In response to increasing demands from manufacturers for true interoperability among shop-floor solutions and information sharing among enterprise applications, Rockwell Automation has introduced FactoryTalk.
FactoryTalk offers highly flexible data sharing for companies in pursuit of collaborative e-manufacturing solutions. Designed as a common infrastructure, FactoryTalk enables manufacturing applications to integrate seamlessly across the manufacturing enterprise - providing information transparency and connectivity to suppliers and customers.
The software offers a consistent format for sharing manufacturing data, allowing users to share critical plant floor data with the rest of the enterprise quickly and easily. The common language used to describe factory automation systems and manufacturing processes helps users cut implementation times and achieve true interoperability among shop-floor solutions.
"Rockwell Automation acknowledges that now, and in the next few years, businesses will have to pursue collaborative production management strategies in order to be more productive and profitable," said Don Lazzari, director of marketing MES solutions, Rockwell Software. "By using a common framework and data flow, FactoryTalk can provide manufacturers with the focused solutions they need for improved collaboration, both on the shop floor and between the shop floor and the enterprise."
The FactoryTalk package currently includes the following components designed to provide data consistency from the automation layer through operations up to the front office.
* FactoryTalk Directory provides a common address book of factory resources, which ensures that changes made to the automation system are automatically updated across FactoryTalk-enabled applications.
* FactoryTalk Live Data provides reliable, enterprise-wide access to realtime manufacturing information.
* FactoryTalk Audit makes it easy to maintain a comprehensive record of any changes made to a manufacturing system.
* FactoryTalk Data Model provides a common terminology to describe manufacturing.
* FactoryTalk Portal provides global access to production data and manufacturing reports from an Internet browser or related remote device.
The software can also access data from a wide variety of databases and information sources from enterprise business systems to automation-layer information servers like Allen-Bradley ControlLogix and Allen-Bradley PLC controllers and provides an infrastructure to access information from third-party OPC servers. Products built on FactoryTalk are available starting this month (March 2002).
About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation is a world-leading provider of industrial automation power, control and information solutions that help customers meet their manufacturing productivity objectives. The company brings together leading brands in industrial automation for complete automation solutions, including Allen-Bradley controls and engineered services and Rockwell Software factory management software, Dodge mechanical power transmission products, and Reliance Electric motors and drives. The company is also a leading provider of contact management technologies and applications that help companies more efficiently manage interaction with their own customers. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, the company employs approximately 23 000 people at more than 450 locations serving customers in more than 80 countries.
Rockwell Software is a leading brand of manufacturing systems software, providing applications for factory automation, data acquisition and integration, manufacturing operations performance improvement and analysis, and shopfloor scheduling. More specific information about Rockwell Automation and its Rockwell Software products and services, may be found at www.software.rockwell.com.
Jeffrey Sandison, Rockwell Automation
011 654 9700
| Tel: | +27 11 998 1000 |
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| www: | www.rockwellautomation.co.za |
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