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Read the online version if links don't work in this Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) Update. |
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February 2009 |
Sponsor: Opto 22 |
Guide to PACs
The more you know, the better decisions you'll make down the road
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Find out how a PAC compares to a PLC, a DCS, an RTU, and a PC for modern industrial applications.
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Choose the PAC for your application: signal requirements, networks and protocols, and other things to look for.
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Reduce development time and expense with integrated PAC software. Here's how.
Read Opto 22's Guide to PACs
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Sponsor: GE Fanuc |
PAC Productivity Workshop
Spending too much time on automation development? Is your current control system limited in helping you maximize production while minimizing system complexity and downtime? If the answer is yes, then our PAC Productivity is for you. This hands-on session is a great opportunity to experience GE Fanuc's revolutionary Programmable Automation Controller solution for yourself.
Click here to learn more
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Sponsor: National Instruments |
PACs for Industrial Control, The Future of Control
With a number of vendors producing Programmable Automation Controllers that combine the functionality of a PC and reliability of a PLC, PACs today are increasingly being incorporated into control systems. This white paper explores the origins of the PAC, how PACs differ from PLCs and PCs, and the future direction of industrial control with PACs.
View the white paper now
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| In this Issue |
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| Featured Articles & White Papers |
PLCs, PACs and DCSs Can Do Windows
Control, January 2009
By Rich Merritt
The capability of today’s PC-based industrial computers are overcoming engineers’ resistance to “the Wal-Mart of Operating Systems.”
Removable Storage Media Add Flexibility to PLCs
By Mark DeCramer, WAGO
An interface to removable storage media, such as USB memory devices and CompactFlash, are providing flexibility never before realized in PLC architectures. Because these devices are capable of holding gigabytes of data, years of collected data can be stored to a single device.
Mitsubishi Electric integrates Cognex machine vision
Integration of Cognex In-Sight machine vision into the Mitsubishi iQ platform significantly shortens the time and lowers the cost of applying vision systems.
Next Generation of Embedded Computing Platforms
By Hector Lin, Advantech Corporation, Industrial Automation Group
What does the current iteration of Moore’s Law hold for embedded computing? Not only have speed and computational power gone up exponentially, and cost dropped the same way, other improvements have increased, too.
Understanding Programmable Automation Controllers (PACs) in Industrial Automation
By Opto 22
This white paper describes the advent of the programmable automation controller (PAC) and its use in modern industrial applications.
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Browse more articles and white papers on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.
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Visit our Automation Portals |
Our Automation Portals organize information on various topics and include content published on Automation.com as well as other industry websites. Each portal includes new products, company news, articles, white papers, application stories, training, resources, events, and more.
Visit these one-stop sites for all your automation information
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| Product Announcements |
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| Other Product Announcements
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Browse more Product Announcements on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.
Search all Products by keyword, category, manufacturer or release date. |
| Resources & Literature |
Omron redesigns its web site to shorten searches
The new site combines enhanced research, selection, sourcing and shopping tools tuned to deliver a satisfying experience based on input from customers and distributors.
Free NI Measurement and Automation Catalog
The National Instruments catalog is the leading virtual instrumentation resource for engineers and scientists seeking the most productive customer-defined software and hardware tools.
AutomationDirect Industrial Automation Product Reference Catalog
Have AutomationDirect's entire product line at your fingertips - it is more than a catalog...it is a Desk Reference containing detailed product descriptions complemented by plenty of technical illustrations, step-by-step procedures for selecting various PLC hardware and software, PC-based control, operatorinterface, motor contactors, drives, sensing equipment, connection systems, and much more.
Siemens Automation and Drives Interactive CD Catalog
The interactive catalog of Siemens Automation and Drives Business (CA01) gives you information on more than 80,000 products and systems used for industrial automation and control.
Advantech product selection guides, solution or product catalogs, case studies
Advantech offers a number of solution guides, product selection guides, catalogs and case studies - many are available in PDF format. The eAutomation Solutions Catalog introduces a full range of products, focusing on the following vertical sectors: Machine Automation, Power & Energy, Building Automation, Environment Monitoring Systems, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and Facility Management Systems.
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Browse more resources and literature on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.
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| Application Stories |
Nestle Purina plant reduces downtime by saving configurations
By MDT Software
Before MDT AutoSave was installed at the Nestlé Purina plant in Mechanicsburg, PA, the plant used a “home grown” program to track changes in their programmable devices. AutoSave ensures that, if a device fails or a program results in undesired performance, a prior version of the program is readily available.
Software Interprets between Rockwell Automation and Siemens
By Softing
Krones, a packaging manufacturer, uses control systems based on Siemens and Rockwell Automation equipment. Using Softing software, Krones can communicate between Simatic, ControlLogix, CompactLogix, PLC-5 and SLC-500 controllers.
Securing Remote Internet Maintenance Services
By Innonimate
Applications in various industries illustrate how TCP/IP connections provide remote maintenance capabilities via secure links.
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Browse more application stories on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.
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| Featured Training |
Opto 22 announces Logix I/O seminar dates
The seminar describes benefits of adding SNAP I/O to Allen-Bradley PLC and PAC systems.
Rockwell Automation University
March 18-19, 2009 Copenhagen, Denmark
Automation University is a 2 day event organised by Rockwell Automation for customers, to offer the opportunity to consult our business and technical experts engineers, experience the full range of Rockwell Automation offers, and network with other participants from similar fields facing the same challenges in the business.
FREE Training on Opto 22’s SNAP PAC System
Opto 22 offers FREE SNAP PAC System training classes held at company headquarters in Temecula, California. The four-day, hands-on class provides an overview of Opto 22’s simple answer to complex automation problems.
Coastal releases ControlLogix eLearning Series
Participants will learn to create projects, work with tags, and add and edit ladder logic elements, plus advanced programming skills and troubleshooting techniques.
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Browse more training and seminar opportunities on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.
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| Company & Organizational News |
GE Fanuc PACMotion meets PLCopen motion control standard
PACMotion fulfills the requirements in PLCopen Compliance Procedure for Motion Control Library V. 1.1 and Part 2 – Extensions, Version 1.0.
Jerry Yen joins Mitsubishi Electric Automation
Jerry Yen has been named director of the company’s new Custom Solutions Center.
Consumers want safe, modern and sustainable U.S. manufacturing
Survey shows most Americans believe highly automated factories are important to economic growth. The majority support a stimulus package to modernize U.S. factories.
ILS Technology offers lab to Florida Atlantic University
ILS is opening its development-and-testing labs to FAU researchers working on technologies such as programmable logic controllers and radio-frequency identification (RFID) equipment, among others.
Integrated Automation Solutions Become More Important To PLC Suppliers
Differences in performance and appearance between PLC hardware from different suppliers are becoming less, says IMS Research. Accordingly, major PLC suppliers are focusing more on being a ‘solution provider’ to expand both their PLC and other automation business. This integrated automation solution market for PLCs is growing faster than the traditional PLC market, in which PLCs are sold as a single hardware component.
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Browse more company and organizational news on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal. |
| Featured Events |
SCADA & Industrial Automation 2009
March 23-24, 2009 Melbourne, Australia
Conference provides best practice case studies on the latest technologies, trends and challenges in the area of SCADA, Industrial security, automation and process control.
ABB Automation & Power World
March 24-26, 2009 Orlando, FL
Event merges ABB Automation World and ABB Power World into one comprehensive users conference and exhibition.
Assembly Summit - 2009
March 24-26, 2009 Chicago, Illinois
Two-day forum brings leaders from every facet of manufacturing. Speakers will cover advances in assembly technology from lean manufacturing to robotics, and explain how to turn assembly technology into a competitive weapon for capturing market share. Senior manufacturing executives will reveal the strategy and tactics they are using to keep their assembly operations here in the USA.
International Conference on Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control
April 13- 15, 2009 San Francisco, CA
Papers cover areas pertaining to the analysis, design, control, optimization, implementation, and applications of hybrid systems, including: Real-time computing and control; Embedded and resource-aware control; and Computation and control over wireless networks.
NIWeek Worldwide Graphical System Design Conference and Exhibition
August 4-6, 2009 - Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas
National Instruments' NIWeek 2009 offers three days of interactive technical sessions, targeted summits, hands-on workshops and exhibitions on the latest developments for design, control, automation, manufacturing and test. The conference also features keynote presentations and demonstrations that highlight how engineers and scientists can use NI graphical system design to test, measure and fix inefficient products and processes to improve everyday life.
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Browse more industry events on the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) portal.
Add an event to our calendar. |
I hope you enjoyed this Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) update. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding the content in this e-newsletter or on Automation.com, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Rick Zabel
Vice President, Publisher
Automation.com
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