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Energy Management for Automation
 In this whitepaper, Dr. Peter Wenzel, Managing Director for PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International), outlines the vendor-neutral PROFIenergy profile for data exchange between controllers and energy-saving devices.
Energy management and responsible handling of resources is currently the number one topic in industry. In light of this, the Automation Initiative of German Automobile Manufacturers (AIDA) asked PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) to provide functions and mechanisms for PROFINET that support energy-efficient production.
In response, PI is working on a vendor-neutral energy savings profile called PROFIenergy. The objective is to develop a uniform (standardized) interface for data exchange between a controller and a wide range of devices with energy savings options. The profile will be used for exchanging data and commands, but will not contain any logic functions in terms of process control. The first release of PROFIenergy should be available by the end of 2009... Read more
Global Associations Mark 20 Years of PROFIBUS Technology
 As PROFIBUS technology turns 20, and the PTO celebrates its 15th anniversary in North America, the organization cites broad industry adoption, with impressive growth rates for installed PROFIBUS and PROFINET nodes and a “vision for automation.”
PTO, the trade organization for PROFIBUS and PROFINET in North America, marked its 15th birthday with a virtual celebration, including a cyber-cake and free goodies for those who participated in the group's General Assembly Meeting, held by Webinar on August 6. Typically the PTO hosts its annual meeting for organization members and the trade press in the Phoenix area, but switched to the Webinar format this year in deference to members' travel budget restrictions.
Mike Bryant, executive director of the PTO, outlined major milestones for the organization, including membership growth, budgets, PROFIBUS and PROFINET node counts, and marketing programs. The recession has had an impact on PTO membership, which has declined slightly from its high of 145 members in September 2008 to 130 members at present, but this still represents an 8 percent growth over membership numbers at the beginning of 2007... Read more
Lighting System Reduces Energy and Installation Costs
 A new lighting control system for building automation is based on lighting control, wireless and PROFINET standards, and Phoenix Contact automation components. A lighting system with movement detectors instead of push buttons saves energy. But with the combined Phoenix Contact EnOcean/DALI/PROFINET system, the Belgian electrical wholesaler Breva wanted to demonstrate above all that those contemporary lighting concepts also score well in the field of flexibility and modular design... Read more
7 Critical Things to Know About Ethernet on the Plant Floor
 Ethernet has become ubiquitous in office applications and is increasingly deployed in industrial applications as well. This must-read guide outlines seven critical points you need to know to successfully design, configure and maintain an industrial Ethernet system.
1. The critical thing about network layout is not to take office topologies to the plant floor, but rather to implement plant and machine topologies with Ethernet. Office Ethernet infrastructures are typically based on commercial grade products, which are meant to be located in a temperature-controlled environment, and Ethernet switches that are designed around a large star topology... Read more
PROFINET in the Spotlight with Videos, New Products and Applications
 In highlights from the PROFIblog, written by Carl Henning, deputy director of PTO North America, learn about new ways PROFINET is being applied in industry, including a video that explains CBA technology.
I'm in Cincinnati for a PROFINET one-day training class tomorrow (Sept. 10) after last week in Toronto and the week before in Milwaukee, with a stopover in Cleveland. I have some reports from all these places, but first...
Having arrived in town early, I had a chance to visit PTO member Jacobs Automation. I got a demo of their Packtrak technology. You can watch video of Packtrak technology on their website. There is also an article in the Sept. 9th edition of PROFInews North American Edition... Read more
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