The Southern African Regional PROFIBUS Association will in future no longer be called SARPA, but will be known as PI SA – PROFIBUS & PROFINET International SA. This is in line with international trends and the emergence of industrial Ethernet, which, having already proved its value in factory automation, is now being accepted as a viable communication infrastructure solution for the process industry as well.
According to the ARC Advisory Group, PROFIBUS PA is PI’s preferred solution for networking process devices in the field. Compatible with the international fieldbus standard IEC 61158, PROFIBUS PA meets the requirements for intrinsic safety in explosive environments and can also provide device power over the bus. Traditionally, PA devices would connect to a host such as a DCS via PROFIBUS DP. Now, thanks to the development of new gateways, PA segments can be connected directly to PROFINET – meaning that PROFINET can serve as a next generation plant-wide communication system backbone. This brings industrial Ethernet one step closer to the level of the instrumentation by allowing a single PROFINET segment to connect multiple PA ‘clusters’.
The significance of adding PROFINET connectivity to legacy networks is that it will open up new levels of data transparency and availability in existing process plants – a prerequisite for the era of the Industrial Internet of Things and Manufacturing 4.0.
Because PROFIBUS and PROFINET are being developed by the same PI organisation, the two protocols have been brought together with similar procedures, communication priorities, data maps, grounding rules and troubleshooting. In fact, PI International has announced that the PROFIBUS PA profile V3.02 is to be usable in PROFINET as well as in PROFIBUS systems i.e. the revised profile version is being specified independent of the physical layer. The announcement goes on to say that the final step is to develop a solution to make PROFINET devices available for use in hazardous areas and in two-wire technology for power supply via the cable.
In its latest press release, PI International announces that the first PROFINET applications are already in use in the process industry, such as the connection of remote I/Os and motor management systems. Interested readers should diarise Wednesday 30 September as PI International chairman, Karsten Schneider, will be in country to host a breakfast presentation at Monte Casino. See page 10 for details.
SAIMC Pretoria branch
Behind the scenes at the SAIMC, Jurie Weidemann has been working tirelessly to establish a new branch in Pretoria. On 19 August it all came together at the Centurion Country Club where the latest branch held its inaugural meeting. Michael Garnham from the local PROFIBUS Competence Centre kicked things off with an interesting presentation titled “Pretoria Industries: Case studies on PROFIBUS and PROFINET challenges”. Well done to Jurie and everyone else who helped to spread the SAIMC message northwards. From the team at SA Instrumentation and Control, a warm welcome to the Pretoria branch, we look forward to publishing your monthly news in the magazine from now on.
On the subject of SAIMC, don’t forget the year-end function on Friday 2 October as tables are selling fast. See 'SAIMC: From the president's desk' for details.
Rugby World Cup
In closure this month, sincere thanks to Adroit Technologies for sponsoring the wall chart that you will find as an insert in this issue. Rugby fans can see the entire competition at a glance, from the first pool games right through to the final, and record the results as the games progress. Good luck to the Springboks, here’s hoping we get to watch you take on the ABs again in another thrilling RWC final.
Steven Meyer
Editor: SA Instrumentation & Control
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