Fluid control specialist Bürkert has become an official Siemens Product Partner for Siemen’s SIMATIC Automation Systems. The new partnership will extend integration capabilities for OEMs and end users with a focus on valve islands for process industries. Following decades of partnership between the German brands, the new agreement means Bürkert hardware and software is fully integrated within the Siemen’s SIMATIC ecosystem.
The partnership enables closer design integration between Bürkert’s valve islands, featuring an assembly of multiple valves in a compact unit with shared communication, and Siemens remote I/O systems. Compatibility in hardware, software, and communications integration will achieve simplified and faster project engineering, with a shared look and feel enhancing confidence for end users. The combined development is also supported by optimised diagnostics and comprehensive redundancy functions designed to increase process reliability and plant availability. Long-term investment security is also provided thanks to guaranteed software updates and spare parts supply.
Bürkert valve islands
The combined development partnership provides particular advantages for customers in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and food & beverage industries, which demand precise fluid control within highly regulated environments. The integrated automation solutions will also cover ATEX classified areas (zones 1 and 2).
Products featuring in the programme include Bürkert’s Type 8647 AirLINE SP valve island, specifically developed for integration into Siemen’s SIMATIC ET 200SP and 200SP HA plus the Siemens PCS7 distributed control system. Product development cooperation also covers explosion-proof areas, including Bürkert’s Airline Ex Type 8650 for use in potentially explosive areas (Zone 1/21) that can be teamed with Siemens SIMATIC ET 200iSP I/O system for hazardous area use.
The Bürkert and Siemens combined systems include fully integrated pneumatics within a compact cabinet, and Bürkert’s AirLINE Quick, an integrated valve island mounting and connection system, which can integrate up to 48 valve functions. To optimise ease of use, hot-swap valve installation across Bürkert’s valve island range enables rapid valve replacement during operation.
Integrated hardware, software, and communications
The product partner agreement also helps process industry customers optimise functional safety with features including valve cut-off with pilot valve and valve slot shutdown.
Full software integration between the brands includes Siemens PC7 controller function blocks for pneumatic modules, such as automatic configuration of diagnostics. Ensuring seamless communications compatibility, the solutions communicate over PROFINET as well as PROFIBUS DPis in hazardous areas.
“For OEMs, the Siemens and Bürkert partnership achieves faster and easier development, particularly within highly regulated sectors such as pharmaceutical, biotech, and food & beverage production,” says Damien Moran, Bürkert’s Business Development Manager for Pharmaceutical. “End users in these sectors are also given improved value thanks to safer, more reliable systems that ultimately help to increase productivity.”
