Posted to News on 15th May 2017, 15:12
PROFINET test system - quality is the goal
In order to provide optimal support to the members of PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) for development of new PROFINET devices, PI offers various software tools. These tools are available to all members to download from the PI webpage free of charge. For the testing accompanying certification of the interfaces of PROFINET devices, PI offers the PROFINET test bundle. This test tool supports a mostly automated and user-friendly validation of a new development for compliance with the PROFINET specification.
The heart of this is ART (Automated Real-Time Tester), which was developed at the University of Applied Sciences in Amberg, Germany. With ART, the essential PROFINET features are divided into manageable blocks and processed automatically, test case by test case. It is preferable to use the test tool in device development in a targeted fashion in order to prepare optimally for certification testing in an accredited PI Test Laboratory.
The test tool, which consists of a test framework and a set of test cases, provides not only run-time components, but also source code for the individual test cases and detailed test case specifications. This gives PI members a powerful tool which can be adapted in detail to user-specific requirements. For optimal support of efficient development, an interface is also provided with which the tool can be integrated smoothly into the user's own test environment and executed automatically.
More information on PI's PROFINET technology can be found at www.profinet.com.
