AS-Interface: the ideal partner for PROFIBUS, especially for safety.

This paper will introduce the AS-Interface protocol and its associated AS-Interface Safety at Work profile (ASi-Safe). It will briefly show how the excellent field connectivity provided by AS-Interface for low level (ON/OFF) sensors and actuators makes AS-Interface an ideal partner for PROFIBUS in controlling process and factory automation networks. Recent advances in gateway technology allow safety data from AS-Interface to be passed upwards into PROFIBUS, further extending the partnership and satisfying the need for better coordinated safety across wider areas of the plant. The paper will describe how this revolutionary advance has been achieved and explain the benefits for users.

Co-Presenters: Paul Hingley, Siemens A&D and Ken Davies, FSE Ltd