Allen-Bradley
Allen-Bradley is often considered the largest player in
the global PLC market. While we can't definitively state this,
we do concur that Allen-Bradley has an extremely large presence
in
North
America
installations
and
is therefore often
a
first choice
when expanding an existing system or designing something new. Most
automation engineers or system integrators are already familiar
with Allen-Bradley hardware and its associated software programming
tools,
which promotes their wide industry acceptance. Even though we are
not affiliated with Allen-Bradley, we do recognize that the Allen-Bradley
product line is a suitable, robust platform with
abundant options and expandability. Due to the diversity of their
product line, they can offer a solution for just about any
application.
Due to the factors mentioned above, we have more experience with
this product line than many of the other PLC manufacturers. But
remember, when automation is broken down into its simplest
elements and
based on the functional requirements of the customer, Allen-Bradley
might not be the "no-brainer" it is often made out to
be. Our experience with Allen-Bradley hardware includes but is
not limited to:
- AB Micrologix
- AB Compactlogix
- AB Controllogix
- AB PLC5 Series
- AB SLC5 Series
- AB PanelView/PanelView Plus
- AB Devicenet
- AB PowerFlex Drives
- AB ArmorStart Drives
- AB Flex I/O
- AB Inview Marquees
"Allen-Bradley is a company that specializes in industrial
control and automation products, such as programmable logic controllers.
It is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is currently part of
Rockwell Automation."
Rockwell Automation
We mention Rockwell Automation here because their RSView Machine
Edition is an HMI solution that is not-quite SCADA, but takes the
basic PLC system interface into the direction of more human control
and monitoring. We have done quite a bit of work with this product
and believe it is a competent player. It
does have its strengths and weaknesses and should not be considered
the default solution for every project. Rockwell Automation just
happens to own Allen-Bradley so these products are sometime associated
with one another.
There is also a Supervisory Edition of the RSView product that
we mention later in the SCADA classification
of products.
RSView® Machine Edition is part of the RSView® Enterprise
Series, Rockwell Software’s new line of HMI software products
that supports the ViewAnyWare™ strategy. This series will provide
you with a scalable and unified suite of monitoring and control solutions
for virtually anywhere in your enterprise.
RSView Machine Edition (ME) is a machine-level HMI that supports
both open and embedded operator interface solutions for monitoring
and controlling individual machines or small processes. RSView
ME allows for a consistent operator interface across multiple
platforms,
including Microsoft® Windows® CE and Microsoft® Windows® 2000
solutions. Components of this exciting new HMI are a PC-based development
tool called RSView® Studio and a separate runtime system called
RSView® ME Station. RSView ME Station runs projects developed
with RSView Studio. Flexible runtime choices include Allen-Bradley
RAC6182 Windows CE-based industrial computers and Windows 2000 platforms.
Designed with scalability in mind, future versions of RSView ME will
also run on MobilView Machine and Guard terminals, and the next-generation
PanelView™ Plus embedded operator terminals.
GE Fanuc
GE Fanuc offers a substantial line of automation products ranging
from micro PLCs to PACs. We have dealt with their Series 9030
and Series 9070 line of products. In fact, we have done contract
work directly
for GE Fanuc at their headquarters in Charlottesville, Virginia.
They are often considered the third largest player in
the global PLC market.
General Electric Fanuc, a joint partnership between FANUC LTD. of
Japan and General Electric, is a business unit of General Electric
Industrial Systems. GE Fanuc is headquartered north of Charlottesville,
Virginia on Rt. 29 a few miles north of the Charlottesville-Albemarle
Airport. GE Fanuc designs and manufactures industrial control and
automation products including programmable logic controllers (PLCs),
relay modules, and development software for ladder logic.
 Square-D/Modicon
We have had experience Square-D SY/MAX model of PLCs utilizing the
500 Processor and the 400 Processor. Square D is an American manufacturer of equipment used to control
and distribute electric power.
First formed in 1903 as the McBride Manufacturing Company, they subsequently
changed their name to the Detroit Fuse and Manufacturing Company
with their logo being a "D" (for Detroit) enclosed in a
square. In 1991, they were purchased by the French company Schneider
Electric and they continue to sell into the commercial, industrial,
and residential markets.
 Toshiba
Our experience with Toshiba products includes the T2-Series
of PLCs. We have implemented several systems in the aggregate
(quarry) industry using Toshiba PLCs.
Toshiba Corporation (TYO: 6502) is a Japanese
high technology electrical and electronics manufacturing firm, headquartered
in Tokyo, Japan. It is the 7th largest integrated manufacturer of
electric and electronic equipment in the world.
In financial year 2000-01 the company generated sales of ¥ 5,951,357
million and net income of ¥ 96,168 million. The company employs
188,042 people (2001).
Siemens/TI
Siemens offers a wide range of Automation Systems and are often
considered the second largest player in the global PLC
market.
We have
performed service work on systems utilizing their SIMATIC line
of products and implemented Wonderware interfaces to these PLCs.
Furthermore, we have installed
a custom data collection
and reporting
system
that
interface with these PLCs via OPC.
Siemens AG (FWB: SIE, NYSE: SI) is the world's largest electronics
company. Its international headquarters are in Berlin and Munich,
Germany. Siemens AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and
also on the New York Stock Exchange since March 12, 2001. Worldwide,
Siemens and its subsidiaries employ 461,000 people (2005) in 190
countries and reported global sales of €85 billion in
fiscal year 2005.
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