Yokogawa Electric Corporation and The Process, Power & Marine division of Intergraph Corporation have signed a software integration development agreement. Under terms of the agreement, the companies are working together to develop an interface between the Yokogawa Centum CS 3000 R3 distributed control system (DCS) and the Intergraph INtools ( ppo.intergraph.com/ppm/intools) lifecycle instrumentation engineering, design and operational documentation software.
The interface enables automated input/output (I/O) configuration with INtools of the Centum CS 3000, thereby accelerating project execution and getting the control system online as quickly and efficiently as possible. INtools-Centum CS 3000 integration helps reduce engineering work iterations, eliminates rekeying I/O configuration data and helps improve quality and reliability. The integration is planned for availability with the 7.0 version of INtools and Centum CS 3000 R3.05 in first quarter 2005.
After the Centum CS 3000 is online, integration helps plant personnel manage the system throughout the facility lifecycle including operation and maintenance, upgrades, retrofits, expansions and turnarounds. The Centum CS 3000 configuration is easily modified to reflect ongoing engineering changes, making automation documentation more accurate, complete and current. The resulting high reliability configuration contributes to overall control system quality, safety and production efficiency.
The INtools-Centum CS 3000 integration streamlines configuration whether in new or existing plants. For new plants, INtools users first download Centum CS 3000 I/O card specifications and field instrument definitions from the Web to populate the INtools engineering database. Engineers then use INtools for system design, including assigning control system tags to I/O channels, creating loops and wiring connections and performing related tasks. Without data manipulation, the I/O and device information is then transferred to the Centum CS 3000. In an existing plant, Centum CS 3000 transfers I/O and device information to INtools and engineers then carry out the plant configuration, following the same procedure as with a new plant.
Accelerating configuration and market expansion
Senior general manager - Process Automation Solutions Division, Toshiaki Shirai, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, said, "Yokogawa and Intergraph are technology leaders in their markets, and it makes business sense for both to work together to further our common goals. The INtools-Centum CS 3000 Integration will help customers accelerate design and configuration of Yokogawa systems and get plants or expansions online sooner."
"The Asian DCS market is flourishing as companies make large capital plant investments in virtually all vertical industry segments in South East Asia, China and India. The interface development agreement is positioned to help Intergraph penetrate even further into Asia Pacific and help Yokogawa expand business in the Americas and Europe. ARC sees significant opportunities for both companies in these respective regions," said Russ Novak, research director of ARC Advisory Group, the leading automation industry analyst and strategic consulting firm based in Dedham, Mass.
"One of the oldest names in true DCS systems, Yokogawa is expanding and growing through alliances and acquisitions. The development alliance between Yokogawa and Intergraph should help provide additional growth opportunities for both companies, given Yokogawa's large installed base and INtools' prevalence throughout the plant engineering and operation sector," said Kevin Stanley, senior vice president, Americas & Asia Pacific Business Unit, Intergraph Process, Power & Marine.
Yokogawa and Intergraph advanced technologies lead process industries
The Centum CS 3000 R3 ( www.centum.jp), Yokogawa's flagship DCS, features sophisticated functions and components to meet all production site requirements. The Centum CS 3000 R3 is designed to handle everything from small-scale facilities to the very largest of plants. Each level, ranging from enterprise to field, can be fully interconnected using the latest technologies. As a result, it is possible to optimise the overall system, reduce site operations, increase automation, raise productivity and of course, boost profits.
Intergraph INtools ( ppo.intergraph.com/ppm/intools) software comprehensively supports engineering, design and documentation for the lifecycle, including instrument indexes, calibration and maintenance, specifications, process data, calculation, wiring, loop drawings, hook-ups and commissioning. INtools is the first commercial instrumentation software to support fieldbus topologies and is regarded as the de facto standard for instrument engineering worldwide.
For more information contact Johan Pretorius, Yokogawa SA, 011 681 2500, info@za.yokogawa.com, www.yokogawa.com/eu
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