GE Fanuc Automation has introduced a powerful family of programmable automation controllers, at the heart of its new PACSystems solution. The PACSystems family features a single control engine and a universal programming environment.
This novel approach provides portability across multiple hardware platforms to deliver a convergence of control choices. It offers customers many other benefits including improved performance, higher productivity, and an easy migration path for existing GE Fanuc PLC users.
Peter de Lange, Automation Manager at GE Industrial Systems in South Africa says: "The new GE Fanuc PACSystems family contains fully integrated control systems comprising a control engine, award-winning Cimplicity Machine Edition software and hardware platforms.
"The control engine is built on a standard embedded architecture and uses recognised commercial operating systems. This makes the engine portable to multiple platforms, allowing users to choose the hardware and programming language that best suits each particular application. The system supports distributed I/O through industry-standard communication protocols that include Ethernet, Profibus, DeviceNet, and Genius networks. PACSystems represents a revolutionary change in the control industry, one that enables control convergence rather than integration of disparate parts and pieces," says Lange.
According to de Lange, the PACSystems family provides a seamless migration path to improved control functionality. "This ensures protection of a user's investment in both I/O and applications development, enabling easy upgrading from existing GE Fanuc controller systems. The PACSystems controllers operate with almost the entire existing range of GE Fanuc I/O, thus already offering over 100 variations of I/O hardware.
The Cimplicity Machine Edition provides a universal engineering development environment for programming, configuration and diagnostics. With tag-based programming, a library of re-usable code and a test edit mode for previewing applications, the application is a user-friendly environment that can increase design flexibility and improve engineering efficiency and productivity.
Craig Resnick, director of research for ARC Advisory Group, comments: "The PLC has evolved by incorporating open standard interfaces, multi-domain functionality, distributed modular architectures, and modern software capabilities integrated as turnkey automation solutions. The new PAC concept will play a major role in plant and factory automation, today and in the future."
The first GE Fanuc PACSystems controller platform to be released is the high performance RX7i. Offering a claimed four times the speed of existing PLC backplanes and up to 10 MB of memory usable for programming and documentation storage, the PACSystems RX7i is VME64 based, supports all standard VME modules including Series 90-70 I/O, and incorporates industry-leading technology from VMIC, a GE Fanuc company. GE Fanuc plans to release additional platforms throughout the year.
About GE Industrial Systems
GE Power Controls (GEPC) known in South Africa as GE Industrial Systems. The GE Industrial Systems division is a leading supplier of products used to protect and control electrical power and equipment. GEIS acquired the AEG low voltage business in South Africa in the last quarter of 1996. This investment has provided a sound platform for growth in the provision of low voltage motor control centres. GEIS also supplies a vast range of low voltage switchgear, control and automation systems. The division's systems and products are applicable in the iron and steel, paper and pulp, materials handling, water and public utilities sectors to mention a few.
GE Industrial Systems acquired the business of Interlogix Inc in February 2002, which is now known as GE Interlogix. GE Interlogix manufactures a wide array of electronic security products and systems for commercial, industrial and residential use. Primary business segments are Security and Lifesafety, Enterprise Technologies and Key Management. GE Interlogix is represented internationally, as well as locally in South Africa.
About GE Fanuc Automation
GE Fanuc Automation is a leading global supplier of automation solutions and is a joint venture between GE and Fanuc of Japan. GE Fanuc products and services include Cimplicity collaborative production management software, nano to high-end PLCs, a wide range of CNCs, motion control, operator interfaces, industrial computers, lasers, and a wide range of integration and customer support services. The company's European headquarters are at GE Fanuc Automation Europe in Luxembourg.
For more information contact Peter de Lange, Automation Manager, GE Industrial Systems, 011 238 3000, peter.delange@gepc.ge.com
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