Posted to News on 16th Jun 2015, 16:29
Omron's "˜big data' products promise to transform manufacturing
On show at PPMA stand B34 this September, Omron will give OEMs and integrators a real insight into new developments in integrated control, high-speed robotics, and how real-time data interchange between production-line operations and enterprise-wide IT systems can meet Industry 4.0 expectations.
Dan Rossek, Marketing Manager, Omron, explains: "Over the last 12 months the term Industry 4.0 has worked its way through the entire supply chain. As automation components grow in intelligence, the demand for "big data' integration between the factory shop floor and top floor has also dramatically increased: linking of individual pieces of line equipment with enterprise-level databases in two-way real-time communication."
On show, Omron's control platform Sysmac can create, integrate and act on this information at high speed, making best use of the data made visible by the machine and the information transferred to and from higher-level IT systems. This type of radical approach to production, already familiar in sectors such as the automotive industry, promises real benefits for flexible food and drink operations where a single line can accommodate many variants of the same of product without the need for a changeover from one batch to another.
Experts will show how seamless integration on the open Sysmac automation platform can cut lead times for machine builders, while allowing them and end users to keep their technology options open.
With the addition of the recently launched NX7 and NJ1 controllers, the Sysmac platform is suitable for a wide range of automation systems from machines with either a low number of axes or none at all through to systems for cutting-edge, advanced production systems.
Automation Product Marketing Manager Barry Graham says: "Machine builders and their customers are looking for "plug and play' integration of automation technologies. Omron's use of a single Integrated Development Environment for software configuration plus flexibility in programming languages means that software development times reduced dramatically. Our goal would be to halve them, which would represent a massive cost saving for machine builders."
Rounding up this year's showcase, Sysmac Studio will be used to operate Omron's latest Delta style robot. Machine builders will see how the software integrates machine control, vision, HMI and safety to develop reliable, cost-effective and efficient robot-based packaging systems. Go to www.industrial.omron.co.uk for more information about integrated control, high-speed robotics, including Omron's control platform Sysmac, or visit the company at PPMA stand B34.
