PROFINET meets the demands of IT and plant floor automation using three communications channels:
Suitable for non-deterministic functions such as parametrization, video/audio transmissions, and data transfer to higher-level IT systems.
TCP/IP layers are bypassed in order to have a deterministic performance for automation applications in the 1-10 ms range. This represents a software-based solution suitable for typical I/O applications, including motion control and high-performance requirements.
Signal prioritization and scheduled switching deliver high precision synchronization for applications such as motion control. Cycle rates in the sub-millisecond range are possible, with jitter in the microsecond range. This service requires hardware support in the form of (readily available) ASICs.
All three communication channels can be used simultaneously. Bandwidth sharing ensures that at least 50% of every I/O cycle remains available for TCP/IP communications.
Combined with ruggedized cabling, connectors, and Ethernet switches, PROFINET can meet all the needs of automation. Further below you can read about PROFINET’s features, which make it the world’s most advanced Industrial Ethernet. It’s important to understand that PROFINET is fully compliant with internationally-accepted Ethernet standards. Some Industrial Ethernets break Ethernet conventions and are not truly compatible with office-based systems. These cannot interoperate as easily within enterprise architectures, or indeed alongside those Industrial Ethernets which are fully compliant.
Hardy Products that operate within the PROFINET standard include:
