Siemens Limited, headquartered in Mumbai, India, announced the launch of the Ruggedcom RX1400, a smart multiprotocol network node with integrated firewall. The device combines the functionality of Ethernet switch and router with various connectivity options for Wide Area Networks (WAN).
Yokogawa Electric Corporation announced release of an enhanced version of the Stardom network-based control system. The new Stardom version features enhancements that reduce communication costs and ensure highly reliable monitoring and control. These enhancements meet a variety of needs in upstream oil and gas development and production, which Yokogawa is targeting based on its Transformation 2017 mid-term business plan.
Siemens announces "SPPA-T3000 Cue", the latest release of its instrumentation and control system for power generation.
ABB recently introduced its "Repair in a Box" service to help simplify maintenance for its process control systems, including NET 90/INFI 90/Harmony/Symphony (Bailey), Symphony Plus, MOD 300 (Taylor), Advant Master, Advant MOD, and DCI SYSTEM SIX (Fischer & Porter), pulp and paper automation and QCS (AccuRay) equipment, and process analytics parts.
Rockwell Automation has introduced its new Allen Bradley MobileView tethered operator interface. The mobile terminal gives plant and industrial personnel the ability to take a machine's human-machine interface (HMI) with them to make real-time adjustments to out-of-view applications.
Oilfield service providers (OSP) have been among the hardest hit by the decline in oil prices, the top four have laid off over 40,000. Yet, most of the major OSPs are continuing to release new products and solutions designed to help companies find oil faster and more cheaply, drill for oil faster and at lower costs, and produce the hydrocarbons more efficiently, more cost effectively, and with the aim of increasing ultimate recovery potentialities (Peak oil theory anyone?).
Rockwell Automation released v5.0 of its Pavilion8 Model Predictive Control (MPC) software, designed to help create a more user-friendly configuration environment, step-by-step prompts, warning diagnostics, and more flexible work flows to help simplify building, maintaining and adjusting complex process models.
Pavilion8 MPC v5.0 software remains control system independent, but integrates with the PlantPAx process automation system from Rockwell Automation and includes the following four enhancements.
ABB, a global leader in power and automation technologies, announced it will start production of robots in the United States, making it the first global industrial robotics company to fully commit to and invest in a North American robotics manufacturing footprint. The company made the announcement at the opening of a new robotics plant at an existing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where it already has about 500 highly skilled employees. Production is to commence immediately.
GE announced that it has implemented and released a new Global Discovery Server based on the new Part 12 of the OPC UA standards. The Proficy Global Discover Server (GDS) automatically discovers OPC UA devices on the network and connects to them without configuration.
Siemens launched a new product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services solution aimed at enhancing efficiency for the global Energy & Utilities industry. The solution leverages Siemens' Teamcenter portfolio to digitalize key capital project management processes, such as bid response management, and is specifically tailored to critical Energy & Utilities industry business processes.