As part of the global GE Infrastructure business platform, GE Fanuc Automation has recently introduced the new PACSystems RX3i controller - the latest addition to the PACSystems family.
The solution features a single control engine and universal programming environment, which provides application portability across multiple hardware platforms to deliver a true convergence of control choices. This is according to Daniel Coetzee, business manager for GE Fanuc Automation in sub-Saharan Africa.
"Featuring the same control engine as the PACSystems RX7i, the new PACSystems RX3i offers a high level of automation functionality in a compact, cost-effective package. GE Fanuc is delivering on its promise for application portability with the launch of the PACSystems RX3i."
According to Coetzee, this same control engine provides high performance on several different platforms, allowing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end-users to choose the exact control system hardware that best suits their needs. "Through this innovation, the GE Fanuc PACSystems family addresses major engineering and business issues - such as higher productivity and communications openness," says Coetzee. This flexible technology can help users boost the overall performance of their automation systems, reduce engineering costs, and significantly decrease concerns regarding short- and long-term migration and platform longevity.
Craig Resnick, international research company ARC's research director of manufacturing advisory services says: "PACs such as the RX3i and the RX7i address the integration issues confronting OEMs and end users by extending the domain expertise of automation systems, resulting in increased return on assets, reduced lifecycle costs, and a lower total cost of ownership for manufacturers.
According to Resnick, machine builders and OEMs want fewer components in their solution and ones that contain multiple-discipline development and functionality. This integrated, common development environment, with one programming and engineering tool for the complete system, can apparently lower project development and implementation costs. Resnick believes that the use of PACs will continue to shift the emphasis toward open communication standards and software integration, with less focus on the hardware.
Performance
* The strength of the RX3i lies in the rich instruction set of PACSystems combined with backward compatibility with Series 90-30 I/O and Series 90 program folders. The RX3i controller has the performance of three controllers in one, giving the user the flexibility to control discrete, process and motion applications with one controller. For faster throughput without information bottlenecks, the RX3i features a high-speed, PCI-based backplane and Pentium 300 MHz CPU, making it suitable for complex applications.
* The CPU also has a powerful instruction set that includes floating point maths, indirect addressing and parameterised subroutine blocks. There are three types of interrupts (timed, I/O and module diagnostic) that can be used to start a block's execution, and priority levels can be assigned to the interrupts.
* High performance motion is accomplished on the RX3i with PACMotion Digital Servo Interface Module that supports 4-Axes of FANUC Digital Servo. It uses fibre-optic communications to the drives for speed and noise immunity. Motors and amplifiers can be remote - up to 100 m from controller. Advanced application features such as electronic gearing, camming and high-speed registration position capture are supported.
Compatibility and flexibility
* The RX3i supports a wide range of I/O and network modules for a variety of applications; both existing Series 90-30 I/O and new RX3i I/O on the PCI bus. Network support includes Ethernet, Genius, Profibus, DeviceNet and serial communications. Software tools are also available to convert Series 90 folders to RX3i.
* The system supports a wide range of I/O and includes discrete, universal analog, high-density analog, high-speed counter, and motion. The universal analog input module supports voltage, current, RTD, strain gauge, thermocouple, and resistive on a per channel basis, thereby reducing the overall hardware cost of the system.
* High-capacity power supplies can be deployed in single or multiple configurations to provide adequate power or redundancy in one rack. The PACSystems RX3i also features faster I/O with expanded diagnostics, interrupts, extensive diagnostic LEDs for easy troubleshooting, an isolated 24 V d.c. connector grounding bar that reduces user wiring, and other user-friendly features.
* The CPU has 10 MB of memory, enabling users to store all their ladder logic documentation as well as machine documentation (like Word or PDF documents, Excel files, and CAD drawings) to reduce downtime by aiding in troubleshooting.
Protecting users' installed investment
* Like other members of the PACSystems family, the PACSystems RX3i control system allows the combination of new technology with existing hardware systems, providing a seamless migration path for GE Fanuc customers. "Protecting each user's investment in both I/O and applications development and enabling easy upgrades for improved total control system functionality including hot insertion of migrated I/O modules, were at the forefront of the PACSystems family design," says Coetzee. "This enables all control systems users to leverage as much of their installed automation investment as possible by combining it with this new technology. This core design approach seeks to bring every control user forward to new technology with a time- and cost-saving migration solution."
Universal development environment
* The common software platform across all of GE Fanuc controllers, award-winning Cimplicity (Machine Edition) software provides the universal engineering development environment for programming, configuration and diagnostics for the entire PACSystems family, resulting in faster time to solution and reduced training time.
* The RX3i has 10 Megabytes of memory to store the entire project (program, program documentation and Microsoft applications such as Excel, Word, PDFs, AutoCAD etc) on the controller, reducing troubleshooting time.
* The symbolic programming option allows the re-use of tools without having to re-address, reducing program conversion time.
* User defined function blocks allow customisation of application function blocks by combining various controller instructions such as add, divide and multiply in one function block.
* With tag-based programming, a library of re-usable code and a test edit mode for improved online troubleshooting, Cimplicity Machine Edition is a user-friendly environment that can increase design flexibility and improve engineering efficiency and productivity.
For more information contact Daniel Coetzee, manager, sub-Saharan Africa, GE Fanuc Automation, 031 583 2602, [email protected], www.gefanuc.co.za
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