When time means money, deploying new or replacing dated equipment can be a complex and time consuming process. Added to this are challenges around workforce changeover where experienced staff are retiring and taking their knowledge with them; and keeping up with advancing and evolving technologies.
Throughout the supply chain, from manufacturers to end users, all are striving to boost efficiency and effectiveness. In order to optimize performance, both the architecture and each component within must be designed appropriately, and the resource allocation must be efficiently performed. A simpler, holistic integration can help machine builders consolidate high levels of complexity and connectivity while having development time and costs on the watch.
Simplifying Machine Design and Configuration
As industrial automated production and information systems continue to grow in complexity, productivity is becoming increasingly important in all aspects of manufacturing operations – including the machine design and configuration stages.
The traditional labor intensive approach of manually integrating and configuring devices and systems is doubtlessly time-consuming, costly and counter-intuitive to the needs of today’s manufacturers.
Achieving faster time-to-market is key to get ahead and stay in the lead of the competition. There is no time to build a system from scratch, nor deal with the compatibility risks that come with off-the-shelf components.
When companies are using devices from multiple vendors, they often encounter difficulties in getting the devices to communicate and operate in tandem with each other. Such problematic issues can result in extended engineering time and increased costs. Besides, an array of devices in the control system can create maintenance challenges in the future.
To perform efficient engineering as well as greater synchronization in operations, a better integration between controller and devices is particularly essential for designing and building products.
Experience Premier Integration
Rockwell Automation has introduced the Premier Integration experience to represent the next level of controller and device integration. More than just connecting process, power, information and safety into one control architecture, Premier Integration performs a seamless integration that simplifies and streamlines system design, maintenance and operation for any networked automation systems, thus addressing common yet vital operational challenges.
With a foundation constructed by a Logix-based control architecture and intelligent Allen-Bradley devices, Premier Integration is unique to a wide range of specific control-system elements from Rockwell Automation, such as controllers, devices, motor control centers (MCC) and soft starters.
Executing controllers programming, devices configuration and maintenance management processes all within one single software environment can be said as another defining characteristic of Premier Integration.
With these capabilities, manufacturers and engineers can ease integration, cut development time, improve information visibility and productivity in manufacturing operations since all they need now is a centralized intelligent platform for leveraging many different devices.
To meet challenges in this world of smart manufacturing and to establish The Connected Enterprise®, flexibility and responsiveness are as important as effectiveness.
Acquiring a fleet of Smart tools and software, Rockwell Automation brings OEMs the opportunity to gain a Premier Integration experience and the ability to respond more quickly to changing market and business needs, while helping to reduce total costs of ownership, including maintenance and training.
