The PROFIBUS (Process Field Bus) is a widely used standard for fieldbus communication in automation technology. It was first promoted in 1989 by a consortium of German companies and is now managed by PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI). Like CC-Link, PROFIBUS is primarily based on the robust RS-485 serial communication standard, making it well-suited for industrial environments. It is designed to provide efficient, real-time communication between central controllers (like PLCs) and distributed field devices on the factory floor.
There are two main variants of PROFIBUS. The most common is PROFIBUS DP (Decentralized Peripherals), which is optimized for fast, cyclic data exchange with sensors and actuators like drives, I/O modules, and programmable power supplies. It is the workhorse for factory automation and machine control. The other variant is PROFIBUS PA (Process Automation), which is designed for use in process industries (like chemical or oil and gas). It uses a different physical layer that is intrinsically safe (can be used in explosive environments) and supplies power to the field devices over the same two-wire cable.
While PROFIBUS has been a dominant standard for decades, its Ethernet-based successor, PROFINET, is now more commonly chosen for new, high-performance systems.
Official website of the PROFIBUS/PROFINET Association (https://www.profibus.com/)