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March 2002
| Industrial Automation and Control Integrators Now Have Same Flexible Ethernet Options as Front-Office |
January 31, 2002, Fremont, Calif. The migration path from proprietary network protocols to Ethernet on the factory floor has not been smooth. Before GarrettCom, Inc. rolled out its Magnum Control Room Products this month, industrial equipment integrators had their choice of a limited range of solutions from manufacturers of industrial control equipment, products from mainstream LAN providers that were built for the protected office environment, or expensive custom designs. Although the Ethernet protocol standard used in the field is the same as that used in the office, its implementation is considerably different, said Frank Madren, President and CEO of GarrettCom. GarrettCom saw an opportunity to offer the types of products that many industrial applications have had to either use custom solutions or do without. GarrettComs Magnum Control Room Products combine the flexibility and breadth of an office line of products with the extended operating temperature, noise immunity, and power features required for factory floor use in the industrial automation and control markets. Industrial control suppliers have been the main source of Ethernet connectivity for factories and other industrial sites, but their focus is on industrial control, not Ethernet flexibility; therefore, their offerings are rarely as broad as the more established lines of office solutions. Office LAN suppliers have not as a group stepped up to the plate to serve the rapidly expanding market for Ethernet in industrial automation and industrial control applications. The Magnum Control Room Products complement GarrettComs Magnum Plantwide LAN Products, rack-mountable Ethernet hubs and switches for plant IT centers, which typically serve a mix of computer users and industrial control devices. Channel Partner Comments GarrettComs expanding network of VARs and distributors appreciate GarrettComs sensitivity to the needs of their industrial customers. "GarrettCom's Magnum Control Room Products make our integration job a lot easier. We can set up an entirely new control implementation or migrate to Ethernet from a single source without issues, said Greg Miller, President and COO of Dynavar Networking, Inc., in Calgary, Alberta . Our customers receive an added benefit because the Magnum Ethernet products offer a significant price advantage over products offered by industrial-only Ethernet suppliers." GarrettComs price-competitive line of Ethernet products is perfect for anyone supplying networking solutions in an industrial environment, said Christopher J. Craig, Senior Project Engineer for R.E. Pedrotti Co., Inc., Mission, Kansas. Not only do they provide flexible and modular products that keep the costs down, they also have industrial-class construction for more extreme environments. Anyone who has worked with electronic equipment in an extreme environment will have an extra measure of appreciation for equipment that can take the heat. About the Products The GarrettCom Magnum Control Room product line includes a wide selection of small-footprint 10 Mb, 100 Mb, and 10/100 Mb Ethernet hubs and switches designed to provide maximum performance in tight spaces. All come with optional DIN-rail mounting capability and are rated for extended temperatures of at least 50oC. All have AC power and an optional 24 VDC configuration. The fiber ports on Magnum products provide noise immunity and grounding protection, as well as future protection with fiber cabling that can support gigabit network speeds as control and automation applications evolve to demand higher performance. The line includes a full complement of media converters, repeaters, and transceivers, to provide the maximum connectivity and flexibility found in standard office-Ethernet product lines. About GarrettCom GarrettCom, Inc., Fremont, Calif., designs, manufactures, and markets Ethernet LAN products for telecommunications and industrial applications. The companys new Magnum Control Room line of products allows GarrettCom to expand its presence in the Industrial Ethernet market with a unique set of fiber and dual-mode products designed to meet industrial requirements. GarrettCom markets its products through a network of resellers, OEMs, system integrators, and international distributors. For more information on GarrettCom and its Magnum products, visit www.GarrettCom.com. Editor note: See related product release: GarrettCom Announces Control Room Ethernet Products For Industrial Automation Market, Jan. 31, 2002 at www.GarrettCom.com/automation.htm |