Rockwell Automation, the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, has unveiled its latest offerings in support of Open Process Automation. The company’s new innovations include the PlantPAx control platform, Embedded Edge Compute Module, FactoryTalk Optix, and FactoryTalk DataMosaix.
These new offerings further solidify Rockwell Automation’s commitment and leadership within the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF), marking a significant stride in reshaping the future of automation. The O-PAS Standard, developed by the OPAF and aligning with the OPC Foundation’s Unified Architecture (UA) Standard, plays a crucial role in this development.
The O-PAS Standard, as an automation user-driven standardization initiative, presents a significant opportunity for manufacturers to modernize their automation infrastructure. By enhancing scalability, flexibility, and upgradeability, manufacturers can improve the capabilities of their systems over time while providing investment protection through expanded system integration capabilities.
Rockwell Automation has a history of championing open industrial automation standards and has actively invested in leading-edge technology. This investment allows the company to provide an integrated experience for its products and those from the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork.
The PlantPAx Distributed Control System, which serves as Rockwell’s flagship offering for the process industries, stands out with its 15+ year track record of delivering DCS and information-ready capabilities. With an open, modular, and secure architecture, the PlantPAx system is built on a strong foundation, which Rockwell Automation continues to expand upon.
The recent innovations introduced by Rockwell Automation include several key components. First, the PlantPAx control platform, based on the company’s Logix Controllers, now natively supports OPC-UA, enabling direct data sharing with edge and cloud applications. Additionally, enhanced connectivity options are available through MQTT and REST protocols.
The Embedded Edge Compute Module, another noteworthy development, provides a compute surface within the Logix environment. This module enhances plant-wide connectivity through the use of OPC-UA, MQTT, and REST API communication.
Furthermore, Rockwell Automation has introduced FactoryTalk Optix, a scalable platform that seamlessly integrates with PlantPAx. FactoryTalk Optix offers native support for OPC-UA, allowing operations, maintenance, and plant personnel to visualize information from across the enterprise.
The combination of PlantPAx and FactoryTalk DataMosaix brings forth a leading industrial Data Ops platform. Supporting OPC-UA, this platform provides contextualization of data from multiple sources. These data models can be utilized to support pre-built Energy, Batch, and Asset optimization solutions from Rockwell Automation or expedite the development of custom solutions.
By aligning with open industry standards such as the O-PAS standard, OPC-UA, and the Namur Module Type Package (MTP) standard, Rockwell Automation addresses the growing market demand for scalability, modularity, and interoperability. The company’s focus on open standards positions it to meet industry requirements, with ongoing support for use cases and demonstration projects across various industries.
According to Aneil Ali, the Open Process Automation Forum director, the O-PAS Standard provides an open, interoperable, and secure architecture for industrial Process Automation. Ali highlights the significance of the O-PASâ„¢ Connectivity Framework (OCF), which leverages OPC-UA as the enabler for automation users to connect and replace architecture components without the need for an entirely new system installation.
Rockwell Automation recognizes the importance of integrating systems, products, and services to meet users’ needs for collaboration across edge and cloud data sources. By working closely with organizations like the OPAF and OPC, the company aims to invest in its offerings for market-leading interoperability, longevity, and performance.
The unveiling of these new Open Process Automation offerings from Rockwell Automation sets the stage for a more interconnected and efficient industrial automation landscape. With a focus on open standards and integration, Rockwell Automation continues to lead the way in transforming the future of automation for manufacturers worldwide.
