March 10, 2025, Beijing, China – Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a global leader in semiconductor solutions, today announced the launch of its certified PROFINET IRT (Isochronous Real-Time) and PROFIdrive software protocol stack for its RZ/T and RZ/N series industrial network system microprocessors (MPUs). The initial version of this new software protocol stack is designed for the RZ/T2M MPU, specifically tailored for servo motor control applications, as well as the RZ/N2L, aimed at industrial IoT gateway applications such as remote I/O or industrial Ethernet devices.
The released software protocol stack is Renesas’ first certified PROFINET software solution supporting PROFINET IRT and PROFIdrive. PROFINET, as the mainstream industrial Ethernet protocol for automation systems, facilitates high-speed communication among industrial automation devices. Among them, PROFINET IRT, as the highest performance level, ensures the precision and timeliness of data transmission, making it particularly suitable for real-time applications such as servo drives and motion control systems, and is widely used in manufacturing, robotics, and process control fields that require real-time operations.
Mohamed Dogar, Vice President of Embedded Processing Business at Renesas Electronics, stated, “We are excited to provide comprehensive industrial Ethernet system support for the RZ/T and RZ/N series MPUs. With the launch of our advanced network protocol stack integration, we expect to further accelerate the outstanding market performance of the RZ/T and RZ/N MPU series. Additionally, as a market-leading industrial network protocol, we are thrilled to integrate Siemens’ PROFINET IRT device development toolkit into Renesas products, delivering a superior product experience for users.”
Efrossini Tsouchnika, Vice President of Control Business at Siemens Digital Industries, also commented, “The collaboration with Renesas has yielded exciting results. By adopting the Siemens PROFINET device development kit, Renesas has successfully launched the first certified PROFINET IRT solution. Industrial sector customers can now enjoy seamless integration options provided by Renesas within the PROFINET ecosystem. We look forward to deepening our collaboration as Renesas continues its steadfast investment in the future iterations of PROFINET technology.”
Renesas’ certified PROFINET IRT software protocol stack encompasses all the essential features required for industrial device communication, including PROFINET RT (Real-Time) communication, cyclic data exchange with PROFINET IO controllers, diagnostics, process and status alarm handling, hot-plug alarms, IP address and device name assignment, fast startup functionality, shared device support, media redundancy (MRP), and system redundancy (S2).
Furthermore, the implementation of PROFIdrive allows variable frequency drives, servo motors, and other motion control devices to be seamlessly integrated into automation systems, ensuring efficient communication and operation. It standardizes data exchange between devices, providing critical parameters such as speed, torque, and position, which are essential for precise control of drives. Additionally, PROFIdrive supports real-time communication via PROFINET IRT and conventional Ethernet communication, making it flexible for various industrial applications.
Renesas has also implemented certified PROFIdrive application examples for application class 4, including the implementation of drive objects with speed setpoint interfaces, cyclic data exchange of standard messages 1, 2, and 3, non-cyclic data exchange of PROFIdrive parameter channels, PROFIdrive diagnostic functions, PROFIdrive general state machines, PROFIdrive encoder channels and their corresponding encoder state machines, as well as simulation of drive control systems.
At the upcoming Embedded World 2025 exhibition to be held in Nuremberg, Germany, from March 11 to 13, Renesas will showcase its PROFINET IRT solutions at Booth 234 in Hall 1.
Currently, the binary version of the PROFINET software protocol stack for RZ/T2M and RZ/N2L is available for evaluation on the Renesas website. Customers can obtain commercial use licenses directly from Renesas without third-party involvement.
About Renesas Electronics: As a global microcontroller supplier, Renesas Electronics is committed to integrating expertise in embedded processing, analog, power, and connectivity to provide complete semiconductor solutions that accelerate time-to-market for automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT applications, empowering billions of connected smart devices to improve people’s work and lifestyles. For more information, please visit renesas.com.
