Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is expected to be the next big advancement in standard Ethernet. This set of standards will allow deterministic performance as part of IEEE-standard Ethernet. Some of the standards will not be finalized for quite some time, but PI has begun a Working Group to determine how best to leverage TSN in PROFINET. Note that PROFINET already provides deterministic, high-speed performance, but as TSN starts to appear as part of the Ethernet infrastructure, PROFINET will use it. Initial results from the working group are expected in November.

If you do nothing else, read this! Can't make it to one of the hundreds of PROFIBUS or PROFINET training events going on around the world? Need a point of reference at the tip of your fingers? Many new documents are available, some with important updates.

Are new technologies needed for implementation of Industry 4.0? Not necessarily. Rather, it is a matter of toughening up existing technologies so that they can meet future requirements. Profinet is already well-prepared for this because of the important groundwork laid by PI (PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International).

Head of the PI Factory Automation Marketing Group, Xaver Schmidt, introduces Issue 139 of PROFINEWS with observations on adding PROFINET to automation devices. It's the theme of this issue, as well as the approaching Hannover Messe.

Hannover Fair will be held April 25-29 with the theme “Integrated Industry - Discover Solutions.” This year’s partner country is the USA and President Obama will be there for the opening ceremony with a large contingent from the US. PI will present PROFINET, PROFIBUS, and IO-Link at Hall 9, Booth D68 under the banner “PROFINET - The Backbone of Industrie 4.0.” Stop by to see how PI technologies can already fulfill the requirements of Industrie 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things.

PI Chairman Karsten Schneider shares his observations on the importance of communications - not just in bits and bytes, but person-to-person and organization-to-organization. The huge success of PI technologies is based on communication. The quality and widespread global use of PI technologies would never have been possible if the PROFIBUS and PROFINET developers had not had an outstanding character trait - the absolute determination to communicate with one another.

Because the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) leverages so many existing technologies, it seems that everybody and their mother can claim to have the necessary expertise. But let’s not forget that IIoT roots are firmly planted within industrial Ethernet.

PI was an integral part of the embedded world trade-show last month. The co-exhibitors Innovasic, Molex, Phoenix Contact, Renesas, and Siemens gave information about how to implement PROFINET and what kind of support can be expected during development.