News from around the world this month comes from China and the UK. The first Chinese-produced PROFINET product is certified with the product certificate being presented in a ceremony at the PI Booth at Hanover Fair. PI UK reports first graduates from a Certified PROFIBUS System Designer class. The class was developed to fill a need of UK water companies.
China local Hosta Awarded 1st PROFINET Certificate
On April 15, 2015, PI China member Hosta was awarded a PROFINET product certificate by PI during Hanover Fair 2015 in Hanover, Germany. The certified product is PN COM. The product is the first PROFINET certified device by PI in China.
Karsten Schneider, Chairman of PI emphasized that in order to ensure high quality and reliable data communication, certification is mandatory for PROFINET devices. “It helps our members to establish good long-term reputations among users and bring long-term benefits for all those engaged in PROFINET technology and products. In addition, PI and PI China experts continue developing and innovating to meet the needs of users in various industries with PROFINET. I am delighted to see that more and more Chinese manufacturers and end users join in the PROFINET environment.”
PN COM is a very small board which can be easily embedded in automation products to fulfill PROFINET communication. The software can be modified by customers for client applications. Mr. James Hu, CEO of HOSTA Motion Control Co., LTD promised: the company will continue to develop PROFINET products, and open its technology to promote PROFINET in mainland China and in Taiwan in cooperation with the PI organization.
First UK Certified PROFIBUS System Designers
The first group of engineers to pass the UK’s new Certified PROFIBUS System Design 
course have graduated. The graduates of the first course, delivered by Andy Verwer of Verwer Training & Consultancy, include engineers from Endress+Hauser, Trant Engineering, Control Specialists Ltd, and CAT E&I.
Developed in response to demand from major UK users of PROFIBUS mainly in the Water Industry, this intensive course covers the detailed design of PROFIBUS systems including methods for dealing with hazardous environments, various speed and performance requirements and solutions for high reliability and availability. One of the core aims of this training is to cover the various methods of optimizing control system design so that the impact of control system failures and maintenance on the production is minimized.
This new course is currently accredited in the UK by The PROFIBUS Group who hope that it will ultimately gain worldwide acceptance.
Click here or call Ann on 0207 193 8018 to be kept up to date on future dates for this important new course.