The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) and PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) have delivered on their announcement to allow easy interoperability between CC-Link IE and PROFINET. The new specification builds on an initial announcement from 2015, when both network organisations promised to maximise the transparency between the two protocols. Transparency of integrationPromoting transparency and ease of integration are two of the primary concerns for achieving concepts such as Industry 4.0. Many end users will source production machinery from across the world, which may result in machines in the same plant that communicate via differing protocols. This can lead to increased engineering work to achieve integration, as users are combining heterogeneous architectures that may not necessarily communicate as standard. End users of both networks flagged these challenges to both the CLPA and PI, who reacted quickly via the new cooperation to find solutions. The specification centres on the functionality of a 'coupler' device - which allows transparent communication between CC-Link IE and PROFINET. As a result, both networks can seamlessly share information. This can effectively achieve communication between differing parts of a line on separate networks, hugely increasing transparency and integration. CC-Link IE is the market leader in the Asian Market, while PROFINET enjoys that position in Europe. The new specification will simplify integration and increase freedom of choice for end-users who source production machinery globally. After less than a year of work, the specification will be made available to members of both organisations. It will allow them to develop hardware products to support the new specification. Products expected in 2017Both the CLPA and PI expect to see the first supported products coming to market sometime in 2017, with some partners already showing enthusiasm for the new collaboration. This will effectively mean that the original concerns of end users which sparked the collaboration will have been addressed in under two years, displaying both organisations' commitment to addressing users' needs. Go here for CC-Link networking from 999 Mitsuishi
