The increasing digitalization of companies and the resulting networking in almost all areas is opening up tremendous economic potential. PROFINET – the leading Industrial Ethernet standard for automation – supports you in creating end-to-end, integrated processes and configuring networked interfaces. The goal is to further automate production across all levels and make the best possible use of resources. Thanks to the standard’s openness, you will benefit from all future innovations. Maximum flexibility provides you with greater freedom for customized machine and plant concepts. Its unrivaled efficiency allows you to use resources optimally, while its unique performance ensures high precision and product quality. And if you’re wondering what the next step is for digitization with PROFINET – straight talk TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking).
Advantage with PROFINET
Openness, flexibility, efficiency, performance
Productivity to the power of four – and simple transition
PROFINET give you new ways to boost your productivity with four decisive advantages – openness, flexibility, efficiency, and performance. Also learn how simply you can transition from your existing PROFIBUS solution to PROFINET.
PROFINET: the Ethernet standard for professionals
Siemens uses the Ethernet standard for automation with PROFINET. PROFINET enables quick and secure data exchange on all platforms and creates the possibility of realizing innovative concepts for the production and processing industries. Due to its openness and flexibility, PROFINET offers users a a high amount of freedom when designing machine and system structure.
PROFINET’s efficiency ensures that the user’s available resources are optimally used and that system availability is increased significantly. Innovative products from Siemens and the performance of PROFINET sustainably increase productivity in the company.
Whether you are integrating new communication standards such as OPC UA, combining IT and production networks, or taking the next big step with Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) – the turbo for PROFINET and OPC UA – you are well prepared for the world of Industry 4.0.
Consistent openness today and tomorrow
PROFINET embodies the idea of enabling manufacturer-independent automation solutions with an open standard. PROFINET is 100 percent Industrial Ethernet – the standard that has been established in industrial communications since the 1990s.
PROFINET for the process industry
PROFINET is 100 %
Industrial Ethernet – and thus a reliable, future-proof standard throughout the entire lifecycle of your process plants
PROFINET for the process industry
Secure, fast, and consistent throughout the entire plant
Creating a consistent, end-to-end communication structure throughout the plant is becoming increasingly important in the process industry. PROFINET supports secure and fast data exchange on all levels. Click through the videos showing how PROFINET supports your requirements especially in the process industry – how PROFINET can be integrated in SIMATIC PCS7, PROFIBUS PA, and HART – and how simple monitoring is with the Safety Matrix.
PROFINET in use – typical applications
PROFINET plays a valuable role in a wide variety of applications in the process industry.
A few examples:
- Cement production
- Burner controls
- Boiler controls
- Power generation
- Fire and gas systems
- Oil production and refinery
- Desalination
- Gas tanks
- Fertilizer production
- Mixing and dispensing
- Breweries
- Wastewater treatment
- Solar panel manufacturing
- Rolling mills
Increase productivity
How can industrial communication help to further boost productivity in the process industry? Especially in the often expansive, complex, and heterogeneous plants, smooth data exchange is a must to be able to optimize processes. As an open standard, PROFINET ensures that everyone can communicate with each other – very easily.
Process optimization
All subprocesses work together optimally
PROFINET supports all subprocesses working perfectly together as the basis for increasing the speed and productivity of the overall process. Thanks to the unified IEC 61158/61784 Industrial Ethernet standards, a consistent, end-to-end flow of communication is also ensured in processing plants that are characterized by a wide variety of devices, manufacturers, and technologies.
This also includes the use of wireless technologies such as WLAN according to IEEE 802.11 as well as mobile communications. Especially in difficult-to-access areas in the often complex plants, wireless communication is a significant factor for smooth operation
Horizontal integration
Efficient communication via a single cable
The lower the cabling effort, the simpler and more cost-efficient communication is on the horizontal level between machines and plant sections.
In line with the motto “one cable for all purposes,” PROFINET is the universal network for the transmission and transport of all necessary data such as diagnostics, safety, I/O, energy efficiency, or TCP/IP data – for a practically unlimited variety of stations. And because all communications run according to a single standard, you can start up parts of the system at any time and then continue your project seamlessly.
Faster time-to-market
Whether you’re supplying an urgently needed vaccine, a new snack, or seasonal fertilizer, the time-to-market requirements in the process industry are increasing. This requires not only greater flexibility in production, but also faster engineering, commissioning, and installation. PROFINET makes you faster in all of these phases – whether through a modular architecture or clever configuration and commissioning tools.
Reduced engineering times
Efficient communication via a single cable
How can you engineer your network faster? First, through simple, flexible network setups that adapt to your plant’s requirements – whether linear, star, or ring topology. Second, with clear administrative structures. With PROFINET, for instance, you can “manage” up to 256 devices from a single SIMATIC controller. In general, PROFINET can confidently handle large and very large quantity structures of 10,000 and more devices
Fast and easy commissioning
With PROFINET you can install industrial-grade networks in the shortest possible time, with no special knowledge and with no errors – the FastConnect quick-assembly system makes it possible. In addition, PROFINET provides a number of intelligent mechanisms – such as automatic addressing – that enable fast connection of field devices. When you subsequently replace a PROFINET device, the I/O controller detects the new device and automatically assigns its name, which also saves you time.
Secure production
Continuous production is the only way to achieve economically successful and secure production. One of many factors is that it must be possible to intervene in plant operation without interrupting or disturbing operation, for example, through fast, error-free device replacement. PROFINET defines the standard in this case as well.
Plant safety/availability
No downtimes due to PROFINET
PROFINET field devices can be replaced very easily, independent of the manufacturer and software version.
If a device fails, the controller still recognizes its position in the topology because the devices cyclically share topology information with each other. A replacement device can now be used, initially without a name. The controller uses the topology information to assign the new device its position in the network and its unique address.
This means devices can be replaced quickly and error-free with PROFINET – even without an engineering tool.
Run production sustainably
Running production continuously and sustainably requires a high level of transparency. But how can you utilize the process data that is generated all over the place in the devices and systems? For example, how must diagnostic data be recorded and managed to enable condition-based or even predictive maintenance? PROFINET has the answer to this question too.
Optimized data acquisition and storage
Diagnosing with PROFINET is easy, fast and reliable
For condition-based and predictive maintenance, devices and components must be capable of recording and communicating their condition.
PROFINET enables reliable field device diagnostics – even in critical areas such as in the chemicals industry according to the NAMUR NE 107 recommendation. In addition, it ensures reliable transmission of alarms and condition reports to the controller. The underlying diagnostics model recognizes various conditions: beyond “good” and “defective”, optional conditions include “maintenance required” and “maintenance request”. This means work instructions are generated from the data – automatically, efficiently, and in a way that ensures availability.