When Mitsubishi Electric originally created the CC-Link (Control & Communication Link) fieldbus network system in 1996 it was conceived as an Asian counterpart to Profibus and DeviceNet and intended for internal use. Today the system is in use all over the world, installed on over 650 000 stations. This success story was made possible by the CC-Link Partners Association (CLPA), an international alliance of leading manufacturers of CC-Link-compatible products.
The CLPA's objective is to make CC-Link one of the top fieldbus systems on the world market. Its founding members are Digital Human Machine Interfaces, Contec, Mitsubishi Electric, NAIS, NEC and Woodhead Connectivity. The organisation made its first official public appearance at this year's Hannover Fair, where it demonstrated the strengths and synergy potential of the new standard to the trade public.
CC-Link is a control and fieldbus level platform for high-speed communication between data and field devices like controllers, sensors and actuators. In networks with up to 65 stations it can provide absolutely reliable communication without any need for repeaters. Supported by a broad spectrum of automation equipment from many manufacturers, CC-Link provides communication facilities for integrated and efficient production or process facilities via a single cable. Its fast response times are the result of simple and effective protocols. All the CC-Link products are certified by the CLPA, guaranteeing worldwide compatibility.
The main benefits of CC-Link are:
* Specifically developed for simultaneous, high-speed control and data processing applications.
* Low cabling and installation costs.
* Continuously-growing number of new CC-Link products from a wide variety of manufacturers.
* Network length up to 13,2 km.
* Improved RAS functionality for remote maintenance and service.
* Up to 26 multi and standby masters per network for maximum access options.
Given these specifications it is hardly surprising that the number of manufacturers of CC-Link compatible equipment is growing continuously. In turn, this is giving planners a broad choice of products to choose from when they are building an integrated automation system. To date, over 150 automation equipment manufacturers have integrated CC-Link communications capabilities in over 300 different products.
The standard and market leader in Asia
In the future, CC-Link is going to be a 'must-have' feature for anyone exporting to the Asian market. It is now the market leader in Asia, where it has already achieved that status of a standard network. "In the future, everyone who wants to export network-capable solutions to Asia is going to have to support CC-Link because it is the Asian network standard," explains Christoph Behler, the CLPA deputy general manager for Europe. "With its high processing speed and an application covering everything from the control level to the fieldbus level, CC-Link offers more than comparable Profibus and DeviceNet solutions."
To meet the growing demand for support for this new fieldbus network, the CPLA has already installed service stations with offices in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, China, North America and Europe. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the CC-Link network for more information about services, technical questions and participation in this innovative system.
For more information contact Sheldon Olivier, CBI, 011 928 2000, [email protected], www.cc-link.org
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