High network load in PROFINET and the consequences: switch to a Gigabit backbone

Network load in PROFINET: why the right switch choice is crucial

The demand for data, automation, and machine digitization is growing exponentially. This is also reflected in the increasing number of PROFINET participants in PLC applications. The result: a significantly higher network load. While standard access-layer switches used to be able to handle this traffic, they are now reaching their limits. Buffers fill up, telegrams are discarded – and network reliability is compromised.

This presentation explains why the transition to a gigabit backbone and distribution-layer switches is indispensable in modern PROFINET networks. Topics covered include:

• the relationship between network load, bandwidth and bus speed;
• how switches work and what limitations they impose on bandwidth;
• the differences between access, distribution, and core switches – and what to use them for;
• important switch parameters, buffer capacity and the phenomenon telegram discards;
• a practical case from logistics that shows what happens when the wrong switch types are used.

Participants will not only receive a theoretical background, but also concrete tools to set up their PROFINET networks efficiently and future-proof.

Speaker on behalf of Prokorment: René Heidl, Indu-Sol GmbH

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