{"id":4152,"date":"2025-12-18T15:38:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T14:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/?p=4152"},"modified":"2025-12-18T15:47:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T14:47:46","slug":"want-to-optimize-and-future-proof-your-automated-production-use-profinet-as-a-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/want-to-optimize-and-future-proof-your-automated-production-use-profinet-as-a-network\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to optimize and future-proof your automated production ? Use PROFINET as a network"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s an exciting time for the world of automated production. The recent wave of innovation in<\/p>\n

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machine learning and artificial intelligence is enabling new digital applications that can fulfill the<\/p>\n

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promise of Industry 4.0 (or 5.0). For years, the idea of industrial automation networks collecting<\/p>\n

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process data from machines and sensors for analysis has been advocated as invaluable for<\/p>\n

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developing insights to improve production \u2014 whether to increase efficiency or reduce<\/p>\n

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greenhouse emissions. The data could be collected, but much of the analysis was missing until<\/p>\n

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now.<\/p>\n

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Today, developers are creating smart AI algorithms to analyze minute process data. An<\/p>\n

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application could, for example, monitor a system’s energy usage, tracking exactly how much<\/p>\n

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power a production line consumes, and then provide suggestions, such as adjusting the speed<\/p>\n

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of certain motors on specific machines to lower power consumption without affecting product<\/p>\n

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output.<\/p>\n

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Systems with the PROFINET communications protocol, however, will only be able to gain such<\/p>\n

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benefits if they\u2019re using PROFINET as a network.<\/p>\n

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When PROFINET isn\u2019t a network<\/h2>\n

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It\u2019s not uncommon for an operational technology (OT) network using PROFINET to be<\/p>\n

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structured like one or more isolated fieldbus systems. The precursor to PROFINET was<\/p>\n

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PROFIBUS, a fieldbus communication standard for automation that\u2019s still used today and is<\/p>\n

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based on master-device interaction \u2014 where the master has unidirectional control over all<\/p>\n

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devices and processes under it. A basic PROFIBUS system is usually set up in a line, while<\/p>\n

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more advanced configurations that utilize repeaters (like Indu-Sol\u2019s MULTIrep series<\/u><\/a>) can<\/p>\n

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employ star or tree topologies.<\/p>\n

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When the industrial automation industry switched over to using PROFINET for OT networks,<\/p>\n

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many carried over the same philosophy they had used for PROFIBUS. They started building<\/p>\n

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with PROFINET like it was a fieldbus standard, with each PLC acting as a master to a series of<\/p>\n

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devices \u2014 I\/Os, sensors, production machines, etc. This created isolated islands \u2014 segmented<\/p>\n

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sections of devices linked together \u2014 within many systems.<\/p>\n

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For two isolated islands in a fieldbus-designed PROFINET system to exchange data, they need<\/p>\n

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to be connected with a PN\/PN coupler. The coupler works like a normal I\/O device in each<\/p>\n

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segmented section but has to be configured for the specific data transmitted. Each PLC is also<\/p>\n

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connected to an overlaying supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) network to<\/p>\n

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monitor and manage production. And that framework can be scaled up to hundreds of machines<\/p>\n

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with hundreds of PLCS.Isolating the different parts of automated production prevents problems from one system<\/p>\n

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affecting another. But it also hinders access to data for analysis. Applications like the<\/p>\n

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hypothetical power-usage application from earlier are typically cloud-based and integrated<\/p>\n

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through the SCADA network, which connects only to master PLCs in a PROFINET-as-fieldbus<\/p>\n

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situation. And while machines with variable-frequency drives (VFDs) collect many thousands of<\/p>\n

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operational parameters that can be analyzed for energy efficiency, PLCs don\u2019t require them.<\/p>\n

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In a fieldbus-like PROFINET system, the SCADA network and overlaying application cannot<\/p>\n

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directly access data from devices. Necessary information, like data blocks from VFDs, has to be<\/p>\n

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read from the controllers. Collecting that data and forwarding it requires a PN\/PN coupler for<\/p>\n

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every PLC and specific programming \u2014 adding extra costs in time, money, and network loads.<\/p>\n

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Flexible for future applications without reconfiguration<\/h2>\n

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Thankfully, PROFINET doesn\u2019t have to be used like a fieldbus system. In fact, it’s best<\/p>\n

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implemented like an IT network.<\/p>\n

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Using PROFINET as a network can take many different configurations and setups, even ones<\/p>\n

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with a PLC for each series of devices \u2014 with communication between the controllers set up<\/p>\n

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through the I-Device function. Everything just needs to lead to a single switch that connects to<\/p>\n

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the SCADA system. This allows applications, through the overlaying SCADA network, to directly<\/p>\n

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access data from any devices in the OT network, such as VFDs. But it also creates an open<\/p>\n

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system that\u2019s flexible for future applications without requiring reconfiguration.<\/p>\n

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Additionally, even though everything is one big network, proper system integration can<\/p>\n

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prevent issues in one area of the network from affecting another \u2014 the only benefit to setting up<\/p>\n

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separated production lines like isolated fieldbus systems. It also allows integration of OT<\/p>\n

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network security by enabling network administrators to configure access rights and filter traffic.<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s essential for meeting updated cybersecurity requirements of the EU\u2019s upcoming Network<\/p>\n

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and Information Systems Directive 2 \u2014 and something a fieldbus system cannot do.<\/p>\n

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Implementing PROFINET as a Network<\/h2>\n

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Something important to understand and keep in mind is that implementing PROFINET as a<\/p>\n

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network is extremely difficult after <\/em>an OT network has been installed. The increased network<\/p>\n

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load means it needs the right switches and a suitable configuration.<\/p>\n

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Careful design is required from the beginning. You can license software like Indu-Sol\u2019s PROnet<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n

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Plan<\/a><\/u> to simulate network designs and get feedback on where to adjust line depth or add a<\/p>\n

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switch. Or you can hire an automation engineering firm to design it.<\/p>\n

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No matter what, ensuring that a system uses PROFINET as a network enables applications,<\/p>\n

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both current and potential, that can improve any operation with automated production, and<\/p>\n

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doing so when designing a system at the start is crucial to avoid failures and costly rebuilds later<\/p>\n

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on.<\/p>\n

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Have questions or need help designing your PROFINET system as a network? Reach out to us<\/u><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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at Lindh Automation<\/u><\/a> \u2014 we can provide everything you need and be the OT network experts you<\/em><\/p>\n

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turn to for support when you\u2019re designing your network.<\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s an exciting time for the world of automated production. The recent wave of innovation in machine learning and artificial intelligence is enabling new digital applications that can fulfill the promise of Industry 4.0 (or 5.0). For years, the idea of industrial automation networks collecting process data from machines and sensors for analysis has been […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3196,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-allmant"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4152"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4152\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4164,"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4152\/revisions\/4164"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindhautomation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}