Articles and News

The water and wastewater products company installed a MicroLogix PLC, PowerFlex 4 drive, and EtherNet/IP to automate its demonstration plants.

Automation.com, February 2012 Barbers Farmhouse Cheesemakers in the UK uses Rockwell Automation’s ControlLogix PAC and 3D laser scanners to control an Arcall C52 cheese cutter. Another PAC controls a suite of conveyors driven by servo motors. All communications are via EtherNet/IP.

An unnamed manufacturer of cable and conductors in Spain used Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architecture, including CompactLogix PLCs connected to PanelView Plus operator terminals via EtherNet/IP.

Automation.com, February 2012 By Jessica Forguites, Rockwell Automation Embedding Ethernet switch technology into devices brings new advantages to high-performance applications. It simplifies machine design, configuration and maintenance.

This guide walks PROFIBUS and Foundation fieldbus users through a logical process to identify the proper application of all FieldConnex bus solutions.

Site promotes OPCSystems.NET as the complete SCADA solution for Enterprise Business Applications.

Automation.com, January 2012 By Matthew Littlefield, LNS Research There are a whole slew of new technologies and system architectures being adopted in the automation industry at a very rapid pace. Companies today face the very real possibility that if they don’t effectively understand, adopt, and leverage these new technologies to their advantage; they will be left in an increasingly uncompetitive position.

The Milwaukee office is headed by Joel Warren. Rick Forsgren will manage the Eagan, Minnesota office.

Automation.com, January 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor The 17th Annual PI North America General Assembly Meeting was held October 4-6, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ and included vendors and users who provided updates on PROFIBUS and PROFINET technologies. Topics included PROFINET survey, GE IP, Chrysler-Fiat, Wireless and PROFIenergy.

Automation.com, January 2012 By Bill Lydon At the recent PI North America General Assembly Meeting, Bernie Anger of GE Intelligent Platforms discussed why they chose PROFINET as the backbone for their Programmable Automation Controller portfolio. The PROFINET philosophy fits with GE's evolving legacy of high performance distributed systems.

TOP Server Version 5.7 passed the OPC Server Certification tests administered by the OPC Foundation’s Independent Certification Test Lab.

Automation.com, December 2011 By Gregory Wilcox, Mike Hannah and Mark Devonshire, Rockwell Automation The rise of Ethernet and emerging technologies such as integrated plantwide architecture and Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) have lead to the increased popularity of converged network infrastructures . These infrastructures allow innovative designs, specifically layer switches, that allow manufacturers to combine the simplicity and maintainability of many individual networks with the power and flexibility of a single network design.

Automation.com, December 2011 Gram Equipment in Denmark is a manufacturer of equipment for industrial ice cream production. To simplify system complexity, it based its control topology on an Allen-Bradley GuardLogix platform and EtherNet/IP.

Automation.com, December 2011 Askim Mek Verksted in Norway builds Battpacker wool production machinery. It upgraded to Control Logix PLCs, PanelView Plus HMIs, Festo plug-in pneumatic valves, and EtherNet/IP communications.

Industrial networks play a major role in the implementation of control strategies for energy optimization on the plant floor.

ARC says the highest percentage of all industry Ethernet nodes shipped worldwide is for EtherNet/IP devices.

Updates to EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, CompoNet and ControlNet specs include an energy object that will be used to report energy for all energy and resource types.

Automation.com, November 2011 By Eric Byres, Byres Security Inc. On one hand, industry is becoming increasingly concerned about just how vulnerable control systems have become to outside attacks. At the same time, new tools and applications that improve efficiency, but increase that exposure, are appearing daily. So must we sacrifice these gains in efficiency if we want to be secure?

The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) organization has renewed EtherNet/IP and DeviceNet as standards in its sensor bus network communications activities.

Altus, a Brazilian company, will distribute AFCON SCADA/HMI software Pulse in Brazil.