Profibus is now a US$50 billion market worldwide and dominates all sectors of industrial automation. In deciding whether to use fieldbus technology or not, and which platform to select, users are influenced by the differences in functionality, availability of devices and support infrastructure. A user can currently choose from more than 2,500 individual devices with Profibus connectivity. With over 1,400 members, significant infrastructure for technical support, product development and training, Profibus has established itself as the world’s leading fieldbus communication protocol. Profibus celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and is firmly entrenched as the world’s most popular fieldbus technology.
The demand for intelligent automation is growing rapidly in Australia and throughout Asia Pacific. It is no surprise that Profibus is a key component in the successful uptake of intelligent automation and the ongoing maintenance of a manufacturing plant. The Profibus International Competence Centre (PICC) was set up to offer technical support in the spread of Profibus technology throughout the region. The PICC assists companies in new product development and provides technical support for Profibus manufacturers and users. The PICC is able to provide system design, fault diagnosis, design verification, demonstrations of interoperability of products and a comprehensive range of certified training programmes.
Tyco Flow Control has been accredited as the first PICC in Australia. The Centre’s support framework includes the availability of Profibus experts, hardware equipment from various vendors and system test lab operations. The PICC is strictly vendor independent, providing an independent service for the implementation of Profibus technology.