PROFINET has Wall of Fame in North America.
Press Release Summary:
PROFI Interface Center has completed a PROFINET ‘wall of fame’ in its Test Lab that features PROFINET devices they have tested and certified. Devices incorporated onto wall include remote I/O, drives, vision systems, and HMIs as well as wireless, embedded diagnostics, infrastructure, and security devices. According to Torsten Paulsen, Manager of PIC, the broad variety of device types and vendors underlines the openness and multi-vendor support of PROFINET.
Original Press Release:
PROFINET Now Has a 'wall of fame' in North America
A real-world test bed and reference network
JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE – The PROFI Interface Center (PIC) has completed a PROFINET ‘wall of fame’ in its Test Lab that features PROFINET devices they have tested and certified. This ever-growing network constantly evolves with the latest innovations in PROFINET with contributions from PROFINET developers and vendors from North America and all over the world.
The PIC is part of the global network of Competence Centers (CC), Training Centers (TC) and Test Labs (TL) established by PI, the umbrella organization responsible for PROFIBUS and PROFINET internationally. Certification of PROFINET devices is required through PI. This ensures interoperability between products and the labs are able to support device vendors in case of further conformance questions.
Manager of the PIC, Torsten Paulsen, commented: “We created this installation to feature all of the devices we have certified over the years and put them to use as a ‘real world’ test bed and reference network. We currently have 54 nodes and add more constantly.” A wide range of devices are incorporated onto the wall including remote I/O, drives, vision systems, HMIs, wireless, embedded diagnostics, infrastructure, and security devices.
To date, more than 500 different PROFINET-enabled products have been tested and certified worldwide. “The broad variety of device types and vendors really underlines the openness and multi-vendor support of PROFINET – and gives the end user many implementation choices and investment protection”, continued Paulsen. “Here at the PIC, we have tested devices since 1996. For about four years now, annual PROFINET certification tests have outnumbered PROFIBUS.”
Incorporating top-of-the line PROFINET controllers, such as the Phoenix Contact RFC-470, GE’s RXi, and the Siemens S7-1500, gives the installation a lot of flexibility. For device vendors, it means the PROFINET Device Certification test ensures a clean user experience with most major PROFINET controllers. “We’re running PROFINET over copper, fiber and wireless, using MRP for redundancy, IRT for some of our I/O, PROFIsafe for our safety system, and really leveraging every aspect of PROFINET we can fit together,” said Kyle McMillan, one of the PIC’s PROFINET experts. “We want to show that these features don’t just work on paper, but that they can be implemented across different vendors, platforms, and network media.”
About the PROFI Interface Center
The PROFI Interface Center (PIC) was established in 1996 in Johnson City, TN to allow easy and direct access to PROFIBUS and PROFINET technology. The PIC team provides a variety of useful services including seminars, integration support and device conformance testing for PROFINET and PROFIBUS. In addition, it supplies development products and assists in developing devices – from initial design to certification testing. The PIC is accredited through PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI) as an official Test Lab (PITL) for PROFINET and PROFIBUS DP certification. The PROFI Interface Center also serves as a certified Competence Center (PICC) as well as a certified Training Center (PITC) for PROFINET and PROFIBUS. Our Quality Management System is ISO 9001 certified.
About PI North America
PI North America is a non-profit, member-supported automation organization for fieldbus and Industrial Ethernet, specifically PROFIBUS and PROFINET. It is dedicated to supporting the discrete and process industries in achieving beneficial results using these networks. PI North America also assists device manufacturers in the development and marketing of PROFIBUS and PROFINET products. It is one of 27 regional associations that make up the global PI community. Established in 1989, PI has more than 1,400 members, who have developed and now supply more than 2,500 devices. To date, more than 45,000,000 PROFIBUS devices have been installed and the total number of PROFINET devices installed now exceeds 5,000,000. Members of PI North America include vendors of hardware, software and systems as well as end users and operators, scientific institutes, universities, distributors, and system integrators.
For more information, visit www.PROFIinterfacecenter.com or contact:
Torsten Paulsen
PROFI Interface Center
One Internet Plaza
Johnson City, TN 37604
Phone: 423-262-2687
torsten.paulsen@siemens.com
