Archive Press Release
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Rockwell Automation
Release date: February 21, 2006
Rockwell Automation Commits to Open Connectivity and Industry Standards for Improved Control System Information Integration
OPC Foundation leadership and Rockwell Software OPC Gateway help manufacturers improve plant-floor device connectivity and data sharing
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 21, 2006 - Demonstrating its continued commitment to open standards and interoperability, Rockwell Automation today announced that Rockwell Software vice president Kevin Roach has been elected to the OPC Foundation Board of Directors. Roach is one of seven elected board members directing the technical, marketing and financial responsibilities for the OPC Foundation, a non-profit international standards organization dedicated to providing standards for interoperability in industrial automation.
"Making informed business decisions requires manufacturers to share real-time information seamlessly between a multitude of devices and applications," said Roach. "Rockwell Automation is helping manufacturers achieve this by actively participating in the OPC Foundation and leveraging open standards within our products to enable better connectivity and data sharing."
The company simultaneously announced the release of its OPC Gateway, a software application that increases the connectivity options for Rockwell Automation customers. The Gateway helps non-Rockwell Automation OPC clients, such as human-machine interface (HMI) and manufacturing execution systems (MES) software, to communicate bidirectionally with applications that use components of the Rockwell Software FactoryTalk platform in both distributed and redundant environments. This provides tight integration and helps manufacturers to build their applications using FactoryTalk services like security, diagnostics and auditing.
"The OPC gateway helps non-Rockwell Automation applications communicate with the FactoryTalk world," said Roach. "This will help users who have installed a mix of products from different automation and information-level vendors to exchange real-time data freely, leverage their manufacturing information assets, and improve enterprise-wide interoperability."
The OPC Gateway is a part of the FactoryTalk Data Management production discipline, which provides tools and methods to help enable real-time transformation, integration and workflow across disparate systems, as well as collection and storage of master data, event, process, and production information.
Available now, the gateway also optimizes connectivity with the Rockwell Automation Logix control platform, another key component in the company's Integrated Architecture. Logix tags can now be passed through the OPC Gateway to other supplier applications to improve performance and help manufacturers leverage their investments in the Logix platform.
Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK), is a leading global provider of automation, power, control, and information solutions that help manufacturers achieve a competitive advantage in their businesses. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.A., the company employs about 21,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries.
For more information on the OPC Gateway please contact the Rockwell Automation Response Center, 10701 Hampshire Avenue South, Bloomington, Minn., 55438, 800-223-5354, ext. 1897.
Media contacts: Paula Puess Rockwell Automation 440-646-3806 pdpuess@ra.rockwell.com
Company Information: Name: Rockwell Automation Address: 1201 South Second Street City: Milwaukee State: WI ZIP: 53204 Country: USA Phone: 414-382-2000 FAX: 414-382-4444 http://www.rockwellautomation.com/
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