Control System World

Advantech’s Industrial Automation Group (IAG) are pleased to announce the launch of a new huge step forward in HMI/SCADA software with a HTML5 based Business Intelligence Dashboard.

Building on the success of previous versions, WebAccess 8.0 is a leap forward in the design of SCADA software. Going beyond SCADA, WebAccess 8.0 is also a HTML5 Business Intelligent Dashboard that can be opened from anywhere on any HTML5 compatible browser. The Business Intelligent Dashboard analyses data and helps managers make decisions as to what to do and WebAccess 8.0 also provides developers with the tools to design their own widgets and applications and the integration of Microsoft Excel reports. Through HTML5, a limitless number of users, with varying access levels are able to read information and make changes from wherever they are using either the Internet or Intranet.

The front-end of WebAccess 8.0 is the dashboard, and through this HTML5 graphical user interface users are able to monitor and diagnose issues with their end devices. Through the use of many built-in widgets, customers are able to watch and analyze equipment to see the information that they want. The large number of pre-built widgets gives users the ability to get going immediately without the need to program extra functions.

WebAccess 8.0s three open interfaces, allows it to become an IoT Platform and gives developers the opportunity to develop applications from the bottom up. The Web Service interface allows partners to integrate WebAccess data into applications and application system. The pluggable widget interface lets developers write their own widgets to run from the dashboard. Thirdly, the WebAccess API allows developers to write DLLs to use in Microsoft Windows applications. This open source approach to development gives users the greatest amount of flexibility for those who require it.

WebAccess 8.0 goes beyond SCADA by providing the ability to produce reports in Microsoft Excel. Included is a set of Excel templates or users can build their own report templates to generate daily, weekly, monthly and yearly reports to help predict the status of equipment.

WebAccess 8.0 is helping deliver device information across the cloud in era of the Internet of Things and will help integrators of water treatment plants, facility management systems, renewable energy systems etc.

Rockwell Automation has added new virtualization, batch management and integrated motor control capabilities to its PlantPAx process automation system. With the latest system release, Rockwell Automation extends the capabilities of its modern distributed control system (DCS) platform to simplify the system’s design, deployment, operation and maintenance.

“We continue to invest in our modern DCS platform, making major strides to achieve our goal of providing the most highly distributed, cost-effective and performance-driven system on the market,” said Jason Wright, PlantPAx system marketing manager, Rockwell Automation. “The extended capabilities further enhance the PlantPAx system, helping simplify design and integration, reduce risk, and streamline operations and engineering efficiency across a user’s enterprise.”

Integrated Virtualization: Virtualization has become the rule more than the exception in global process facilities. It speeds system integration time, lowers hardware costs and burdens, and extends the life cycle of plant equipment. The PlantPAx platform now makes it easier for users to implement virtualization. Built into the core documentation of the system is a selection guide that provides guidance and best practices for adopting a virtualized automation system.

Batch Recipe Management: Upgraded batch software tightly integrates with the PlantPAx system for a range of applications, from small, basic sequencing to large, complex batch and sequencing. With new version-control capabilities, the software automatically tracks recipe changes and genealogy, and provides approval traceability in order to more easily manage recipes. This helps simplify the management of recipes throughout their life cycle.

Rockwell Automation has also updated the batch and sequence manager in its modern DCS platform. This helps reduce engineering time for process machine builders and system integrators by allowing users to configure sequences directly in the controller. Incorporating batch management and optimizing continuous sequencing, the batch and sequence manager is well-suited for both skid control and stand-alone process units, such as mixers, blenders and reactors.

Intelligent Motor Control: Through premiere integration with motor control devices – such as the Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 520-Series of AC drives, and Allen-Bradley motor starters and electronic overload relays – the PlantPAx system eases motor control configuration and delivers advanced diagnostic information directly to the operator at the HMI level. This helps ease maintenance activities and allows operators to diagnose issues before they occur. System users can monitor key process conditions leveraging the EtherNet/IP network. Tying intelligent motor devices into the unified, plantwide control architecture helps make an immediate, measurable impact on asset availability, operational efficiency and energy management.

Manufacturers now have the freedom to use any digital device to easily access optimized performance metrics and data analytics from plant floors and machines, thanks to new capabilities embedded in the FactoryTalk VantagePoint EMI v6.0 software from Rockwell Automation.

The VantagePoint v6.0 software now includes VantagePoint mobile, a component that enables users to create displays and interact with data across any HTML5-compliant browser and mobile platforms, such as iOS and Android. Users can now easily log in to the VantagePoint system and automatically view Web-based KPI content that is responsive to the device they are using – from smartphones to tablets to PCs. This is a significant change from the conventional, costly and time-consuming approaches that enable desktop or mobile access to manufacturing data. No user-specific configurations created by network administrators or IT staff are required, enabling manufacturers to quickly on-board more users and deliver value to increase productivity.

“The VantagePoint mobile component instantly detects the type of device being used to access information and adjusts the user experience for that screen,” said Angela Rapko, product manager for FactoryTalk VantagePoint software, Rockwell Automation. “This out-of-the-box solution will enable more users to access valuable operational insight while lowering the cost of delivering that data.”

Another new key capability is the “composer” feature, which allows VantagePoint v6.0 users to browse through data and easily customize content based on individual roles, priorities and viewing preferences. Using the software’s drag-and-drop interactive tools, users can create personalized displays to quickly find the information that is most important to them. The “favorites” capability also allows users to configure KPI data in the visual formats they prefer, from bar graphs to gauges to plant maps. They can then save the data or share it with a group using the VantagePoint mobile component.

“Customers have expressed a big need to drive usage of data across their organization for frictionless productivity,” said Kyle Reissner, mobility platform leader, Rockwell Automation. “With portability in mind, we wanted users to be able to move between devices seamlessly, allowing them to be more responsive and reducing time to solution. The VantagePoint mobile component is now at the core of the FactoryTalk VantagePoint software to deliver this ease of use.”

For OEMs, this streamlined connectivity provides the framework for delivering an information-enabled machine. Plus, they gain the ability to visualize data without the need for custom development.

For system administrators and integrators, improved diagnostics built into the VantagePoint v6.0 software on the server side – as well as more application-centric data sources – allow them to view and display the overall health of the system and specific applications. The VantagePoint v6.0 software also includes improved tag-provider templates to allow anyone initially building the model and applications – whether a system administrator or a customer – to accelerate design and deployment time.

- See more at: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=196186&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=1989951#sthash.yjOIZFmE.dpuf

Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management, has released Wonderware® SmartGlance™ 2014 R2 mobile reporting software. The updated version includes a host of new features that make monitoring, visualizing and analyzing real-time plant and industrial process data via mobile devices easier than ever. These features include support for wearable technologies, a modern user interface for any browser, self-serve registration, support for multiple time zones for a global user base and full import and export capabilities for even faster deployment.

“Plant personnel are now mobile so they require immediate access to real-time operations information via their smart phone, tablet or whatever mobile device they carry,” said Saadi Kermani, Wonderware SmartGlance product manager, Schneider Electric. “Wonderware SmartGlance 2014 R2 software delivers highly relevant information coming from industrial data sources to targeted plant workers in the form of personalized charts, reports and alerts. It provides them with the flexibility they need to view and instantly collaborate around real-time plant data on any device so they can make rapid, effective decisions.”

With a small install footprint and no additional hardware requirements, the Wonderware SmartGlance implementation process is fast and simple. MyAlerts, the software’s newest mobile app feature, proactively notifies users of process events so they can stay current with real-time information based on configurable thresholds for tag reports. The software can be used with smart watches to alert mobile and remote field workers, plant supervisors and managers of critical production and process information in a real-time, hands-free manner.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that it will release a newly developed multi-function wireless adaptor on December 1. This adaptor enables wired devices that transmit/receive digital ON/OFF signals or receive 4-20 mA analog signals to function as ISA100 Wireless™* field wireless devices.

Field wireless systems enable plant field devices and host-level monitoring, control, and other systems to communicate wirelessly with each other. Driven by the need to improve productivity and safety, companies are looking for ways to collect more data on their plant operations. Consequently, there is a rising demand for field wireless devices as they can be installed in difficult-to-wire locations. Field wireless devices have the added advantage of having a lower installation cost.

In addition to ISA100 Wireless-based field devices and systems, Yokogawa offers multi-protocol wireless adaptors that enable HART® and Modbus devices to function as ISA100 Wireless devices. The development of this new multi-function wireless adaptor demonstrates Yokogawa's ongoing commitment to promoting the spread of wireless communication technologies.

Plants use communication protocols such as FOUNDATION™ fieldbus, HART, Modbus, and PROFIBUS to facilitate the exchange of data. In addition, digital ON/OFF, 4-20 mA analog input, and other types of signals are used for a variety of purposes. This multi-function wireless adaptor has been developed with this latter category of signal types in mind. The mounting of this adaptor on a wired device that transmits/receives digital ON/OFF signals or receives 4-20 mA analog signals enables it to function as an ISA100 Wireless device. This increases the variety of devices that can be used with field wireless systems, and is expected to lead to a wider use of such systems in plant operations.

Signal types: For use with limit switches, solenoid valves, analog transmitters, and other device types, the adaptor has two channels for digital input signals that are used to monitor the ON/OFF state of devices, one channel for digital signals that output the ON/OFF state of devices, and one channel for receiving 4-20 mA analog process value signals from transmitters.

Environmental resistance: An all-weather model that is waterproof and dustproof and an explosion proof model that can be used in inflammable gas environments are expected to be released by the end of 2015.

Technip has been awarded by Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO) a contract for project management consultancy (PMC) services for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works of the Nasr Phase II Full Field Development project – Packages 1, 2 & 3.

The Nasr Phase II Full Field Development project serves ADMA-OPCO’s overall strategic objective for the midterm total sustainable production target. The Nasr field is being developed to secure an annual average production of 65Kb/d of crude oil by using offshore process facilities, wellheads, pipelines and facilities on Das Island.

The scope of work covers the overall management of the EPC phases under execution in United Arab Emirates, Singapore and South Korea. Technip PMC will execute the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2019.

Vaseem Khan, President of Technip in the Middle East, commented: “This contract is a significant achievement and it reflects ADMA-OPCO’s trust in our capabilities in delivering key projects for them. Our association with the Nasr Full Field Development continues from the FEED(1) phase where Technip was the PMC contractor. This new award continues to reinforce Technip’s positioning on PMC activities, leveraging its long-lasting experience in executing complex projects”.

Riccardo Moizo, Senior Vice President of Technip PMC, stated: “We are very proud to have been awarded this contract and we are looking forward to assisting ADMA-OPCO in the development of this complex project. This award consolidates Technip’s position as one of the top-tier Project Management Consultancy companies worldwide.”

With the Rockwell Software Studio 5000 Logix Designer v24 software from Rockwell Automation, engineers have new design capabilities that can dramatically increase automation productivity, improve start-up time and reduce costs throughout a project’s life cycle. The new additions include an application-centric view of code, enhanced work flows for more efficient re-use of content, and new collaborative tools that make it easier for multiple people to work together.

“Many machine builders and manufacturers struggle to support production changes due to unstructured code that is not easily understood and organized,” said Mike Brimmer, product manager, Rockwell Automation. “The Studio 5000 Logix Designer v24 software improves the design experience by more intuitively aligning the control system with the manufacturing operation, thus leading to enhanced automation productivity.”

As part of a contemporary automation engineering design environment, the Studio 5000 Logix Designer v24 software is used to configure Allen-Bradley Logix5000 controllers from Rockwell Automation for discrete, process, batch, motion, safety and drive control.

The Studio 5000 Logix Designer v24 software features a new logical organizer that arranges program code based on the users’ applications – rather than how the programmable controller executes. Logical organization of program code can help users identify and troubleshoot code faster for improved downtime recovery.

New library management work flows, meanwhile, ease the ability to store and re-use intellectual property. Users can simply drag and drop modules of code from the Studio 5000 Logix Designer v24 library into a new project. The new work flows enable design engineers to re-use sections of code, which reduces design time and eases the ability to make future operational changes.

Automation system design and maintenance teams are increasingly global and specialized by function. This highlights an increasing need for more powerful collaborations tools. The Studio 5000 Logix Designer v24 software is addressing this need by building on its already strong baseline of multiuser capabilities, which allows many users to work separately and then bring their work back together.

In addition, the Studio 5000 Logix Designer v24 software supports the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 5500 servo drive with integrated safety to help machine builders reduce development and installation time. It also provides support that allows the Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 527 AC drive to be the first variable frequency drive to exclusively use the motion instruction sets within the Studio 5000 Logix Designer v24 software for machine control and motor synchronization.

The Rockwell Automation Process Solutions User Group will be held on November 17–18, 2014 at Anaheim, CA, USA.  The Rockwell Automation Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) provides a unique opportunity to discover ways to achieve process automation excellence. Gain a competitive advantage by interacting with peers and industry experts who are improving their processes, creating new revenue streams and establishing best practices.

Participate in topics that impact you on a daily basis, such as security, standards, and sustainability trends. Voice your opinion and drive the development priorities and technology roadmap for the PlantPAx process automation system.

2014 Agenda:

• Agenda
• Hands-on-Labs
• Technical Sessions
• Customer Application Sessions

Register

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