Under the new name 'Smart Production Solutions', SPS Fair 2019 was again a big success. The name change reflects the ongoing digital transformation and therefore the convergence of IT and OT. Many IT companies appeared at the fair to showcase their IoT solutions. It was a perfect setup for PI and our booth.
The FieldComm Group, ODVA, and PI announce that Emerson has joined the APL Project as an industry partner. The project’s goal is to develop an advanced physical layer for Industrial Ethernet, suitable for use in demanding applications in process instrumentation. Key updates in the development of the technology have been achieved this month.
Since the PROFINET specification V2.4 was released with integrated TSN functionality, PI has consistently been working on the implementation of further components for a successful market launch – upholding their motto, “Go digital. Go PROFINET.” PI’s I4.0 strategy is clear; TSN will be advantageously utilized as a future-proof common Layer 2 technology for PROFINET communication.
In cooperation with the OPC Foundation, PI has completed the technical work for "OPC Unified Architecture, Part 15: Safety". It allows for vendor-neutral failsafe machine-to-machine communication that until now had been missing.
Tunnel boring machines are enormous, highly automated, mobile "factories," which can perform all stages of tunnel construction in a single run. A challenge for these machines is the transmission of relevant data from the head to the controller located further back. PROFINET over wireless played a vital role in solving that challenge.
There are many new products to announce this month -many released at the recent 2019 SPS Fair. Companies with new products this month include: AMCI, Automation Direct, Dymax, Leuze, Turck, and Wago.
Since 2006, the PROFINET Security Guideline has described the technical and procedural measures on the part of the manufacturer and users of PROFINET devices. PI is now developing supplemental measures to also protect PROFINET at the protocol level.
This month's issue comes full of international news: Italy concludes a successful workshop; PI Southern Africa is set to exhibit at Electra Mining Africa 2020; PITC UK says goodbye to one of their founding members who is heading for retirement; and the IO-Link China Community is officially established.
