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Profinet

PROFINET IO is the ETHERNET‐based, manufacturer-independent, open fieldbus standard from PROFIBUS & PROFINET International. This standard offers solutions for production and process automation, safety applications and the entire spectrum of drive technology, all the way to isochronous motion control applications.

A Summary of the Benefits of PROFINET:

The perfect combination of IT standards and automation
Flexible network structures
Extensive diagnostics
Profiles
Large international network

A Simple Explanation of PROFINET

PROFINET is based on ETHERNET and expands PROFIBUS technology for applications requiring high-speed data communication via ETHERNET networks together with industrial IT functions. PROFINET allows a combination of standard ETHERNET subscribers with real-time subscribers in the same network. PROFINET ensures that real-time communication is not disrupted by standard TCP/IP-based communication and that time requirements are met reliably. This flexibility offers a great advantage over other ETHERNET real-time systems, in which standard IT devices cannot be integrated into the network at all or can only be integrated at designated locations.

Security

As one of only a few real-time ETHERNET systems, PROFINET also sets the standards for the network robustness of field devices. For example, netload classes provide information on the behavior of the device under stress situations and thus enable targeted system planning to prevent failures by intentional (attacks) or unintentional network disturbances (faults). Features such as access control and data integrity can also be implemented with PROFINET through network segmentation and VPNs.

Scalable Real-Time

PROFINET allows the coexistence of non-real-time communication (NRT) with real-time communication and uses both real-time forms:

RT (RT_Class_1)
IRT (RT_Class_3)

What lies behind these two concepts are conformity classes which, among other things, determine what real-time characteristics a PROFINET subscriber possesses. The appropriate implementation can be selected according to the application area: The bandwidth ranges from simple requirements without hard real-time requirements (e.g., in wireless systems) to applications with synchronized subscribers and determinism requirements in the microsecond range.

PROFINET Profiles

The additional PROFIsafe, PROFIdrive and PROFIenergy profiles define the behavior of automation components in different industries:

PROFIsafe

Defines a security protocol that can be transmitted parallel to conventional communication via PROFINET for integrating safety-related controllers, I/O modules and field devices

PROFIdrive

Defines the standardized integration of drive technology

PROFIenergy

Defines standardized functions for switching off and restarting a system or system components in which the requirements for increased energy efficiency are taken into account Other profiles cover topics such as high availability and system redundancy. There are also profiles for integrating other fieldbus technologies, e.g., for PROFIBUS, AS-i, IO-Link etc.

Using PROFINET

PROFINET’s flexible structures make it possible to perform diagnostics with the help of a PC from any interface in the automation network; the operating state of the automation system is irrelevant. This permits optimal physical adaptation of the network structure to the present circumstances and allows operation without any physical topology limitations:

Ring topology (when using a protocol for media redundancy only, e.g., MRP)
Line topology
Star topology
Tree topology

In many cases, it is also possible to combine previously separate networks, as long as the permissible netload is taken into account.

PROFINET from WAGO

Besides standard PROFINET features, such as topology detection via LLDP for fast device replacement without programming tools, as well as extensive diagnostic capabilities, WAGO’s PROFINET Couplers provide additional functions: The couplers come standard with an integrated 2-port switch, allowing a line topology to be implemented without additional components. SNMP for the capacity check of both ports, error statistics or type and number of transmitted telegrams are also included.

WAGO’s PROFINET IO Advanced and PROFINET IO Advanced ECO Fieldbus Couplers can also be used in energy management systems: Operating costs can be reduced via the PROFIenergy profile, allowing individual parts of your automation systems to be switched on and off automatically during breaks or downtime.

Safety first: For safety-related applications, fail-safe modules can be connected to the couplers using the PROFIsafe protocol V2 for data transmission. In the event of maintenance, the iPar server function provides parameter backup for the connected modules. Data is transmitted automatically to the yellow modules via a standardized iPar server.