As the popular saying goes, paths are made by being walked. In this sense, PROFINET has clearly shown that a technology can outgrow its expectations and blaze new trails as a pioneer. When an Ethernet-based communication system was first being considered 16 years ago, no-one had any idea that this technology would be a "door opener" to totally new areas of use, in this case, Industrie 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things applications.
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PROFINET, PROFIBUS, and IO-Link will be on display at the SPS/IPC/Drives Show in Nuremberg this month. Find the PI booth at the entrance to Hall 2 in stands 220 and 221. The 3,500 sq. ft. booth is themed “PROFINET – the Backbone for Industrie 4.0.”
From the domain expertise required to filter the required data in the correct way to expanding automation and IT networking knowledge requirements, the Internet of Things is dramatically altering the duties and expectations for control engineers.
PROFIBUS PA cables can land in hazardous environments; Ethernet cables cannot --yet. However, PROFINET is still a great backbone in process applications for today and tomorrow.
At a joint symposium, PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) and NAMUR e.V. discussed the use of Ethernet in the process industry. The goal of the event was to evaluate, coordinate and prioritize the requirements placed on an Ethernet communication system for process automation.
The IO-Link Community met in Frankfurt, Germany for its 16th IO-Link Interoperability Workshop. 75 participants from 33 companies spent both days intensively putting their new IO-Link devices through their paces. The participant turnout also set a new record in the number of different countries from which attending companies originated.
The PI North America "year" revolves around our annual General Assembly Meeting held every September here in Scottsdale, AZ. This year's installment marks the 22nd anniversary, since the organization was founded as the PROFIBUS Trade Organization in 1994. With the 2016 GAM now in our rearview mirror, we can reflect on the progress made during the year leading up to, and during the event.
