Record growth in installed nodes as PROFINET confidence grows

Paul Boughton
The latest report from PROFIBUS and PROFINET International shows an unprecedented increase in the number of installed nodes - as confidence continues to grow in the compatibility of process automation systems.

PROFINET is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of installed nodes. With 1.6million nodes by the end of 2008, a previously unseen growth rate of 40 per cent was recorded over the 1.1million nodes at the end of 2007.

According to the industrial communications community known as PI - PROFIBUS and PROFINET International - this makes PROFINET the undisputed market leader in Ethernet-based industrial communication. In addition, PI estimates that the number of installed nodes will rise to three million by the end of 2010.

At the same time, PI has also recorded rapid growth in the number of PROFIBUS nodes. In 2007 there were 4.5million, compared with 5million at the end of 2008. This 11 per cent rise represents a total number of installed nodes of over 28.3million. PI predicts the 50million node mark will be passed by the end of 2012.

"This growth reflects the trust of users, who utilise the advantages of PROFIBUS technology over the entire life cycle of their systems. A decisive factor for the constant increase in use is full investment protection and compatibility. This is important due to the long service life of systems, especially in process automation," notes PI.

The fact that industry has also become fully reliant on the advantages of fieldbus technology is evidenced by the increasing number of process automation (PA) devices. By the end of 2008, 880000 PA devices had been installed in the field, which corresponds to 20 per cent growth. The total number of PROFIBUS factory automation (DP) and PA nodes installed in the process industry amounts now to 4.8million.

PI also notes that the size of its market share shows there is a great acceptance of PROFIsafe for use in safety-relevant systems. For example, by the end of 2008, the number of PROFIsafe systems reached 66000 and the number of PROFIsafe devices reached 630000. A recently published study by the ARC currently sees the total market of bus-capable safety devices at 700000 - meaning PROFIsafe has a 90 per cent market share.

In a development on the technology front, PI is providing its members with two new powerful software components for distributing device descriptions based on electronic device description language (EDDL). These include an EDD import library, which supports the development of IEC-compatible EDDs for PROFIBUS PA devices and an interpreter software for these EDDs for use in engineering tools.

Device descriptions based on the EDDL technology are widely used in process automation. The EDD import library is an IEC-compatible library of basic elements which can be used for very efficient development of EDDs for PROFIBUS PA devices. The scope of delivery of the EDD import library also includes the source text files and corresponding documentation with implementation instructions.

An interpreter software is available immediately for processing EDDs in PC-based tools. The interfaces are disclosed and documented where necessary so as to allow easy integration into tools from different suppliers.

The scope of delivery includes the object code of the core interpreter software, a sample client in source code and the required documentation.

The EDD interpreter is also integrated in the testing system for certification of PROFIBUS products, which handles testing of the EDDs.

Other good news for PI comes from its Wireless Cooperation Team (WCT), set up a year ago to progress towards a common wireless interface that supports HART, Foundation Fieldbus, PROFIBUS and PROFINET communications.

Just over a year after its formation, the WCT has achieved a number of milestones toward the development of an interface specification and compliance guidelines to integrate a universally accepted wireless solution into these communications networks. The common interface is intended to make it easier for end-users to take advantage of evolving wireless technologies.

The collaborative effort of the WCT is sponsored by the Fieldbus Foundation, HART Communication Foundation and Profibus Nutzerorganisation to facilitate the acceptance of wireless technology in the manufacturing and process industries worldwide.