Rockwell Automation has announced the addition of EtherNet/IP to its medium-voltage Allen-Bradley CENTERLINE motor control centers (MCCs). With the features of an integrated EtherNet/IP network, manufacturers now have access to production information throughout the enterprise and can take advantage of simplified device programming with Premier Integration.

“We are excited to extend our portfolio of EtherNet/IP-enabled MCCs to include medium voltage,” said Jeff Nolan, product manager, Medium Voltage MCCs, Rockwell Automation. “As with our low-voltage MCCs, EtherNet/IP integration allows customers the ability to access more detailed production data, allowing plant engineers to predict potential problems and help prevent equipment failures. This ultimately results in higher asset availability and reduced maintenance costs.”

Leveraging a single, standard network simplifies communication for the entire enterprise and provides users with the flexibility to control, configure and collect data from any point in the system. In addition, by taking advantage of Premier Integration, users can configure and commission their MCC faster with Rockwell Software Studio 5000 engineering and design environment, helping to eliminate errors associated with redundant programming.

Furthermore, the Ethernet connection allows CENTERLINE MCC users to access information remotely. This lets personnel safely monitor, troubleshoot and diagnose the MCC without exposing them to potentially dangerous conditions and power equipment. Knowing how an MCC is performing from anywhere also saves time by minimizing the need for maintenance personnel to enter the MCC. This involves suiting up with personal protective equipment to help protect personnel from exposure to hazardous conditions.

With embedded Allen-Bradley IntelliCENTER technology, Centerline MCCs use a pre-configured and pretested network with integrated hardware and software. This level of integration helps reduce installation time with its plug-and-play setup, and can help minimize facility downtime by quickly providing intelligent diagnostic and predictive failure information.

Product Website

Rockwell Software Studio 5000 unified engineering and design environment, releasing later this month from Rockwell Automation, provides a framework for engineering collaboration. It sets the foundation for design tools that allow engineers to enter configuration and programming information only once, and then leverage it across their entire control system architecture from design to operation to maintenance.

“The Studio 5000 environment will bring the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture system to the next level, building on the superior usability of Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000 software, further improving the user experience, and the design and productivity of automation systems,” said Kevin Zaba, vice president and general manager, Control and Visualization Business, Rockwell Automation. “Optimally integrated hardware and software means users can define data once and easily use it across the Integrated Architecture system. The data and tag structures are natively recognized and automatically picked up by the other system components, improving development efficiency and reducing programming errors. A unified engineering and design environment also communicates and performs at higher speeds. For customers, the result is improved productivity, shorter design cycles and a faster time-to-market.”

The debut of Studio 5000 software includes the Logix Designer application for programming and configuration of Allen-Bradley ControlLogix 5570 and CompactLogix 5370 programmable automation

controllers. Later versions will provide applications for other engineering tasks, such as HMI development, library management for reusable components, information integration and more.

Maintaining the familiar, user-friendly workflows and interfaces from the RSLogix 5000 design and configuration software, the new Studio 5000 environment creates an optimal level of integration within the Integrated Architecture system. Optimal integration is accomplished by embedding features such as program comments and descriptions, and a new alarm log, directly in the controller.

The new environment taps additional memory storage capacity in the latest generation of Logix controllers so program comments, for example, that describe the functionality of each line of code, can be maintained directly in the controller without reducing available user memory. Now, a complete project can be stored in the controller, with comments correlated for multiple users, reducing time and effort related to maintenance and troubleshooting.

Studio 5000 unified engineering and design environment photos: http://flic.kr/p/dkS4d4

The International Society of Automation (ISA) announces that it continues to explore new collaborative initiatives designed to help industries throughout the world improve automation technology and workforce proficiency, safety, reliability and efficiency.

ISA’s Executive Director and CEO Patrick Gouhin is working with representatives of German-based NAMUR, a leading international user association of automation technology companies in the chemical process industry, to assess how ISA can support NAMUR’s core objectives, namely:

• Minimizing its member companies’ costs associated with process control technology
• Increasing access to appropriate process control technology
• Improving plant safety
• Encouraging greater collaboration among its company members with other corporations and associations

“At ISA, we’re honored that NAMUR encourages our input and seeks to create a collaborative relationship,” says Gouhin, who this week attended and spoke at NAMUR’s Annual General Meeting, held 8-9 November 2012 in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany. Pieter van der Klooster, who manages ISA’s European office, also attended the meeting. “We’re currently working to define the activities that offer the most potential for collaboration, to plan cooperative working groups, and to consider our mutual participation in events.”

In his opening remarks at the meeting, NAMUR President Wilhelm Otten highlighted the need to initiate international involvement and secure alliances with other organizations to solve many of the global challenges facing process industry.

In an increasingly linked and interdependent global economy, fostering greater communication and cooperation among industry producers, automation technology companies, industry associations, government officials, and academicians is vital in sharing best practices, promoting innovation, and weighing strategies to invigorate worldwide economic growth.

Already, Gouhin reports, ISA and NAMUR have identified five common working groups that offer immediate collaborative opportunities:

• Functional Safety
• Wireless Automation
• IT Security
• Selection of Field Flow Devices
• Alarm Management

Gouhin’s involvement at NAMUR is the latest example of ISA’s growing participation in international initiatives to leverage the value of automation technology and counteract the worldwide economic slowdown. In mid-October of this year, Gouhin attended and spoke at the World Manufacturing Forum 2012, also in Germany, where he underscored the need for automated manufacturing systems and more skilled workers capable of operating them.

Rockwell Automation has announced the addition of new energy intelligence capabilities in software applications. The new tools – the FactoryTalk VantagePoint Energy bundle, FactoryTalk EnergyMetrix software, and Allen-Bradley IntelliCENTER Energy software – help plant and operations managers view resource consumption in relation to specific units, lines and machines, so they can make more informed energy decisions. Energy intelligence is an extension of the manufacturing intelligence capability of turning data into information for informed decision making, by leveraging power and energy equipment as data sources.

“Beyond monthly utility bills, many companies lack insight into their consumption data for WAGES (water, air, gas, electricity and steam),” said Mike Pantaleano, business manager, Information Software, Rockwell Automation.

Manufacturing plants consume more than one-third of the global energy used annually. Unfortunately, many companies do not have information on the day-to-day energy consumption within their plants. “In order to identify opportunities for improvement, manufacturers need usage data from all areas of the facility to set baselines and better track variations for their entire operation – whether a single plant or a global production infrastructure. Energy-intelligence strategies leveraging FactoryTalk software enable companies to report and visualize their consumption in a way that can reduce the time and effort associated with regulatory compliance, cut operating costs and maximize profit,” said Pantaleano.

For more information on this subject click 'Energy Intelligence through new capabilities in Softwares'