Rockwell Automation updates FactoryTalk View software

August 31, 2009 — Rockwell Automation announced the latest version of its FactoryTalk View visualization software for machine-level and site-level human-machine interface (HMI) solutions. Both FactoryTalk View ME and FactoryTalk View SE visualization software now include updated operating system support for Windows XP Service Pack 3, Windows Vista Business Edition, and Windows Server 2008. The updated version of FactoryTalk View ME software also adds support for Windows Vista Home Basic, which allows for development on a lower-cost operating system platform.A new application documenter, installed with both the FactoryTalk View ME and FactoryTalk View SE software, provides comprehensive documentation of HMI applications, helping reduce the time necessary to manually create documentation. The documenter also shows where HMI tags and direct tag references are used throughout the application, and provides the ability to export the application documentation to an easy-to-browse HTML format. The updated software includes faceplates for the new Advanced Process Control (APC) instructions introduced in version 17 of the Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000 software. These new APC function blocks provide a solution for long dead-time processes and provide simple multivariable control with built-in automatic tuning. The faceplates also provide pre-built visualization and operator interaction, saving development time and making it easier to implement APC with the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture system. The new APC faceplates, along with all existing faceplates, have been translated into French, German, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish, making it easier for global companies to deliver a multilanguage HMI application.The FactoryTalk View ME version 5.1 software now supports parameter-passing capabilities which were previously only available with the FactoryTalk View SE software. This allows for more powerful graphic reuse options and provides more effective use of the built-in set of Logix-integrated faceplates. Improved pop-up displays allow developers full control of displays by user or event, and enable creation of more intuitive and dynamic machine-level HMI applications.An upcoming release of the FactoryTalk ViewPoint software, currently available for FactoryTalk View SE 5.0 software, is planned later this year to provide support for the new 5.1 version. This updated version of FactoryTalk ViewPoint software will help eliminate the need to install and maintain thick client software for remote visualization of the manufacturing process for FactoryTalk View SE version 5.1 users.The FactoryTalk View Machine Edition (ME) and FactoryTalk View Site Edition (SE) version 5.1 software, along with the FactoryTalk ViewPoint software, allow for easy, remote monitoring of manufacturing processes from an Internet browser, including several enhancements that help reduce visualization solution implementation time for engineers. Users can maximize the benefits of the software by implementing it with the Rockwell Automation Logix Control Platform and Allen-Bradley PanelView Plus visualization solutions.“With the increasing demand for web-based HMI software and enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) technology, the need for scalable visualization solutions that tightly integrate with the control platform, while simultaneously providing remote thin-client browser-based real-time monitoring and decision-making capabilities, is growing rapidly,” according to Craig Resnick, research director, ARC Advisory Group. “Manufacturers require HMI software solutions that provide the strong foundation necessary to maximize their investments in newer technologies, such as role-based dashboards, and help allow them to take advantage of the extended analytic and diagnostic capabilities that these new EMI and web-based products offer. This latest version of FactoryTalk View ME and SE visualization software, especially when combined with FactoryTalk ViewPoint software, appears to meet these important criteria.”Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information, makes its customers more productive and the world more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Rockwell Automation employs about 20,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries.

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