PROFIsafe

PROFIsafe is a safety technology designed to enable safety functions within standard industrial networks. It is an extension of the PROFIBUS and PROFINET communication protocols, allowing safety-related data to be transmitted alongside standard process data on the same network infrastructure. This integration eliminates the need for separate safety-dedicated wiring, simplifying installation and reducing costs.

The core principle of PROFIsafe is to ensure the integrity of safety signals through a robust mechanism that detects transmission errors and device failures. It achieves this by incorporating safety-specific mechanisms within the data frames, such as checksums, sequence numbers, and acknowledgments. These elements allow a safety monitoring device (safety PLC) to verify that the data received is exactly as it was sent and that it originated from the correct source.

PROFIsafe is designed to meet stringent safety standards, including IEC 61508 and its industry-specific derivatives like ISO 13849 and IEC 62061. This means that systems utilizing PROFIsafe can achieve various Safety Integrity Levels (SIL) or Performance Levels (PL), depending on the application's risk assessment. The technology is widely adopted in various industries, including manufacturing, automotive, and process control, for applications such as emergency stop functions, safety gates, and light curtains. Its open nature and interoperability with different manufacturers' safety devices contribute to its widespread use.