In year 2009 PROFIBUS definitively dominated as automation bus. Just a few even thought about using PROFINET in the field. Nevertheless, we were convinced of the product’s success when we developed a PROFIBUS/PROFINET converter integrated in a bus connector in the same year. Meanwhile the connector is a true success story providing thousands of PROFIBUS devices access to PROFINET in just some minutes.
The connector comes at a very attractive price compared to the overall costs of a redesign and certification of an existing device, if its proven PROFIBUS interface is about to be replaced by a corresponding PROFINET interface physically. All this is saved using the connector called “netLINK PROXY” operating according to the official PROXY guideline of the PI user organization. It is simply plugged onto the existing DSUB9 connector of any PROFIBUS device and supplied with 24VDC. A PC software converts the device’s former PROFIBUS GSD file into a PROFINET GSDML file to get the bus master configured. Its Ethernet port serves as configuration and PROFINET interface the same time.
During operation the connector maps the cyclic PROFIBUS I/O data , the DPV1 services and even alarms transparently in PROFINET. Not even PLC programs have to be changed in best case if for example a system was instrumented with Siemens S7 PROFIBUS PLC technology before and is now upgraded to PROFINET. For more info get in touch with Hilscher sales.
