The book “Industrial communication with PROFINET” by Manfred Popp is now available as an e-book. This work gives field device manufacturers, plant manufacturers, and commissioning engineers a comprehensive and practical introduction to the functionality and use of PROFINET.
Well attended IO-Link Workshops were held in Minneapolis, MN and Prague, CZ last month. The workshops highlighted presentations and panels from recognized experts on the use and deployment of IO-Link, and showcased manufacturers from all around the world.
PI Middle-East held a successful PROFIday in Dubai, UAE in November. Topics included PROFIBUS system design and PROFINET network validation with experts from around the world. Another event is planned for January in Sohar, Oman. Register today!
Lots of new products this month including new modular I/O from GE, an IRT master from Hilscher, diagnostic tools from Softing, heating controllers from Siemens, inexpensive Ethernet chips from Innovasic, and IO-Link products from Balluff and Codewerk.
... To be perfect is to change often. -Winston Churchill. With each PROFINEWS edition, the news changes and becomes ever more engaging. For example, later this month at the SPS/IPC/Drives tradeshow in Nuremberg, prepare for some exciting announcements from PI. In the meantime, I want to point out a few highlights in this issue.
Most of the talk surrounding the Industrial Internet of Things focuses on moving data upward and outward. Equally important is enabling your factory to handle incoming data.
The adoption of PROFIBUS and PROFINET in Brazil is growing rapidly. Two multi-billion dollar companies, Ambev, the world's fifth largest beer producer and Raizen, one of the world's largest sugar and ethanol producers, are both investing in the technologies.
When it comes to transmitting process variables, 4-20 mA is by far the most popular method. Digital fieldbuses such as PROFIBUS or PROFINET, however, are said to be more accurate and generally better than 4-20 mA. What isn’t discussed very often, however, is the extent of how much more accurate they are. This topic is the elephant in the control room.
