Moxa has announced the release of MX-AOPC UA Server, a new automation software solution that helps users facilitate efficient yet seamless SCADA device data management. MX-AOPC UA Server is Moxa’s first OPC UA software solution that addresses big data challenges related to the industrial Internet of Things.

Using Moxa’s MX-AOPC UA Server, industry engineers can enjoy a cohesive, reliable, and more secure data exchange and control framework that enables instant alarms, real-time updates, and efficient logging of historical data, allowing for both timely risk prevention and maintenance responses.

The MX-AOPC UA Server inherits Moxa’s patented Active Tag technology and supports the Modbus protocol for polling data. Engineers can seamlessly and reliably connect edge devices to a SCADA system, and the active tag technology minimizes data size, which is a common challenge for big data applications. The inherent flexibility, reliability, and security of MX-AOPC UA Server make it an ideal choice for meeting the evolving needs of big data analysis.

MX-AOPC UA Server is ideal for a variety of industrial automation applications that need to optimize data management, maximize uptime, reduce maintenance costs, and increase safety.

Key Features and Benefits

• First OPC UA server for industrial automation that supports both push and pull communication
• One-click active tag creation
• Simple and easy viewing of tag values and UA server status
• OPC UA: The next generation of interoperability, reliability, and security

Rockwell Automation reduces boot-up time and increases installation flexibility with the new space-saving Allen-Bradley PanelView 800 family of graphic terminals. The terminals, available in 4-inch, 7-inch and 10-inch display sizes, feature an 800 MHz CPU processor, up to 256 MB of flash, and dynamic memory to reduce boot-up time, making it two times faster than the previous PanelView Component terminal. The terminals also offer improved touch-screen responsiveness and can be configured in portrait and standard landscape mode for greater installation flexibility.

“The PanelView 800 family of terminals builds on the Rockwell Automation Connected Components Workbench software’s value of giving machine builders simplified engineering, easy configuration, faster installation and reduced start-up time,” said Chee Wah Lee, product manager, Rockwell Automation. “This family of graphic terminals is ideally suited for meeting control and visualization requirements in a wide range of simple, standalone applications, such as pump stations, packaging machines, labelers and stretch-wrap machines.”

The PanelView 800 graphic terminals are specifically designed for use with the Allen‑Bradley Micro800 and MicroLogix control systems. The terminals’ high-resolution screens with LED backlights can display up to 65,536 colors, providing a sharp display for a wide range of applications. Built-in Ethernet and serial communications ports (RS232, RS422 and RS485) support easier controller connectivity, while USB and microSD ports make file transfers easier. The terminals are also certified for Class 1, Division 2 hazardous locations.

The Connected Components Workbench software Release 8.0, which includes support for the PanelView 800 graphic terminals, gives machine builders a common environment to program the Micro800 controllers, as well as to configure the Allen-Bradley PowerFlex drives and Allen-Bradley Guardmaster safety relays.

The standard edition is free, and Release 8.0 includes support for the Guardmaster 440C-CR30 safety relay Ethernet plug-in for communications to Micro800 and Allen-Bradley CompactLogix controllers; the Micro800 high-speed counter plug-in feedback axis to ease motion programming; and Micro800 DeviceNet scanner plug-in diagnostics to ease troubleshooting DeviceNet-connected devices.

Users can also purchase the developer edition, which includes an archive manager to track the project with a timestamp and description, making device management easier. The developer edition also offers an enhanced Micro800 programming experience, with intellectual property protection, user-defined data types, a spy list to monitor variables easier, and the ability to make program logic changes while in run mode.

Nematron is pleased to announce the launch of a brand new, high performance computer in its' lineup of fanless, rugged, industrial-strength embedded PC's - the nPC20 industrial node computer. Continuing Nematron's mission of manufacturing quality, state-of-the-art industrial PC's, the nPC20 node offers a significant number of options that allow maximum configurability based on a customer's specific application needs. The nPC20 node is engineered with precision to the highest quality standards in the industry. These ultra-compact industrial node PCs can be used in many different applications, even Class I Division 2 Hazardous Locations.

The nPC20 Fanless Node PC is a high-performance Non-display computer built for industrial use. Intel® ATOM Dual and Quad Core processing options give this industrial-grade node the power to run your control applications.

With quality and durability in mind, the nPC20 is built to be reliable in the most extreme conditions and is fully tested with UL Class I, Div 2 certifications (pending). The nPC20 will also offer several mounting options including DIN-Rail and mounting brackets, making mounting in a NEMA enclosure much simpler.

Standard Features:

Two High Performance / Low Power CPU options:

- Intel Dual Core ATOM E3826 Fanless Processor (1.46 GHz, 1MB Cache, 2 Threads)

- Intel Quad Core ATOM E3845 Fanless Processor (1.91 GHz, 2MB Cache, 4 Threads)

2GB DRAM (4GB or 8GB optional)

I/O Connectivity:

- Two Gigabit (10/100/1000) Ethernet ports

- One RS-232/422/485 serial port

- Two USB 3.0 ports

- Audio Out port

- Analog Video and HDMI ports (Supports dual video)

80GB Solid State Drive (160 and 300GB options)

24 VDC (10-30 VDC) input

- Optional AC power supply sold separately

Simple, easy-to-use DIN Rail and Shelf Mounting Brackets included for mounting in multiple orientations

UL and cUL Ordinary Locations Listed (pending)

UL and cUL Hazardous Locations Listed (pending)

- Class I Division 2, Groups A, B, C, & D when mounted in a NEMA enclosure (pending)

0°-55°C operational temperature rating

Windows 7 Professional (32-bit) pre-installed

- Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit) with Multilanguage support optional

ThinClient Configurations available:

- ACP® ThinManager Enabled

- PXE-Boot Configuration (for non-ACP ThinManager applications)

FCC & CE Compliant (pending)

2-Year warranty

Product Webpage

Kepware Technologies, a software development company focused on communications for automation, today announced the release of KEPServerEX version 5.17. Key enhancements to the flagship communications platform include the new Scheduler Plug-In and updates to the Local Historian Plug-In and EFM Suite. The release strengthens Kepware's product offering for industries requiring remote communications, including Oil & Gas, Water & Wastewater, and Power.

The new Scheduler Plug-In enables users to move the scheduling of data requests from the client to the server to optimize device communications for networks with limited bandwidth. Its centralized scheduling functionality allows users to prioritize schedules and define when and what specific data sets to poll—providing control and monitoring of network utilization. It also adds security to the network by preventing "rogue" clients from hijacking available bandwidth from critical applications.

Kepware's EFM Suite for KEPServerEX is a collection of drivers and Electronic Flow Measurement (EFM) exporters that enable Oil & Gas companies to poll real-time and historical EFM data from pipeline flow computers and RTUs. While the EFM Suite has always supported FLOWCAL CFX files, KEPServerEX version 5.17 allows users to cleanly import gas EFM data into FLOWCAL's Oracle database via the FLOWCAL Transaction Queue. This simplifies training, configuration, support, and maintenance for customers that use FLOWCAL and Kepware's EFM Suite.

To improve operational efficiency and reduce network load, Kepware updated the Local Historian Plug-In to support OPC Historical Data Access (HDA) processed read requests. The processed read requests shift the heavy data computation load from the client to the historian server, minimizing the network load from each request.

"While companies generate massive amounts of data, the insight that this data provides is only valuable if it can be accessed quickly and efficiently," said Tony Paine, CEO, Kepware. "KEPServerEX version 5.17 gives our customers tools to manage data and prioritize bandwidth usage more effectively so they can optimize their communications and ultimately make more informed business decisions."