Reliable and highly available automation systems: PROFINET S2 system redundancy with Hilscher
What do I need system redundancy for?
Which redundancy mechanisms does PROFINET offer?
S1 redundancy:
PROFINET S1 does not actually describe a special redundancy configuration, but rather the conventional PROFINET standard. This means that one IO device has a PROFINET interface that can establish a communication relationship with one controller.
S2 redundancy:
With S2 redundancy, an IO device also has exactly one PROFINET interface, which can however establish up to two communication relationships with two redundant IO controllers. Data is usually exchanged via the primary connection. However, if this connection is faulty, data is exchanged via the backup controller.
R1 redundancy:
In this configuration, an IO device has two PROFINET interfaces, each of which is connected to a controller. If the primary connection fails, the same interface does not switch to the second controller, but the IO device switches to the second interface.
R2 redundancy:
R2 system redundancy combines the approaches of S2 and R1. The IO device therefore has two PROFINET interfaces, each of which has two communication relationships to redundant controllers. Depending on the type of system error, the connection is always restored via the fastest possible communication relationship.
PROFINET redundancy in action
Yokogawa Electric, a leading company in integrated plant production control systems, has implemented S2 redundancy for their PROFINET IO controller by adopting Hilscher's comX embedded module, thereby improving the operation rate of the plant.
S2 system redundancy: the efficient all-rounder
PROFINET S2 system redundancy with Hilscher
Hilscher offers a netX PROFINET firmware for device applications that require PROFINET S2 system redundancy. This means that devices that use the netX 51, netX 90 and netX 100 communication controllers and products based on them (e.g. PC cards from the cifX family or embedded modules such as netJACK or comX) as network interfaces can be integrated into redundant systems with minimal effort.
In relation to the low investment, companies benefit in many ways from upgrading their standard devices to redundant counterparts. The advantages include
- Increased system availability: Redundancy minimizes downtime as the system automatically switches to the secondary controller if one controller fails.
- Reduced maintenance costs: As the systems are still operational, maintenance work can be carried out without haste, reducing the cost and effort of emergency maintenance.
- Fast recovery from faults: The automatic switchover to the secondary controller enables fast recovery from faults, which increases productivity and reduces downtime.
- Increased safety and reliability: The use of system redundancy minimizes the risk of a complete system failure, which is particularly important in safety-critical applications.
- Flexible adaptation to network requirements: S2 redundancy allows networks to be flexibly adapted to specific requirements and environments, providing a customized solution for various industrial applications.
By using PROFINET S2 system redundancy, companies can therefore significantly improve the availability and reliability of their production systems, leading to an increase in efficiency and a reduction in downtime costs.
Related links
From turn-key products to highly integrated solutions and complementary software, Hilscher is your partner for industrial communication. Get an overview of how we can help you take the networking of your machines to a whole new level!
PROFINET IRT not only requires short cycle times, but also deterministic behavior. Industrial networks must therefore meet certain requirements. Find out more about PROFINET IRT with netX from Hilscher here!
