The headline from the trade fair organizer: “SPS 2024: Fewer Exhibitors, More Visitors”–this perfectly reflects our current view. Companies are considering how they can achieve savings or use available resources more effectively in the current economic situation. At the same time, users and manufacturers are reflecting how to respond to these challenges and develop forward-looking […]
For the 22nd time, the IO-Link Community met for the 2-day Interop Workshop from October 1 to 2, 2024 in Bad Soden, Germany with an international participation of more than 90 participants from 40 different companies. The IO-Link Test Centers were also represented and thus offered the opportunity to test devices against the latest released […]
MESCO Engineering GmbH is pleased to announce that the company has successfully implemented the Standard Robot Command Interface (SRCI) with PROFINET into the software of Universal Robots (UR), the Danish, world-leading provider of collaborative robots (cobots). The full integration of SRCI into Universal Robots’ software will enhance the connectivity capabilities of UR’s cobots and will […]
Introduction & History In 2021, Siemens donated its PROFINET software stack to PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) in what would become an offering known as the PROFINET Community Stack. The Community Stack contains full PROFINET Controller & Device functionality with well-defined APIs, which leverage easy adaptation to individual target hardware, operating systems, and IP stacks. […]
PI Training Centers (PITCs) are instrumental in providing educational services for PROFINET and PROFIBUS technologies worldwide. They support developers and users in learning more about PROFIBUS and PROFINET and using the technologies effectively. Thanks to formalized learning units, uniform training standards can be established worldwide and the knowledge base of engineers and technicians in important areas […]
Introduction I often hear competitors say, ‘You keep changing things, look at all the different versions of PROFINET.’ Yes, we release new versions of the PROFINET specification and tester annually. This is a normal process when new requirements arise, new technological possibilities emerge, and feedback for improvements is received. We compile this feedback and, in […]
Virtual controllers and devices are a perfect example of the IT/OT convergence which plays a decisive role for PROFINET in automation technology. With the technical advancements being made in virtualization technology and the growing demand for virtual controllers and devices, PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) has adapted the PROFINET certification process accordingly and reached an […]
PROFINET users rely on the high quality and interoperability of devices used in their systems and machines and have come to expect this in the continual further development of required functions. Device manufacturers, on the other hand, would like to have a flexibly implementable testing system offering easy and comprehensible operation. This is why PI […]
The process industry faces the challenging task of increasing plant efficiency, reducing production costs and ensuring human and environmental safety. As a result, current developments in electronics and measurement technology focus on utilizing digital signal processing, artificial intelligence, real-time data transmission, predictive maintenance functions with easy device replacement, and functional safety. In this context, digitization […]
Based on the evaluation of the notary statistics for IO-Link, it can be said that the IO-Link standard has arrived on the market. A significant contribution to this is the standardized parameter model (IODD), which is reliably integrated in all tools. This means that all IO-Link devices are described according to the same rules and […]