This month's issue of PROFINEWS places the focus squarely on the use of PROFINET in the process automation industry. From Ethernet-APL, to PROFIsafe, to Module Type Package (MTP), to the PA Profile, PI's technologies are making inroads like never before.
PROFIsafe and Ethernet-APL complement each other perfectly. With their combination, PI meets the challenge of providing both safety and non-safety applications through a unified PROFINET infrastructure.
ISA100 WCI, NAMUR, ODVA, PI, VDMA, and ZVEI plan to partner with FieldComm Group and OPC Foundation to collaboratively develop the Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM) standard.
After almost four years of collaboration between the four leading standards development organizations, along with significant support from 12 major industry project partners, the participants are pleased to announce a successful completion of the APL Project.
With the completion of the work surrounding PA device profile 4, another milestone has been reached on the way to flexible and, at the same time, more secure process automation. In combination with PROFINET over APL and its high bandwidth, seamless integration from the field level into the entire PROFINET network is possible.
Between PROFINET, PROFIsafe, Modular Type Package (MTP), and omlox, it's no small wonder PI's technologies are poised to have a significant impact on the process industry. In my many years of work as a PI board member, it was often a matter of building bridges between technologies and people, i.e., creating many interfaces.
Supply bottlenecks, energy prices, staff shortages – the process industry is currently facing very significant challenges. This is where omlox can make a significant contribution, helping to locate objects in expansive and complex production facilities.
It is important to design the interaction between PROFINET and the OPC UA device integration models in such a way that it is easy for the user to get started. This makes it easier to implement data analytics and predictive maintenance scenarios or asset management in the plant, for example.
