Of course it does. Right?
This sounds like a simple question. I would estimate that most Certified PROFIBUS Network Engineers and even most Certified PROFIBUS trainers would say, ‘Yes, of course it does.’ We all know that PROFIBUS using PROFIsafe was the first open protocol to be approved by TUV for use in Emergency Shutdown systems.
Well actually…
Well, there is an old English expression that says, ‘The devil is in the details,’ and at the 36th Annual PI Conference in Edinburgh Scotland, we learnt one of those devils.
In short, PROFIBUS was written to PROFIsafe V2.4. If you have an existing PROFIsafe machine and a device fails, you can replace it with the same type of device and all safety regulations are satisfied. This is because the old machine has been Grandfathered in to the current regulations. However, if you want to create a new machine, then the software must meet version 2.6 of the specifications. PROFIBUS devices do not meet V2.6. Only PROFINET devices do. Therefore, the new machine must use PROFINET. Please note that PI could update PROFIBUS to meet the new specifications, however, the sales are such that there is no business case for doing so.
Going back to the initial question, the correct answer is ‘Yes, but only for existing machines. New machines requiring PROFIsafe, can not use PROFIBUS. They must use PROFINET.’
Figure 1: PROFIsafe logo
What do I do now?
If you need to create a new machine, your next question is, ‘How do I implement PROFINET correctly.’
This is where JCOM Automation Inc. can help you out. We have training courses that teach you about PROFINET and give you practical suggestions on how to implement it correctly.
We also offer consultation services. JCOM will review your designs, helping you avoid issues before they happen. We can train your installers and then verify your network before you start production. The good news is that in many ways, PROFINET is an evolution of PROFIBUS. There is a lot you learnt for PROFIBUS that will apply to PROFINET. Yes, there are many differences as well. However, the training will take care of alerting you of all that.
To discuss how to transition from PROFIBUS to PROFINET, please contact us at admin@jcomautomation.ca.