BERLIN, 29 April 2007. The Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group (EPSG) in Berlin is introducing the open POWERLINKsafety protocol, a real-time safety-oriented solution for machine and production automation.

POWERLINKsafety is suitable for cycle times on the microsecond level and for SIL 3 compliant machines and plants. The IEC 61508's definition of this Safety Integrity Level dictates that no more than 10-9 errors per hour may occur; a dangerous condition may be caused by a bus fault only once every 115,000 years on average.

The open protocol ensures safety through special measures during data transfer, which renders double wiring obsolete, thereby reducing material costs and installation efforts. It is independent of the transport protocol and can also be used with other networks, such as CAN.

The optimal basis for POWERLINKsafety, however, is the open real-time communication system POWERLINK which features a strictly deterministic time response, very short cycle times and a low network jitter. Moreover, POWERLINK systems can also be set up for high availability, which allows users to take precautions against malfunctions and install redundant components e.g. in power plant applications.

For more information contact EPSG online at www.ethernet-powerlink.org.