Written by Tony Deane, Technical Manager-  Control Systems

Does your company deploy Profinet as its automation network?

Do you have multiple sites adopting this standard, including overseas?

Phoenix Contact can help you to dramatically improve communication, efficiency and overall transparency across sites both nationally and internationally. Here’s how:

Since joining Phoenix Contact 4 years ago, the one thing that has always struck me is the accuracy of our motto “Inspiring Innovations”. We are constantly developing products to innovate and improve our customers’ products and processes .

Never has this motto been more apt than when speaking about The Proficloud.

Developed by Phoenix Contact Proficloud is essentially  “The Innovative combination of automation and cloud technology”.

Proficloud uses the internet as the network medium on which to deploy decentralised Profinet devices from one control system using Transport Layer Security encryption (TLS encryption) across borders.

The Profinet Industrial Ethernet standard enables a variety of solutions to be implemented, from mechanical engineering and production engineering, to process and building automation, to the entire spectrum of drive technology. The data transfer standard even allows implementation of motion-control applications, which require isochronous operation.

The Proficloud technology from Phoenix Contact now connects Profinet networks securely across the internet.

Proficloud is expanding the communication standard to include the unlimited capabilities of the World Wide Web. This brings into play all of the powerful innovations of web based technology into the automation environment.

Things such as the implementation of virtual devices for global data logging for continuous improvement and efficiency or weather data (wind speed is one example) for the Wind and Solar industries. Complicated calculations can now be done via virtual devices assigned to a particular device, but handled by the Proficloud.

The integration of smart devices for rapid operator intervention is another way that Proficloud uses web based technology to enhance production and information exchange instantly across national borders or across different manufacturing sites of a company.

When it comes to “Internet of things” within the Automation and Process industry, Proficloud has a big part to play!

The implementation of Proficloud is a surprisingly simple process that I will be more than happy to demonstrate!

Here are some of the advantages of Proficloud:

• Profinet network can be extended to include Cloud services, without requiring any further specialist knowledge.
• Maximum flexibility, thanks to automation across borders via the internet.
• Easy engineering distributed devices appear in the local Profinet network.
• Secure communication, thanks to TLS encryption.

https://youtu.be/LeCLUgXUBik

For more information, contact Tony on 07824 437393 or email tdeane@phoenixcontact.com