April 22, 2009 - ProSoft Technology released Message Manager (ILX56-MM) module, a multi-system data transfer engine that resides in a single slot of a Rockwell Automation ControlLogix chassis. The Message Manager is designed to connect islands of automation and transfer factory & plant process automation data between PLCs/PACs for monitoring and control. It enables PLC-to-PLC data transfer without requiring message programming or ladder logic. The module is configured using a built-in graphical web-based configuration tool with easy-to-use, intuitive user prompts.Data transfers can be set up by users at one location for up to 16 controllers including:
Rockwell Automation SLC 500, PLC-5, MicroLogix, CompactLogix, and ControlLogix controllers via any network supported in the Rockwell Automation 1756 ControlLogix platform
Siemens S7 PLCs and other PLCs using Industrial Ethernet protocol
Schneider Electric and other PLCs using Modbus TCP/IP protocol Highlights include:
Built-in web based configuration utility
Supports Internet Explorer 7 or higher
Single slot – 1756 backplane compatibility
Remove and Insert Under Power (RIUP)
Supports Local or Remote rack
Scrolling display for status and diagnosticsThe Message Manager will most commonly be found in factory and process automation applications. All ProSoft Technology products come with a three year warranty and unlimited technical support. “In times of economic uncertainty, manufacturers prioritize automation expenditures that provide the fastest return on investment (ROI) as well as protect and maximize the lifecycle of the existing installed base, thereby preventing the need to ‘rip out and replace’ existing assets that continue to perform well,” according to Craig Resnick, Research Director, ARC Advisory Group. "Technologies such as the Message Manager module provide simplified bridging solutions from the existing installed base of controllers to state of the art automation platforms such as Rockwell Automation ControlLogix PACs to fulfill the real-time data collection and information needs of the plant floor. This capability is critical, as each controller, no matter its brand or age, provides a vital link for manufacturers to achieve Real-time Performance Management, which uses dynamic performance targets to drive an enterprise to reach its optimum potential and achieve competitive advantage."
