PROFInet Update for August 2003

PROFInet COMPETENCY CENTER OPENS IN JOHNSON CITY, TN. The PROFIBUS Trade Organization has announced the opening of the new PROFInet Competency Center located in the PROFIBUS Interface Center (PIC) in Johnson City, TN. The Center is certified for competency instruction and development assistance for all PROFInet products. It is an immediately available resource for all developers, manufacturers and integrators of PROFInet products and systems, and can answer questions and provide support to help suppliers meet all the requirements for manufacturing and integrating PROFInet components, and interfacing to existing world-standard PROFIBUS Technology.

The PROFIBUS Interface Center (PIC) in Johnson City is both a PROFIBUS Competence Center as well as a PROFInet Competence Center. Being an approved PROFInet Competence Center means that the PIC has been designated by PROFIBUS International as being qualified to hold seminars to educate users, to work with and support vendors who are interested in developing a PROFInet interface for their product(s) and to promote PROFInet to the automation communities of North America, South America and Central America.

"PIC personnel have participated in the PROFInet specification and stack implementation efforts from the beginning," according to PIC Systems Engineer, Ron Mitchell. "We have in-house expertise to answer any questions regarding PROFInet theory, design and implementation. Whether users are interested in developing a Proxy for a native fieldbus or developing an integral PROFInet interface for their product(s), the PIC can help!" The phone number for the PIC is 1-423-262-2576.

Currently, the PROFInet stack has been ported to three different operating systems: Windows 32, VxWorks and Linux. Any company that is a member of a Regional PROFIBUS Association can download the PROFInet specification, porting examples and "C" source code for the PROFInet Runtime Software from the PROFIBUS website . Also available for download is a PROFInet Component Editor, a 32-bit MS Windows application that provides an easy-to-use interface for creating PROFInet Components. It is based on the PROFInet - Architecture Description and Specification V1.2. A PROFInet Test Tool, providing an easy-to-use interface for testing PROFInet devices during development, can also be found on the web site. These tools are provided free of charge to PROFIBUS Trade Organization members.

The new PROFInet Standard will be the first fieldbus technology to integrate and interconnect all segments within the automation hierarchy, and seamlessly interface to established ERP/MES, IT and corporate management technologies.

PROFInet is a modern standard for distributed automation standards and is based on Ethernet. It integrates existing fieldbus systems, specifically PROFIBUS, simply and without change. The use of established Ethernet-based IT technologies allows the connection of the automation/plant level with the corporate management level, including the direct exchangeability of order and production data. Internet connectivity can make it possible to initiate orders and carry out remote servicing and maintenance measures.

All interested parties can also download an all-new PROFInet Technology and Application Guide immediately by clicking here .

The PROFIBUS Trade Organization (PTO) is a non-profit corporation working to enhance the PROFIBUS and PROFInet standards while educating and assisting device manufacturers throughout North and South America on the latest extensions and conformance tests associated with PROFIBUS and PROFInet. For additional information contact the PTO at 16101 North 82nd Street, Suite. 3B, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. Phone 480-483-2456; FAX 480-483-7202. Internet, click here .