If you're an automation engineer or machine builder, you know the challenges that come when commissioning a new production line. Whether it\u2019s due to bad installations, software errors, or whatever else, initial failures come with the territory of a commissioning phase and often create delays that push projects over budget in terms of both time and money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Limited network visibility makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of any issue. The error messages for a standard programmable logic controller (PLC) are often too vague to help understand what\u2019s wrong and where. As a result, troubleshooting is frequently reduced to a trial-and-error approach. \u201cLet\u2019s replace this cable. Did it fix the network? No. Okay, swap out this device. Did that work?\u201d And on and on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the newest addition to Indu-Sol\u2019s lineup of diagnostic devices for PROFINET industrial networks can change all that \u2014 helping save time and effort during the commissioning phase, thereby accelerating project timelines and reducing costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Launched in July, the PROFINET Agent \u2014 also known as \u201cAgent Blond\u201d \u2014 from Indu-Sol is a monitoring device for PROFINET networks. It was specifically designed to help machine builders, plant engineering firms, and automation engineers manage and address the high amount of network failures and disturbances during the commissioning phase of a PROFINET system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
An Agent Blond device can be installed as part of a PROFINET machine or connected between the master and the first switch in a PROFINET network. Using advanced sensor technology, it continuously monitors network integrity \u2014 tracking key parameters for network health, such as jitter and frame gaps, for detection of even the smallest anomalies \u2014 and then reports that data for quick error analysis to the PLC. And that\u2019s where things get interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Along with the PLC\u2019s standard green and red indicators for devices connected to the network, the PROFINET Agent adds a third color indicator: yellow, to signify potential faults. Hence, the alias \u201cAgent Blond.\u201d This adds a new level of insight beyond just the assessment of which devices are operational, and which are stopped. Data from Agent Blond can even be forwarded to a software platform, like Siemens TIA Portal, where it can be reviewed and analyzed as part of device diagnostics. Either way, commissioning engineers will be able to see the quality of the PROFINET communication throughout a network and take more proactive steps to fix issues before they create outages instead of after. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Savings of up to 50% <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Indu-Sol estimates that companies using Agent Blond in a PROFINET machine or system they install for a customer can reduce their time and costs during the commissioning phase by up to 50%. Its detailed diagnostics enable precisely targeted troubleshooting with clear cost savings. Pinpointing an exact problem in a network helps avoid the expense of having to replace a wide swath of components, while proactive monitoring can reduce the potential for unexpected downtimes and keep a project on schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, the benefits of employing a PROFINET Agent can continue on after commissioning has been completed. It can be integrated with remote monitoring systems used by machine builders or automation engineers, thus including the customer\u2019s network data for analysis. This could, for example, require simply logging in to an online application to determine if an issue with a customer's machine is due to the machine itself or something else on the network. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Where to find technical details for the PROFINET Agent <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can learn more about Agent Blond on Indu-Sol\u2019s website. There, you can find and download technical specifications, the manual, a quick-start guide, and more. And as the official supplier of Indu-Sol products in Sweden and Denmark, we at Lindh Automation can answer all your questions about this or any other Indu-Sol product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n