Maintaining ProfiNet Communication

Is there any way I can set up a ProfiNet communication with a Siemens PLC while still being connected to my laptop via network? I’m just new to this and I’m trying to build an application that requires real time communication between the robot and the PLC. I don’t think Modbus is a viable option because is not real time. If someone has any idea how can i solve this I would really appreciate it. Or has any other setup alternative ideas where I can maintain a network connection with the laptop while sending real time data, at high frequency to a PLC. Trying to sync the robot tool speed with an external device. Thanks!

Here you have a video of how to connect to a robot and a PLC.
I think you can connect to both of them and still use your laptop on the same network to monitor what is happening.

If you prefer to control the robot from the laptop, here there is a series of using the RTDE (Real Time Data Exchange) interface with Python.

1 Like

Hei, Thank you for your response! The thing is, I already set up RTDE and used it to do some motion control with the Python scripts. And now as soon as I enable Profinet on the teach pendant it automatically disables the network (“Screen is locked by PROFINET/PROFISafe”), and so the connection to the laptop. Therefore, if i want to use RTDE again for example, I must turn off the profinet so i can reconfigure the ip and everything on the teach pendant. What I’m trying to do is control the robot from the laptop via network using python scripts and at the same time exchange data with a PLC via profinet. I’m on to solving it this week, or find and alternative. Thanks for the videos.

Hi David,

“Screen is locked by PROFINET/PROFISafe” so far so good.

At the moment you activate Profinet it blocks the network settings which is necessary due to the fact that our robot is an PN IO Device.

So after activating PN you will have to give to assign the robot a PN name and also an IP over your preferred PLC.
After the robot is assigned with your IP and Name you can easily connect to RTDE as before.