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Profibus, first developed in 1989, has evolved over the last
20 years to become the world's most successful fieldbus protocol.
Soon, the cost-savings and networking potential of the new
protocol became evident. A supportive infrastructure emerged within the
automation community comprising of vendors, developers, system integrators,
marketers and end users -- each with a common interest to ensure the long-term
viability of the Profibus technology.
The glue that holds this support network together is Profibus
International (PI), the largest automation community in the world. No other
automation fieldbus organisation has the same kind of global influence and reach.
The 25 regional Profibus associations around the world
representing PI are responsible for all marketing, support and technical
activities linked to the PROFIBUS and PROFINET brands and technologies.
Featured prominently among these activities are technical
support and a range of commercial services that end users periodically
require to ensure the smooth operation of their commercial investment
in Profibus.
The Profibus Association of Australia was established as a
Regional Profibus Association (not for profit) in 2002, and it is their mandate
to facilitate a network of training (PITC) and support (PICC) centres across
the continent and simultaneously marketing the benefits of the technology to
all automation markets.
In Australia, the Profibus International Competence Centre (PICC)
was established in partnership with Tyco Flow Control Pacific to supply these
technical services.
The Sydney-based PICC has qualified Profibus experts on stand-by
to answer troubleshooting questions relating to all technical issues. On-site
visits can also be arranged at short notice.
The PICC is Australia's only Competence Centre fully accredited
by PI and therefore qualified to offer installation certification and commissioning
services. This ensures that networks comply with international standards and work
properly before commissioning.
The automation centre located at Tyco's Smithfield offices has a
Test Laboratory for certification of Profibus devices. This enables vendors to have
their products tested on Profibus compatibility.
The centre also contains a wide variety of control systems and
instrumentation for potential Profibus users and suppliers to become acquainted with
the technology using their devices of choice in a user-friendly environment.
The interactive model demonstrates the flexibility and ease with
which instruments seamlessly transfer data between Profibus DP (Distributed
Peripherals) and Profibus PA (Process Automation), and from instruments to control
systems and back.
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