Wilmington, MA, August 22, 2006 - MKS Instruments introduced the CONTROLweb Open Control Platform for industrial automation applications. The CONTROLweb platform uses an Ethernet backbone to enable modular, idealized control architectures. The suite of configurable modules, including RMU Linux Logic Controllers and MicroNode and MacroNode intelligent Ethernet I/O units, maximizes logic flexibility and I/O performance while minimizing deployment and support costs.
The RMU controller provides a ready-to-program, high density computing platform with built-in I/O and peripherals. It features 32-bit PowerPC technology, Linux OS, dual Ethernet ports, USB, serial and CAN ports, and customer selectable configurations of up to 96 digital I/O and up to 32/16 analog I/O channels. Control logic and application flexibility is based on C/C++ running on Linux and is limitless compared to traditional PLC systems.
The CONTROLweb MicroNode and MacroNode Ethernet I/O modules further extend logic flexibility with the cLogic control engine. The cLogic software enables customers to embed custom logic within these Ethernet I/O modules, providing real-time intelligent responses to remote critical signals. Using standard TCP/IP protocols, these modules provide high density, remote I/O with response times down to 2 msec. 37-pin D-Sub connectors in the MicroNode and MacroNode units provide easy I/O connections. Linked with an RMU, these units distribute and optimize I/O performance across an industrial control system network.
Built-in web browser diagnostics make the CONTROLweb platform easy to deploy and support. Custom modules which meet exact customer requirements are available upon request.
About MKS
MKS Instruments is a leading worldwide provider of process control solutions for advanced manufacturing processes such as semiconductor device manufacturing and thin-film manufacturing for flat panel displays, optical storage media, architectural glass and electro-optical products. We also provide technology for biopharmaceutical and medical imaging equipment.
Our instruments, components and subsystems incorporate sophisticated technologies to power, measure, control and monitor increasingly complex gas-related semiconductor manufacturing processes, thereby enhancing our customers' uptime, yield and throughput, and improving their productivity and return on invested capital.
