Electricity + Control September 2017

round up

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

Expanding MES applications for entry to smart manufacturing Rockwell Automation has introduced a new suite of capabil- ities which has improved functionality across its portfolio of scalable MES applications based on the FactoryTalk Produc- tionCentre platform from Rockwell Automation. The portfolio includes FactoryTalk Production, FactoryTalk Performance, FactoryTalk Quality and soon FactoryTalk Warehouse appli- cations. “We are delivering on what we promised – improvements in usability and flexibility – while adding entirely new appli- cations,” said Christo Buys, Business Manager for Control Systems, Rockwell Automation sub-Saharan Africa. The line- up is as follows: • Improved User Experience, Time-to-Value: The lat- est updates to FactoryTalk Production, FactoryTalk Per- formance and FactoryTalk Quality applications provide a simplified, visual drag-and-drop tool to build out new workflows – no coding needed. This means product changeovers can happen more quickly and allows more flexibility for new product introductions • New FactoryTalk Warehouse Application: The latest MES application, FactoryTalk Warehouse, streamlines warehouse logistics to allow fast, precise inventory man- agement and tracking capabilities from goods receipt through stock records and goods issuing • Increased Integration for Process Applications: An expanded, out-of-box integration tool in the FactoryTalk ProductionCentre MES application portfolio gives users access to more production data across systems, great- ly reducing the barrier to entry for connected and smart manufacturing • Expanded Delivery Options: Rockwell Automation pro- vides infrastructure-as-a-service offerings via pre-config- ured and managed industrial data centres and will soon provide SaaS offerings via the FactoryTalk Cloud platform Enquiries: Christo Buys.Tel. +27 (0) 11 654 9700 or email cbuys@ra.rockwell.com

Effective plant asset management With its Simatic PDM Maintenance Station V2.0, Siemens is provid- ing the ideal solution for efficient monitoring of intelligent field device statuses independently of the automation and control system used. Their integration is based on DD (Device Description)/EDD (Electronic Device Description) technology. Diagnostic, parameterisation and status data from the field devices is read out cyclically and depicted in a clearly arranged format. The col- lected data can also be transferred using an export function for further processing in enterprise asset management or cloud-based condition monitoring systems. Version 2.0 has been further developed to com- ply with Namur recommendations NE 105, NE 107 and NE 129. The Simatic Process Device Manager forms the basis for data and status monitoring of smart field devices in the maintenance station. Simatic PDM is a universal, manufacturer-neutral tool used for project engineering, parameterisation, commissioning and monitoring of in- telligent field devices and field components. It supplies diagnostic data, status data and parameter data to the Simatic PDM Maintenance Station, where the information is pro- cessed and supplemented by functionalities such as overview or work progress lists, overview, segment and detailed images, status logs, parameter data archiving, global and device-specific message lists as well as cyclical functions for reading out or exporting field device information. The maintenance and servicing system is designed for use by small to medium-sized enterprises or production plants used for pro- cesses such as hybrid or biogas, wastewater treatment, painting lines in the automotive industry or paper manufacturing. The Simatic PMD Maintenance Station can also be used in specific plant sections. Ver- sion 2.0 of the Simatic PDM Maintenance Station can be used wher- ever intelligent field devices are in operation. The system is optimised for up to 500 field devices, and it is also possible to combine several Simatic PDM Maintenance Stations within one plant. Enquiries: Jennifer Naidoo. Email jennifer.naidoo@siemens.com

18 Electricity + Control

SEPTEMBER 2017