PI North America sponsors a range of classes: free one-day training classes, PROFIBUS Certified Network Engineer classes, PROFINET Certified Network Engineer classes, and the newly created PROFINET Developer Classes. Globally, there is a five-city series in France featuring PROFIBUS, PROFINET, and wireless PROFINET and in Germany a plugfest.
PROFIBUS and PROFINET Certified Network Engineer classes still have a few remaining seats available, including PROFINET classes in Detroit and Seattle. See the full list.
The newly available PROFINET Developer Classes are listed here. And see the article in this issue, PI North America Announces Developer Training.
Certified PI Competence Center and Training Center, Agilicom is presenting a series of 
free technical seminars including PROFIBUS, PROFINET, wireless, and remote diagnostics. These will be held in Strasbourg, Lille, Lyon, Paris, and Rennes. For details download the invitation.
Of special interest to PI members is the upcoming plugfest in Germany. PI invites all developers from device, controller, and tool manufacturing companies to the upcoming PROFINET Plugfest on June 1 and 2 in Erlangen. This plugfest is kindly hosted by Siemens.
The aim is to test the current status of the different controller and device implementations with focus on communication and application behavior. Focus topics are PROFINET, PROFINET IRT, PROFIdrive (also PROFIdrive on PROFIsafe) and ENCODER profile. The test is partitioned into different feature related test stations with smaller-sized networks which are finally hooked up to form a huge joint network. This plugfest offers a unique opportunity to all participating companies to easily test their device interoperability in a multi-vendor surrounding and for practical exchange of experience.
Any PI/PNO members are very welcome to participate in this project, to share their experiences with the community as well as to push their own device development.
Location: Siemens AG, Frauenacherstr. 80, 91056 Erlangen-Büchenbach (Germany)
Date: June 1 & 2, 2016
Schedule: Plugfest 10 am to 4 pm; set-up from 9 am
Please note that the maximum number of participants is limited to 60 persons and therefore no more than 2-3 persons per tested device can be admitted. Only PI members are allowed to register for the plugfest. Further details and a link to registration are here.
North American members are welcome to attend, but scheduling of a plugfest in North America is also under consideration. Contact Carl Henning to be added to the North American plugfest mailing list.