PROFINET - scalable factory communication for all applications

PROFINET is the industrial Ethernet standard devised by PROFIBUS International (PI) for either modular machine and plant engineering or distributed IO. Using a plant-wide multi-vendor engineering for modular machines, commissioning time as well as costs are reduced. With distributed IO IO-controllers (e.g., PLCs) with their associated IO-devices may also be integrated into PROFINET solutions. Communication is a major part of PROFINET. Real-time communication for standard factory automation applications as well as extensions which enables motion control applications is covered in a common real-time protocol. The advantages of modular and multi-vendor engineering and distributed IO can be used even in applications with time-critical data transfer requirements.