The devices were many and varied; there were drives, I/Os, virtual PLCs, switches, DCSs, process instruments, network analyzers, and the official PI test lab setup for rapid troubleshooting.”
Torsten Paulsen, General Manager of the PROFI Interface Center, added, “As the North American PROFINET test lab, we thoroughly enjoyed this plugfest. While we work with customers in the test lab daily, testing their product from start to finish, these events are different: Here we have a variety of products from different companies, at different stages of the development cycle –all at the same time.”
“Emerson has recently increased its portfolio and capabilities of products supporting the PROFINET protocol, and we were happy to host this event to help ensure the easy multi-vendor interoperability customers expect from compliant devices and hosts,” said Steve Armstrong, Vice President Enterprise Technology, Emerson.