Case Study: PROFINET at Magna Powertrain Under Control

Magna Powertrain lacked sufficient visibility and detail about PROFINET communication on production lines running 24/7. With ongoing digitalization and data collection from production, they no longer wanted to troubleshoot outages by “trial and error.” They wanted to quickly identify the root cause of issues or prevent them altogether, see the live topology, keep event logs, and monitor whether errors were accumulating anywhere.

After comparing two competing solutions, OT technician Igor Olexa from Magna PT chose a combined toolkit for PROFINET as the best option:

• Atlas2 Plus for permanent monitoring
• TAP adapter for communication monitoring
• PNT Tool software for fast, mobile, targeted diagnostics

Result? Complete visibility across production, faster root-cause analysis, and oversight of previously “blind” network spots.

Today, Igor Olexa, the maintenance team led by Roland Roob, and the plant’s IT department have a current network overview, event history, and an improved intervention process. Ten Atlas analyzers run continuously; another Atlas and the PNT Tool are deployed wherever needed.

Customer: Magna Powertrain Kechnec near Košice – production and testing of transmissions and electric drives. Magna Powertrain is a division of Magna International and a long-term premium supplier of powertrain systems for the global automotive industry—from design and development through manufacturing to testing.

Technologies: Industrial Ethernet—PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus, Atlas2 (permanent monitoring), TAP adapter (passive diagnostics), PNT Tool (advanced diagnostics).

Challenge

• Incidents on PROFINET were handled ad hoc, without broader context
• No global view of the network: who was connected where, where loops/rings were, what was critical
• No permanent event log, making root-cause analysis difficult after the fact
• Blind spots between series-connected PLCs and upper-level systems remained unchecked
• Lack of specialists focused specifically on communication layers

“With basic PLC diagnostics the devices were functional, but data exchange did not occur. We couldn’t see what other connections—bypasses and problems—existed.” — Igor Olexa, Magna Powertrain

Solution

• Tool comparison: We loaned a kit for active and passive diagnostics (“yellow case”). Compared with an alternative, the Atlas2 + PNT Tool combo won thanks to easy, fast installation, a clear UI, and overall user-friendliness.
  
• PROFINET training: Magna’s OT technician completed training at FOXON. He gained confidence evaluating data from Atlas and PNT Tool and understands protocol context. The know-how was translated into standard operating procedures for using the tools and for setting communication parameters for higher robustness.
• Infrastructure: Gradual replacement of unmanaged switches with managed ones. The investment paid back through faster outage resolution and prevention—which would have been impossible without network visibility.
• Standardized procedures: Unified workflows and OT↔IT alignment based on shared data

“FOXON’s products were easier to install, clearer, and user-friendly. Support from the FOXON team and Key Account Manager Rastislav Rudavský were also decisive factors.” — Igor Olexa

How Does Atlas2 Plus Ensure Flawless Network Operation?

Atlas2 Plus combines two key measurement methods to provide a comprehensive, detailed picture of a PROFINET industrial network’s health.

1. Active network testing

• Principle: Atlas2 simply connects to any free port and periodically queries all devices in the network via SNMP. It actively collects key data on their status and configuration.
• What you see: A detailed map (topology) of the entire network with port-to-port links; IP and MAC addresses; firmware versions; data throughputs; uptime of each node; counts of damaged or dropped packets per port; and much more. These data are crucial for detecting overloaded devices or damaged cables.

2. Passive communication analysis

• Principle: Using an external TAP adapter inserted at the busiest part of the network (typically between a PLC and the first switch), Atlas2 non-intrusively “listens” to all communication without affecting the network. Every packet is timestamped for detailed analysis.
• What you see: You uncover timing problems such as jitter (variation in delay), assess the stability of data cycles, and capture all PROFINET alarms that may indicate an impending issue. In the event of a PROFINET alarm or another detected communication problem, a trace can be recorded for later deep analysis, e.g., in Wireshark.
• Service functions: Remote service actions such as renaming a device, changing its IP address, or flashing its LED for easy physical identification in a cabinet.

Thanks to these two methods, you see not only who is connected where, but also how stable and high-quality the communication is. The investment pays back quickly via faster troubleshooting and, above all, prevention—confirmed by customer experience.

What Can PNT Tool Do?

While Atlas2 is primarily for continuous monitoring, PNT Tool is a top-tier software analyzer for fast, mobile, targeted PROFINET diagnostics directly from a laptop. Like Atlas2, it combines active and passive methods to provide a comprehensive health check of the network. The program is licensed via a USB dongle, allowing installation on multiple PCs; active measurements run on the PC where the dongle is plugged in.

1. Active mode: Network inventory & checks

   Connect the laptop with PNT Tool to any free network port. The tool actively polls all devices (using SNMP) and collects detailed information, yielding:

   • A list of all PROFINET and non-PROFINET stations in the network, including names, IP/MAC addresses, device types, order numbers, serial numbers, and firmware versions
   • Detailed topology: Graphical visualization of the full network topology with port-to-port links showing who is connected where
   • Error/load statistics: Counts of damaged/dropped packets per port, data throughputs (with color warnings at high loads), and each station’s uptime
   • Service functions: Remote actions such as renaming a device, changing its IP, or flashing its LED for physical identification in a control cabinet

2. Passive mode: Real-time communication analysis

In passive mode, PNT Tool listens to all network traffic, typically on the busiest link between the PLC (IO-Controller) and the rest of the network. Two connection options:

1. Mirrored switch port: A quick, simple option for basic orientation. Provides ~80% accuracy and is ideal for rapid checks of PROFINET alarms and data cycles without physically touching the cabling.
2. TAP adapter: For 100% accurate analysis, insert a TAP between the PLC and the first switch. It copies all traffic without altering data flow and ensures exact packet timing—crucial for jitter measurements.

Passive analysis reveals timing and stability issues:

• PROFINET alarms: Captures and lists all alarms indicating potential device problems.
• Cycle stability & jitter: Measures stability of data cycles and detects jitter that can cause communication drops (TAP required for precise jitter measurement).
• Network load & packet types: Shows a load graph and statistics on packet types and directions.
• Packet capture: Records traces for deep-dive analysis later (e.g., in Wireshark).

For everyday, rapid troubleshooting, a combination of active analysis and passive measurement via a mirror port has proven effective—giving a comprehensive view without disrupting production.

Learn More About PROFINET Analyzers

How the Analyzers Are Used Together at Magna Powertrain

• • 10× Atlas2 in continuous deployment (an 11th ready as needed)
    The figure below shows a real-world finding of misconfigured switch settings.
    
    
    
    
  • Backbone/above PLC: Atlas2 + TAP adapter on backbone PROFINET and EtherNet/IP segments—passive capture with precise timing + event logs
    
  • Below PLC (local segments): When issues arise, a temporary Atlas is deployed for several days for deeper analysis of the specific area.
  • Active analyses: Ongoing inventory, topology, firmware-version checks, and node health
  • PNT Tool: Field interventions—connect, find the cause, fix, disconnect, move on
    
    PNT Tool Overview Screenshot
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Sample Report
    
    
    
    Detection of a Bad Packet
    
    
    
    

• Wider scope: You can capture not only PROFINET but also other traffic such as EtherNet/IP, Ethernet TCP/IP, Modbus, etc., and then review it in Wireshark.

• Looking ahead: Building a remote monitoring office site for plant networks

• OT↔IT alignment: Atlas outputs help IT detect overloads, plan capacity, and evaluate impacts on real-time communication.

“IT is actively supporting us in deploying Atlas units.” — Igor Olexa

Tangible Benefits of PROFINET Diagnostics at Magna Powertrain

“I had no one to help me—I was self-taught. These tools and the training broadened my knowledge and gave me confidence in what I do.” — Igor Olexa

• Topology in minutes: Who is connected where; loops/rings—without walking cabinet to cabinet or using paper documentation
• Overview & insight: Event logging (alarms, outages, thresholds) for backtracking and audits
• Faster interventions: When a problem occurs, root-cause hunting starts at a desk, where all data from each Atlas are available. PNT Tool + a temporary Atlas then help pinpoint the cause without long guesswork.
• Bridge between OT and IT: Shared data for overload resolution, RT collision handling, and capacity planning
• Better decisions: Easier justification for component replacements (e.g., managed switches) and topology adjustments
• Knowledge uplift: Training + practice unified the language across teams (PLC, maintenance, IT)

Three Ways to Achieve PROFINET Without Outages

To have a perfect grasp of your industrial network, you need:

• PROFINET diagnostics performed by our specialists
• Testers and other quality PROFINET components from our online shop
• Training in PROFINET diagnostics and modernization

We’ll gladly advise how to combine activities and products effectively, because…

“The energy, time, and cooperation were truly worth it.” — Igor Olexa

Contact your regional salesperson to discuss how to effectively prevent PROFINET outages.