The PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI) association is one of the largest automation organizations in the world and is responsible for PROFIBUS and PROFINET, two important automation technologies.

Rheonics is a member of the PI association as a vendor of hardware, software, and PROFINET-compatible systems. Check our membership at this link: Members

Rheonics provides detailed user manuals and technical support for integration. Our PROFINET-compatible sensors can be easily integrated into PROFINET networks thanks to our support portal's guidelines and steps. In addition, our experienced engineering team can assist with installation and configuration to ensure successful integration into your PROFINET network on time. Visit our Support portal for more information on PROFINET Protocol: PROFINET

Figure 1. PROFINET partnership between The PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI) association and Rheonics

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. How does this partnership benefit your process?
2. What is the PROFINET protocol?
3. How does the PROFINET protocol work?
4. Rheonics process viscometer and density meters have native Profinet support
5. Rheonics Expertise
6. What is available over PROFINET?
7. Resources
8. References

1. How does this partnership benefit your process?

PROFINET offers these advantages for the viscosity and density monitoring:

Flexibility: PROFINET IO accommodates the current plant setup by incorporating versatile line, ring, and star structures, thereby negating the necessity for costly bespoke alternatives. This solution relies entirely on standard Ethernet, facilitating seamless integration of wired and wireless transmission physics. Consequently, WLAN and Bluetooth communication can be seamlessly integrated into the solution, even for real-time data.
Increased availability: PROFINET IO incorporates redundancy measures, encompassing IT-based network redundancy and seamless switchover operations for rapid control processes, as well as control system redundancy for uninterrupted process-related applications. Furthermore, a versatile diagnostics concept provides crucial information about network topology and the status of all devices, ensuring cross-vendor, location-specific diagnostics. The inclusion of mechanisms for preventive diagnostics enhances overall system availability.
Uniform integration on fieldbus systems: To incorporate current device structures with fieldbuses, the modular device model of PROFINET IO has undergone standardization through fieldbus-specific proxy specifications. This guarantees uniform addressing, parameter assignment, and diagnostics for the underlying fieldbus network.
Enabler for Industrie 4.0: The future-proof structure of PROFINET enables the implementation of industrial 4.0 applications today. Emerging technologies like TSN can be seamlessly integrated and employed.

2. What is the PROFINET protocol?

PROFINET is an open industrial Ethernet system based on international standards and part of IEC 61158 / IEC 61784-2, which defines what the signal looks like on the wire and what the medium accessing the wire has to do, it also uses industrial Ethernet as the physical layer (defined by IEEE802.3). It is a real-time communication protocol, meaning that devices can exchange data in real time with minimal delays. It is also a deterministic protocol, meaning that data is exchanged with predictable latency.

Using PROFINET, components can communicate cyclically or acyclically, and exchange diagnostics, safety functions, alarms, and additional information. As a communication medium, PROFINET uses Ethernet to link all of those components. PROFINET components can be connected within a network alongside other Ethernet protocols such as OPC UA, SNMP, MQTT, or HTTP, which can be used to complement PROFINET.

3. How does the PROFINET protocol work?

PROFINET can utilize TCP/IP or UDP/IP communication for tasks that are not time-critical, such as configuration and parameterization. However, due to the introduced latency and jitter associated with IP-based communication, this approach is not suitable for time-critical operations.

To address time-critical applications, PROFINET implements a real-time channel, ensuring the rapid and deterministic delivery of data.

Here's how PROFINET real-time functions: Standard Ethernet frames include a field known as EtherType, indicating the protocol type.

PROFINET real-time communication is configured with an EtherType of 0×8892. Upon reaching the destination node, the frame is promptly directed to the PROFINET application. The data travels directly from Ethernet Layer 2 to PROFINET Layer 7, bypassing the TCP/IP layers and circumventing potential variability in processing time. Consequently, communication speed and determinism experience a significant enhancement.

Figure 2. PROFINET transportation layer.

4. Rheonics process viscometer and density meters have native Profinet support

In diverse automation applications, PROFINET plays a pivotal role by ensuring smooth communication between an array of field devices and the central control system, with a special emphasis on its integration with PLCs.

Rheonics process automation sensors with PROFINET communication facilitates remote access to comprehensive device diagnostics and configurations, resulting in swift decision-making, reduced downtime, and an overall enhancement of system efficiency.

Having profinet directly on the sensor removes the need for using converters and infield programming. Now customers can drop the GDSML file directly on the PLC and start communicating over profinet with the Rheonics sensor on their industrial network.

5. Rheonics Expertise

A few typical applications where our customers are using PROFINET protocol are:

Transmission of density (weight) of drilling mud over PROFINET.
The viscosity of batter mix that is applied to various appetizer food products.
Plywood glue manufacturing and application - measure and transmit viscosity and temperature of glue.
Measure and transmit viscosity in the process for water-based ink.
Measure and transmit the density, viscosity, and temperature of ceramic slurry from the slurry drum to the PLC and SCADA system in shell rooms.
Monitoring and transmission of density, viscosity, and temperature to SCADA system over PROFINET in Processing plants for food production as well as in the beverage industry and dairies
Automation and control for water/wastewater treatment uses PLC with PROFINET communication to get sewage water density and viscosity for nitrification, polyelectrolyte, and calamity detection.
and many more.

6. What is available over PROFINET?

All measurements from the Rheonics inline process density meter and viscosity meter are accessible over profinet. This includes density, viscosity, kinematic viscosity, and temperature.

We also offer advanced calculation models for compensated viscosity, compensated density, and concentration which can be transmitted over PROFINET along with the line measurements. Learn how you can get °API, °Baume, compensated viscosity, and density using the onboard MATHS engine > Measurements