For the PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V. (PNO), certification is a proven measure for quality control ensuring interoperability in automation systems. An initial version of the certification of PROFINET IO devices has already been established for quite some time. For Conformance Class A full certification of PROFINET IO devices is now available. The certificate for a PROFINET device provides evidence of the quality of the implemented PROFINET interface.

PROFINET devices require certification. Corresponding contact information for accredited PROFINET IO test laboratories is available on the PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) Website at www.profibus.com/pn/support/ptls .

In order to reduce the testing costs associated with development, the PROFINET IO-Tester now offers developers an automated, modular test system. The PROFINET IO-Tester supports the preparation of PROFINET certification tests and particularly contains the automated test cases, which are also used for certification in test laboratories. Apart from the automated tests, the testing experts also perform additional, mostly manual tests for the certification. When using the PROFINET IO-Tester, you can immediately benefit from the extensive knowledge and years of experience of the test laboratory.

The PROFINET IO-Tester can be obtained from both PROFINET test laboratories, ComDeC and itm. Additional information about the tester, a free demo version, prices and a mail order form are available at http://www.pn-tester.de.