Automation Fair Event Highlights Advances in Integrated Control and Information
End users and OEMs improve their profitability and gain competitive edge with tight integration of control and production disciplines
BALTIMORE, Oct. 25, 2006 - At the Automation Fair event in Baltimore today, Rockwell Automation unveiled the expansion of its Integrated Architecture production control and information system, including significant additions to the Logix Control Platform and FactoryTalk integrated production and performance suite. The additional functionality further aides real-time information exchange between production and the rest of the enterprise, improving user responsiveness, increasing productivity and safety, while reducing development, commissioning and operational costs.
Relying on specialty control and information systems increases costs and reduces performance on the plant floor due to poor integration and the inability to seamlessly communicate real-time information. Manufacturers need control and information systems that provide functionality and flexibility, as well as the ability to provide complete, actionable information from the plant floor. The Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture, which integrates discrete, motion, batch, process, safety, drives and information disciplines on a single platform, makes this possible, giving manufacturers a significant competitive advantage.
"Our customers are looking for an automation architecture that not only improves productivity and supply chain performance, but one that simplifies programming, commissioning and maintenance," said Steve Eisenbrown, senior vice president, Rockwell Automation. "We've embraced these demands, providing a level of integration, functionality and range of scalability that is unique to Integrated Architecture." Key Rockwell Automation control and information technologies that will be highlighted at the Automation Fair event include:
CONTROL
o RSLogix 5000 Programming Software - The latest version of Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000 software from Rockwell Automation includes more than 30 product enhancements that help users simplify programming and configuration and ease maintenance and troubleshooting of control and information systems. Key features in RSLogix 5000 version 16 include user-defined Add-On Instructions - designed to improve standardization and code reuse; and integrated drives configuration, resulting in faster setup, improved accuracy and easier maintenance of drive systems.
o ControlLogix L64 Programmable Automation Controller - With the largest memory in the Logix family, the ControlLogix L64 controller is well-suited for applications requiring higher amounts of memory to store and execute recipe data and handle large projects or applications with intensive data requirements. With 16 MB of user memory - twice the capacity of the most powerful existing model - the L64 provides more efficient use of system capacity by centralizing functionality such as alarming, historically shared by external devices such as human machine interfaces.
o Higher Performance EtherNet/IP module - The new EN2T module adds higher throughput, performance and capacity to ControlLogix EtherNet/IP communications, giving users the capability to support more I/O adapters and HMI traffic for demanding applications. This module is the first network communications product to have an easily accessible USB port and thumbwheel switches for simple IP address configuration. The USB port is ideal for quick connections to the module and backplane. A fiber version of the module will be available at the end of 2006.
o Kinematics Robot Control for the Logix Controller Family - As an extension to Rockwell Automation Kinetix integrated motion control offering, the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix controller is now capable of Kinematics robot control. Ideal for packaging pick-and-place, assembly and other complex motion control applications, ControlLogix provides OEMs and end users with a single hardware and software architecture for discrete, motion, robot and safety control. This eliminates the additional robot and safety controllers, software and special function blocks typically needed when incorporating a robot into a packaging application, significantly reducing design and programming time, and associated costs. OEMs and end users who need to define their own precise axes positioning can program the robot in simple Cartesian coordinates, while the controller handles the Kinematics transformations.
o GuardLogix Motion Support - With the RSLogix 5000 version 16 release, GuardLogix supports integrated motion control. Like the ControlLogix family of controllers, the GuardLogix can now offer the advantages of integrated discrete, motion, batch, process, drive and safety on a single platform.
o MP-Series Integrated Linear Actuators - OEMs and end users seeking a compact, efficient and cost-effective alternative to pneumatic, hydraulic actuation or component based servo actuator solutions can benefit from the new Allen-Bradley MP-Series integrated linear actuators. This new addition to the MP-Series servo motor line from Rockwell Automation is a rod-style, electro-mechanical actuator that combines the motor, long life ballscrew actuator and a high-resolution absolute feedback device into a single unit, reducing mechanical complexity and assembly requirements.
INFORMATION
o FactoryTalk ProductionCentre - Leveraging technology acquired from Datasweep in October 2005, FactoryTalk ProductionCentre provides manufacturers with improved process visibility, backward and forward product traceability and quality assurance across multiple industries. The new software leverages the FactoryTalk service-oriented architecture (SOA) to provide manufacturers with improved connectivity to control systems, fully integrated security capabilities through the FactoryTalk SOA, improved human machine interface integration, and seamless integration with industry-specific applications through vertical market extensions.
o FactoryTalk Integrator - A key component in the FactoryTalk data management discipline, FactoryTalk Integrator allows manufacturers to more easily connect their plant-floor applications with higher-level business systems for more responsive and informed decision making. The robust architecture helps feed common types of information required by a manufacturing execution system, such as work orders, schedules or recipes, directly from enterprise resource planning systems.
o FactoryTalk Portal - Part of the FactoryTalk performance and visibility discipline, FactoryTalk Portal helps manufacturers increase productivity by allowing them to consolidate their Web-based interfaces into one manageable and configurable launch point.
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.
Media contacts:
Steve Ludwig
Rockwell Automation
440.646.4013
swludwig@ra.rockwell.com
Katie Olson
Padilla Speer Beardsley Inc.
612.455.1726
kolson@psbpr.com
