PROFINET is the first integrated Industrial Ethernet Standard for automation, and utilizes the advantages of Ethernet and TCP/IP for open communication from the corporate management level to the process itself.

PROFINET CBA divides distributed, complex applications into autonomous units of manageable size. Existing fieldbuses such as PROFIBUS and AS-Interface can be integrated using so-called proxies. This permits separate and cross-vendor development, testing and commissioning of individual plant sections prior to the integration of the solution as a whole.

PROFINET IO, with its particularly fast real-time communication, fulfills all demands currently placed on the transmission of process data and enables easy integration of existing fieldbus systems. Isochronous real-time (IRT) is used for isochronous communication in motion control applications.

PROFINET depends on established IT standards for network management and teleservice. Particulary to automation control engineering it offers a special security concept. Special industrial network technology consisting of active network components, cables and connection systems, together with recommendations for installation, complete the concept.

This book serves as an introduction to PROFINET technology. Configuring engineers, commissioning engineers and technicians are given an overview of the concept and the fundamentals they need to solve PROFINET-based automation tasks. Technical relationships and practical applications are described using SIMATIC products as example.