11. Conclusion

In all probability, PROFINET has what it takes to become the industrial Ethernet standard for the field network applications for which it was designed. In fact, these qualities are based on a number of technical, economic and political (in the broadest sense) aspects.

• On the technical side, PROFINET :

  • features high performance with its isochronous mode;

  • is easy to wire and diagnose;

  • is easy to set up and configure;

  • supports the transmission of machine and process safety data;

  • covers all the needs of manufacturing field networks, motion control applications, continuous and discontinuous processes, machine and process safety applications.

  ...