Schneider Electric has drawn on its expertise to develop the Unity platform under the Telemecanique umbrella, an entirely redesigned offer of simple, yet specialised automation software for the Modicon Premium, Atrium and Quantum PLC ranges.
Unity Pro is the all-in-one software to be used all along the life cycle steps, from the PLC programming to the operation and maintenance phase. Common to Premium, Atrium and Quantum Modicon PLCs, it is now possible to select the best-fit range for your application, while ensuring the portability with the other hardware platforms.
With five IEC61131-3 languages, Unity Pro keeps the best values of PL7 and Concept software and new features afford greater productivity and openness. Unity Pro clearly features best-in-class tools for standardisation and re-use, testing and diagnostic. With Unity EFB Toolkit, Visual C++ developers can create tailor-made functions to be used within Unity Pro.
Unity SFC View is an Active X component to be integrated into a standard HMI/scada to monitor and control any SFC program. Unity Application Generator (UAG) is the specialised software for design and code generation of batch/process type applications. UAG translates the customer specifications into automation control logic while providing seamless PLC, HMI integration. By strictly applying the ISA S88 methodology, UAG drives development with more efficiency and provides a higher quality and viability of the installation.
Unity Developers' Edition (UDE) includes additional software for IT development engineers in VBA, VB or C++. It provides local or remote access to Unity Pro object servers. UDE is used to develop connections with third-party software leaders. It can also be used to develop customised and made-to-order solutions or automate such repetitive tasks as data entry, configuration, and translation.
* Modicon is the family name for a range of 'Unity unified' and complementary PLC platforms.
* Modicon Premium is optimised for machines, manufacturing and discrete automation. It has a compact form factor and high-density modules, an expandable back-plane for realtime multirack architectures, built-in Ethernet TCP/IP, a wide catalogue for standard field and machine bus, counting, motion, electric cam, weighing and machine safety.
* Modicon Atrium is the slot PLC premium for PC-based needs and a native integration with HMI.
* Modicon Quantum is optimised for process control and high-availability. It has native advanced process control capabilities and support of the standard fieldbuses for process automation. It also features Ethernet TCP/IP built-in, as well as conformal coating modules, intrinsically safe I/Os, plug-and-play and the high performance hot-standby solution.
There is the philosophy that performance is not an end in itself. It simply is essential for optimum productivity and availability of the installation. With Unity, Modicon Premium, Atrium and Quantum PLCs have significantly increased memory capacities for programs (up to 7 Mb), data (up to 1 Mb) and trace files (up to 8 Mb).
The versatile new Modicon CPUs are just as optimised for Boolean instructions as for complex numerical instructions. They offer the best performance levels for program execution, regardless of which IEC61131-3 language is used. The ability to distribute processing according to priority levels means that the Unity multitasking system further optimises the performance of the application.
An onboard Ethernet TCP/IP link with a web server means that Unity simplifies and optimises the integration of PLCs into a de facto standard communication architecture. With Unity, the Modicon PLCs also feature more Transparent Ready services such as e-mail, time synchronisation and direct access to a SQL or Oracle database.
For the distribution and connection of remote I/Os and intelligent devices, the Modicon PLCs support Ethernet, CANopen and AS-i. To fulfil all industries needs, other market standards such as Modbus Plus, Fip and Profibus DP are available within the Unity catalogue. Other connectivity, including wireless, is available via the Transparent Ready partners of the Collaborative Automation Partner Programme.
A new Quantum 'hot-standby' processor has been dedicated to critical applications requiring maximum availability, where production downtime as a result of malfunctions would lead to significant losses. Truly plug-and-play, the solution ensures switchover to a backup PLC without loss of control in either the control system or its supervisory system.
Upward compatibility and migration with the installed base have been crucial factors in the development of this solution. The existing peripherals' I/O, application-specific modules, and communication modules of Premium, Quantum and Atrium are supported with Unity. The upgrade of CPU or other modules such as Ethernet is possible through a simple download of the Unity operating system.
Built-in converters see to it that PL7 and Concept IEC61131-3 standards and projects are converted. Software investment is optimised, training costs are reduced, and it is possible to benefit significantly from this potential for development.
Salient features that contribute to boosting standardisation and re-use include unallocated symbolic data with no mapping required, structured data type with nesting, user-defined functions, functional modules with sections of code, animation table, and operator screens. There is a library for customised data and functions with versioning and a wizard enables re-use of functional modules. The ability to increase quality before installation is available through a PLC simulator on the PC, with an extension set of debug tools, such as breakpoint, step-by-step and inspect windows.
Reduced downtime on maintenance operations is realised by the ability to apply multiple modifications of variables or sections at one time, having an audit trail to track operator's actions, a functional view for direct access, hyperlinks everywhere in the project, operator screens and application diagnostics with built-in viewer and trace.
XML import/export of any element of the project; access to the Unity database and server with UDE and VBA, VB and C++ programming interfaces all add up to improved collaboration with other software tools.
Seamless PLC, HMI integration at the design step, as well as S88 and GAMP methodology ensure functional design for code generation.
For more information contact Linda Eales, Schneider Electric South Africa, 011 254 6400, [email protected], www.za.schneider-electric.com
| Tel: | +27 11 254 6400 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.se.com/za/en/ |
| Articles: | More information and articles about Schneider Electric South Africa |
© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved
printer friendly version