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Or go straight to a type of component: Switches · Security · Wireless · Gateways and couplers · Monitoring and troubleshooting
Your expert for PROFINET and industrial networks
Helmholz supplies the components and the knowledge for a robust industrial network: cable, connectors, switches, repeaters, wireless links, firewalls and gateways for PROFINET, PROFIBUS, Industrial Ethernet, CAN, IO-Link and MQTT.
- Official PI Competence Center (PICC) for PROFINET and PROFIBUS in the Netherlands
- Network design, commissioning and certification according to the PI guidelines
- Troubleshooting on site, with a report on the cause and advice for a reliable network
- Training, workshops and webinars for your own engineers
PROFINET
Our core expertise. Everything for a PROFINET network that meets the PI guidelines, from the cable to diagnostics.
Network components
diagnose
PROFIBUS
Still the backbone of many plants. Repeaters, connectors and testers keep PROFIBUS DP running; couplers and gateways connect it to PROFINET.
Network components
diagnose
Industrial Ethernet
Unmanaged switches from 100 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s and PoE, IP67 versions, connectors and patch cables, Ethernet barriers and WLAN access points.
CAN bus
CAN and CANopen: gateways to PROFINET, CAN for S7 controllers, bridges, wireless links, connectors and testers.
Cabling
Network components
Diagnose
IO-Link
IO-Link Wireless connects sensors and actuators without cable, with masters for PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT.
IO-Link Wireless
MQTT
From the PLC to IT systems and the cloud: an MQTT broker and a coupler that publishes PROFINET data via MQTT.
Products
Background
Switches
The FLEXtra® family: managed PROFINET switches and unmanaged Ethernet switches, in Slim, Flat, Stage and IP67 designs. From a 5-port switch for a small cabinet to 16 ports with fibre.
Managed PROFINET switches
The switch is a PROFINET device itself: it appears in the topology and reports port diagnostics to the controller.
FLEXtra SLIM PROFINET-Switch, managed – 8 port
Minimal width on the mounting rail.
FLEXtra STAGE PROFINET-Switch FO – 10-Port
Stepped cable outlet and SFP slots for fibre.
Unmanaged switches
For simple machine networks. In a PROFINET network, use an unmanaged switch that meets at least Conformance Class A.
FLEXtra SLIM Ethernet-Switch unmanaged 5-Ports
100 Mbit/s, for the smallest control cabinets.
FLEXtra IP67 Unmanaged Ethernet IP67 Switch 8-ports
M12 ports, for mounting outside the cabinet.
Fibre, SPE and APL
SFP modules for fibre up to 40 km, Single Pair Ethernet up to 1000 m, and Ethernet-APL for PROFINET in process plants.
FLEXtra SLIM SPE-Switch, unmanaged
4x 10BASE-T1L with PoDL power supply.
aplSwitch Field
Ethernet-APL field switch for process automation.
Managed or unmanaged?
Managed – the switch takes part in the PROFINET network. In the topology view you see which device sits on which port, and a broken cable is reported as a port diagnostic. What you want when you need to find faults quickly.
Unmanaged – the switch only forwards traffic and needs no configuration. Simple and affordable, but invisible to diagnostics: a fault behind the switch only shows up as devices that drop out.
Security
Connect a machine network to the production network without IP address conflicts, with a packet filter in between. The WALL IE family follows the zones-and-conduits approach of IEC 62443.
WALL IE
4 ports, 100 Mbit/s. NAT, port forwarding and packet filter.
WALL IE Compact
2 ports, 100/1000 Mbit/s, quick to configure via the web interface.
WALL IE Plus
8 freely configurable ports, 100/1000 Mbit/s, with user administration.
Wireless
Where cables wear out or cannot be laid: rotating machine parts, cranes, AGVs. Choose the wireless solution by protocol.
PROFINET and PROFIsafe
dataeagle 473x and BlitzFunk, also for openSAFETY.
PROFIBUS
Dataeagle 3000 Compact and X-treme.
CAN bus
DATAEAGLE 6000 Compact and X-Treme.
IO-Link Wireless
netFIELD masters for PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT.
Wireless I/O
Transmit I/O signals without cable.
Antennas and cables
Bluetooth and 869 MHz antennas, plus explosion-proof antenna couplers.
Gateways and couplers
A coupler exchanges data between two controllers on different networks; a gateway connects devices on another protocol to your controller.
Selection tool
Find the right gateway or coupler
Choose two protocols and see which products connect them: PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, Modbus, CANopen, MQTT and more.
Monitoring and troubleshooting
Solving a problem right now, or catching problems before they stop production? Our network diagnostics page helps you choose the right tool.
Network diagnostics
Troubleshooting and monitoring
Frequently asked questions
Which PROFINET cable type do I need?
Type A for fixed installation, Type B for occasional movement, and Type C for continuous movement such as drag chains. Not sure? Send us the application and we will advise.
Is 1 Gbit/s suitable for PROFINET?
It can be, for example for a backbone or for combining PROFINET with other traffic. Read the benefits and risks in 1 Gbit/s for PROFINET.
Can I order components online?
Yes, most infrastructure components are in our online shop. See the webshop FAQ for ordering and delivery.
Help with your network design
As PI Competence Center we check network designs against the PI guidelines, commission and certify PROFINET and PROFIBUS networks, and troubleshoot on site. Tell us what you are building and we will help you choose the right components. Prefer to do it yourself? Join one of our trainings and workshops.