Posted to News on 26th Oct 2012, 16:54
Energy management and FPGA on show at SPS/IPC/Drives Fair
Major advances in open industrial communications will greet visitors to the CLPA (CC-Link Partners Association) booth, Hall 6 Number 122, at the SPS/IPC/Drives Fair. These will include a new Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and the launch of CC-Link Energy.
There will also be details of the Gateway to China business development programme and displays showing how CC-Link is being used in vertical industries such as food and beverage, consumer packaged goods and water.
CC-Link, one of the world's leading open network technologies, which now exceeds 1700 member companies, allows field devices from many different manufacturers to be integrated onto the same control network and to communicate freely. Organisations wanting to make CC-Link-compatible products or to use CC-Link as a control system can join the CLPA, as can relevant researchers and academics. FPGAs are integrated circuits that can be configured by users "in the field', rather than during their manufacture. This allows bespoke and customised systems to be easily realised. Device manufacturers will be able to use them for short production runs, allowing them to be more flexible in addressing the changing needs of their markets.
John Browett, General Manager CLPA Europe, says: "FPGA could be a game changer in industrial communications. It opens up many new possibilities and gives users considerable power over their own destiny."
He is similarly enthusiastic for CC-Link Energy, noting that with energy prices rising most organisations consider energy management to be a key concern. He notes: "A modern energy management system collects data from every point of usage, so a communications network is vital. CC-Link Energy does this very efficiently and aids converting the raw data into clear concise reports. CC-Link's ability to automatically reconfigure its network is also very useful when energy managers adapt or update their equipment."
The Gateway to China programme is always a crowd-pleaser at fairs such as SPS/IPC. CC-Link was developed in Asia and is by far the most popular open industrial communications network in region. The programme leverages this by offering business support services, such as market research, personal introductions, in-country advertising and promotion and technical and commercial support through over 20 locations.
Easy integration of networks
Browett says: "This year we are also demonstrating our support for vertical industry sectors, showing how CC-Link can benefits different areas within a given industry. One of the main benefits of CC-Link is the and the data sharing this engenders."
The SPS/IPC/Drives fair is one of the world's leading fairs for automation and will run from Tuesday 27th November - Thursday 29th November 2012 in Nuremburg, Germany.
Browett concludes: "SPS is possibly the most important event on the European calendar for us. We have seen a consistent rise in the number of visitors to our booth each year. This shows us that the interest in what CC-Link can offer is continuing to rise. So we make an open invitation to any user who needs a completely reliable, high productivity open network solution for their machine or system to come and spend some time with us, so they too can see what we can offer."
For further information about CC-Link, visit the CLPA booth, Hall 6 Number 122, at the SPS/IPC/Drives Fair, or go to www.the-non-stop-open-network.com.
