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.”
There are many new products to announce this month. Softing has introduced a PROFIBUS DP master for Xilinx FPGAs. Hilscher has announced a gateway to bridge Real Time Ethernet networks. Pepperl+Fuchs has introduced device libraries into its SegmentChecker. Comtrol has announced PROFINET certification for their IO-Link master. Siemens has released power modules for their drives, plus upgraded connectivity for their reluctance motors. Molex has introduced an IP67 PROFINET IO-Link master.
In addition to providing our members with a forum for discussion about past and future activities, the General Assembly Meeting is an opportunity to hear from end-users. End users present their cutting edge applications using the PROFIBUS and PROFINET technologies. Of note were the number of case studies involving wireless and safety that push the boundaries of what’s imaginable through automation.
When a user decides on PROFINET, he has a choice of thousands of different products developed and available worldwide today, such as I/O devices, actuators, sensors, network and infrastructure components, and controllers. This variety gives the user maximum freedom to design his own plant and automation systems. The device manufacturer has access to a wide range of different hardware- and software-based basic technologies for optimal implementation of the PROFINET interface based on his requirements.
Highlighted this month: Australia has 30 certified PROFINET and PROFIBUS training classes scheduled for the remainder of 2016. PI Middle East has an upcoming seminar focused on food and beverage in their Dubai office. IO-Link has enhanced their workshops. And many classes are on the schedule for the balance of 2016.
The product news this month is from MESCO Engineering and Weidmüller. MESCO’s Software Library simplifies the development of safe drives in accordance with IEC 61800-5-2. Weidmüller “u-remote” provides safe, digital I/O modules for PROFIsafe with integrated protection and precise diagnostics in a small format.
The cable car from the valley floor in Wallis to Bettmeralp at 1933 meters above sea level is the “umbilical cord” for this popular vacation destination: Skiers, hikers, and locals use it for transportation since Bettmeralp is car-free. Groceries, building materials, and heating oil are brought up from the valley and trash is brought down. Just imagine what might happen if the cable car failed. PROFIsafe ensures safe operation.
To produce 900,000 tons of cement annually, the Holcim cement plant in the Eclépens municipality (canton of Vaud, Switzerland) operates 24 hours a day and over 300 days a year as a very much function-oriented plant. At the heart of the plant, a traveling crane plays a key role in the production process.
