PROFIBUS commits to 'millennium fieldbus'

Citation

(2000), "PROFIBUS commits to 'millennium fieldbus'", Assembly Automation, Vol. 20 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2000.03320aab.008

PROFIBUS commits to 'millennium fieldbus'

PROFIBUS commits to "millennium fieldbus"

Keywords: PROFIBUS, Millennium, Fieldbus

PROFIBUS International, the umbrella organisation representing PROFIBUS user groups in 23 countries, has responded positively to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) decisions for completing the IEC 61158 international fieldbus standard. The PROFIBUS community fully supports the decisions, made on 15 June, at an IEC Committee of Action meeting by which a compromise solution allowing amendments to the current technical specification becomes possible.

PROFIBUS International chairman Klaus-Peter Lidner said: "We welcome the compromise of the Committee of Action to include the necessary supplements for profiles, on the basis of different protocols, to the existing specification. We realise that the participating companies and fieldbus organisations have given the possibility to help bring the IEC 61158 standardisation project to a successful conclusion. PROFIBUS International supports this objective in the spirit of trust and co-operation sought by IEC and looks forward to working with SC65C to integrate the PROFIBUS protocol into the IEC 61158 technical specification ... which is a tough challenge - but with goodwill it can be done".

Edgar Kuester, of Siemens, who is chairman of the PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation, based in Karlsruhe, Germany, added; "This offers a new fieldbus future for end users around the world. In recent days I have discussed the situation with many colleagues, both inside my company and from other major PROFIBUS vendors, and it's very clear that everyone is fully in favour of this opportunity. Of course there is a lot of work still to do, but with the energy and support of the PROFIBUS community behind the initiative I can see that a successful outcome suiting all sides is possible".

Appropriate resources are now being co-ordinated and it is anticipated that PROFIBUS will be part of the amended specification, allowing a positive FDIS vote to be completed. PROFIBUS International will issue regular press releases to inform about progress and is confident that a "yes" vote will be confirmed.

In parallel, PROFIBUS International will continue to support open standardisation strategy, in Europe and worldwide, as demanded by end-users who require a variety of fieldbus applications in different industries. PROFIBUS International will also support the inclusion of North American fieldbus technology into European fieldbus standardisation.

Further details from Adrian Chesney, The PROFIBUS Group, 1 West Street, Titchfield, Hants PO14 4DH. E-mail: adrian@fieldbus.com