New developments in Profibus and Profinet

Dr Volker Oestreich, Executive Director of the PI Support Centre, provides updates on a number of issues affecting the process industry, including security, hybrid applications and wireless.

Industrial Ethernet is considered to be the bus system of the future for many automation experts in the manufacturing industry; but what is the current acceptance of Industrial Ethernet in process industries and how will it develop in the future?.

Industrial Ethernet is now used as standard in the process industry as system bus (coupling of process control systems) and in client-server architecture of the HMI level.

Today's Industrial Ethernet solutions, such as Profinet, will play a major role in the process industry in the future.

Profinet will take on the function of a fast backbone bus and communicate with existing fieldbuses via standardised gateways.

It can be assumed that process actuator and sensor technology with Profibus PA communication remain an integral component of Profinet solutions.

In which user sectors of the process industries (eg energy, paper, cosmetics, foods) do you anticipate a high degree of interest and why?.

I see no sector-specific limitations for Profinet due to its structured architecture and the proxy technology.

Profinet is already being used in the food and cosmetics industries.

For which manufacturing areas (eg continuous or batch process, packaging, bottling) is Industrial Ethernet suitable as a "replacement" for the fieldbuses that are currently established and accepted in the process industry?.

In the bottling and packaging sectors, Profinet is already established, and it will also quickly obtain a foothold in hybrid systems with a high degree of production technology.

In which of the production areas mentioned above will the fieldbuses that are established and oriented toward the requirements of the process industry continue to be used (or perhaps even be used more in the near future)?.

It can be assumed that Profibus PA with MBP transmission technology will not be replaced by Profinet.

However, Profibus PA will become a component of Profinet networks to the extent that all Profinet IOs and Profibus PA field devices are represented similarly in the engineering tool.

The goal is communication-independent engineering.

Under which conditions can Industrial Ethernet and fieldbuses be operated in parallel in an expanded production system (or, rather, connected in series), and at what time is it beneficial?.

Standardised gateways, such as those specified by Profibus International, ensure maximum and long-lasting investment protection for the user by integrating existing fieldbus installations.

This allows Profinet to offer interconnected communication from the field level to MES and ERP for new as well as existing systems.

Which (technological and communication) obstacles must be overcome so that Industrial Ethernet can be used in the process industries?.

For Profinet, the proxy technology described above largely masters all obstacles for use in the process industry: Profinet plus Profibus PA is the ideal combination.

What is the potential for industrial wireless LANs in the process industry?.

Considering the security aspects, industrial wireless LAN has an excellent potential in the process industry, particularly for commissioning, service and maintenance.

Which security risks do Ethernet-based networks hold in process automation, and which countermeasures can/must be taken against them?.

With the increased use of Ethernet in the field area, wireless LANs in automation, remote service via Internet, and networking of automation areas using office LANs or company-specific intranets, the security issue must be taken seriously.

Profibus International with its "Profinet Security Guideline" and a broad-based security initiative - in which NAMUR is also collaborating intensively in addition to ZVEI and GMA - responded to it by pointing the way ahead to a "secure" future of Ethernet-based automation networks, including the process industry.

Which current developments are your organisation/your company currently pursuing to promote the use of fieldbus or Ethernet technology in the process industry?.

Currently, we are seeing ourselves on the incline with the topic "Profibus PA", ie the use of Profibus in process technology applications.

This is also confirmed by the new ARC study: "Fieldbus survey 2005".

In co-operation with users, we expanded our Profibus PA device profile by diagnosis options (condensed diagnosis) and by the security-oriented communication (Profisafe for PA).

Using many events and our multivendor presentations at large trade fairs - including the SPS/IPC/DRIVES again in Nuremberg in the near future - allows us to demonstrate the usage potentials and cost benefits of an instrumentation with Profibus.

Approximately half of our 50 active working groups is currently occupied in one form or another with Profinet.

In particular, the subjects "Integration Profibus PA" and "Integration Hart" are pursued with high priority.

Besides the successes in factory automation, particularly the automotive industry, Profibus International is also counting on a very successful application of Profinet in the process industry in the future.

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