HMI Software speeds engineering and testing time.
Share:
Press Release Summary:
InTouch v9.0 incorporates SmartSymbol feature, which integrates object-oriented technology with InTouch graphics and transforms them into reusable templates. Changes made to templates propagate throughout application, even across multiple networked PC nodes. Users can create displays that can be viewed from workstations, PDAs, and browsers. IOSetRemoteReferences script function modifies datasource for ArchestrA Objects or InTouch tag references at runtime.
Original Press Release:
New Version of Wonderware InTouch HMI Software Offers Customers Significantly Reduced Engineering Time
Version 9.0 Features Innovative SmartSymbol Technology and Continues HMI Market Leadership
LAKE FOREST, Calif., May 27, 2004 -- Wonderware, a business unit of Invensys, today announced the release of a new version of its award-winning InTouch human-machine interface (HMI) software. Version 9.0 of InTouch software innovates with SmartSymbol technology, which offers considerable savings by significantly reducing application engineering, testing and deployment time.
SmartSymbols integrate object-oriented technology with InTouch graphics and transform them into reusable templates. Changes made to the templates automatically propagate throughout an application - even across multiple networked PC nodes. As a result, engineers spend less time creating, modifying, validating and re-validating HMI applications.
For example, InTouch users can now deploy an HMI symbol 1,000 times across 100 nodes in minutes. Typically, this type of deployment would take hours to perform. SmartSymbol graphics are the key to this significant new capability. Users of previous versions of InTouch software can easily upgrade their HMI toolkits to leverage this technology.
"SmartSymbols are an incredible new development for InTouch software that will enable users to dramatically reduce the amount of time they spend creating, modifying and deploying applications," said Renee Brandt, visualization product marketing manager for the Wonderware and ArchestrA business units. "It's exciting that, by upgrading to InTouch 9.0 software, customers can leverage the benefits of SmartSymbols throughout their existing applications with minimal effort."
In addition, InTouch users can run the new script function called IOSetRemoteReferences to modify the datasource for ArchestrA Objects or InTouch tag references at runtime. This enables developers to switch object instances for graphic symbols based on particular conditions or directly via user interaction such as clicking a button. Users can modify an application's access name and item name at runtime, greatly increasing the amount of information viewed with minimal application modification. By adding a button to a window, users can opt to view information from different devices, objects, areas and plants. Updating the real-time information within the window is very fast because only one line of script needs to execute. This functionality applies to all standard graphical objects as well as any new SmartSymbols.
"The new runtime component expands the amount of information a user can access within one window with minimal effort," said Rashesh Mody, chief technology officer and vice president of product definition for the Wonderware and ArchestrA business units. "This gives users a tremendous advantage in designing windows that can host vast amounts of information. Together with SmartSymbols, these technologies offer a powerful combination to significantly increase engineering productivity."
The InTouch 9.0 software is "Integrated with ArchestrA," which means that it leverages the integration attributes of ArchestrA technology, enabling increased diagnostics and security capabilities, simplified communications deployment, remote configuration and the unification of devices and networks.
"The integration benefits offered by ArchestrA technology empower users to define equipment templates and associated symbols once and then use them during application development. This leads to tremendous engineering efficiency," Mody said.
In addition, version 9.0 offers new features such as scripts that make viewing, creating and analyzing data easier and more efficient. It also enables users to create displays that can be viewed from workstations, PDAs, browsers and the new Wonderware Industrial Tablets and Touch Panel Computers. The InTouch software can connect to several hundred available I/O and OPC® servers that are designed to connect to Wonderware products. The list of I/O servers is longer than that of any other HMI product on the market. This is made possible by Wonderware's device integration team as well as hundreds of third-party product developers that offer connectivity to Rockwell®, Siemens®, Schneider®, Invensys® and other products.
InTouch enables users to visualize and control industrial processes while providing engineers with an easy-to-use development environment and extensive functionality to rapidly create, test and deploy powerful automation applications that connect and deliver real-time information to anyone who needs it, anywhere it is needed. InTouch software is an open and extensible HMI that enables flexibility in custom application design with connectivity to the broadest set of automation devices in the industry. Wonderware has installed more than 200,000 InTouch HMIs worldwide.
InTouch HMI software is part of Wonderware's FactorySuite A² product series and a component of Wonderware plant intelligence solutions, which enable plant personnel to visualize, analyze and optimize their manufacturing processes. A² signifies the presence of the ArchestrA architecture, which offers the industrial automation and information marketplace significant advances in reusable engineering by providing a plant-centric, modular approach to application development.
InTouch View 9.0 is the latest visualization component that works in conjunction with the Industrial Application Server and IndustrialSQL Server historian to provide a distributed plant supervisory software solution based on ArchestrA technology.
Wonderware's InTouch application has received several editorial and user awards since its introduction including being recognized as the industry's favorite HMI for 10 consecutive years by Control magazine readers as part of its annual "Readers' Choice Awards."
About the Wonderware and ArchestrA Business Units
Wonderware and ArchestrA are business units of Invensys Systems, Inc. Wonderware is the world's leading supplier of industrial automation and information software. Founded in 1987, Wonderware pioneered the use of the Microsoft Windows operating system in HMI automation software for manufacturing operation systems. Wonderware software powers intelligent plant decisions in real time. The hallmark of the ArchestrA technology is: "Every system in your plant, working in concert."
Based in Lake Forest, Calif., the Wonderware and ArchestrA business units have regional sales and development offices throughout the North American, European, Latin American and Asia-Pacific regions to provide support to its network of more than 160 distributor offices. Wonderware has approximately 300,000 software licenses in approximately 100,000 plants worldwide, which is about 30 percent of the world's 335,000 plants with 20 or more employees. For more information, visit www.wonderware.com or www.archestra.biz.
About Invensys
Invensys is a global automation, controls and process solutions group. Products, services, expertise and ongoing support enable intelligent systems to monitor and control processes in many different environments. The businesses within Invensys help customers in a variety of industries perform with greater efficiency, safety and cost-effectiveness. Industry areas of focus include hydrocarbons, chemicals, oil and gas, power and utilities, rail, telecommunications, paper, food and beverage, dairy, pharmaceuticals and personal care.
Process Systems provides products, services and solutions for the automation and optimization of plant operation in the process industries. Featuring industry-leading brands such as Foxboro, Triconex, SimSci-Esscor, Wonderware and Marcam, Process Systems occupies a top-tier position in the DCS, safety, simulation and HMI markets. Products are installed in more than 150,000 plants worldwide. Serving process and batch industries, including hydrocarbons, chemicals, power and utilities and metals and mining, and also the discrete and hybrid manufacturing sectors, Process Systems is at the forefront of technological innovation, with new award-winning technologies such as ArchestrA, Digital Coriolis and DolPhin.
Also within the Invensys Group, APV specializes in process equipment engineered into systems and asset services for food, beverage, personal care, pharmaceutical and chemical clients. Eurotherm is a leading supplier of control and measurement instrumentation solutions and services to industrial and process customers. Rail Systems is a multinational leader in the design, manufacture, supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of safety-related rail signaling and control systems. Climate Controls is a major provider of the components, systems and services used globally to make commercial and residential environments safer, more comfortable and more efficient. Appliance Controls has the broadest system and component offering for the appliance industry worldwide.
The Invensys Group is headquartered in the U.K. and listed on the London Stock Exchange. With 39,000 employees operating in 60 countries, Invensys helps customers to improve their performance and profitability, building value for end users and shareholders alike. For more information, visit www.invensys.com.
