The SuiteVoyager series of 'thin' products are said to be the first scalable, extensible and multilingual manufacturing information portal for industrial automation
Wonderware Corporation, represented here in South Africa by Futuristix, has announced the introduction of its new SuiteVoyager series of 'thin' products that enables access to information and control via the intranet/Internet.
SuiteVoyager is claimed to be the first scalable, extensible and multilingual manufacturing information portal in the area of industrial automation that enables companies to harness data from all of their plant realtime and historical data sources in a secure and consistent manner.
It is one of the initial product offerings from Wonderware's new advanced client technology (ACT) strategy that includes a series of new multiclient access technologies and software tools. ACT products are designed to help companies seamlessly integrate critical, realtime plant floor data captured by Wonderware's FactorySuite and MaintenanceSuite platforms with the rest of their business enterprise operations.
The new software allows users to visualise plant floor information coming from Wonderware InTouch systems, InTouch and AlarmSuite Alarm databases, I/O servers and IndustrialSQL historian over the intranet/Internet with simply a browser, such as Internet Explorer 5+. The portal interface provides a secure framework, common navigation method and user-friendly Graphic User Interface (GUI) for delivering access to factory floor information. The easy-to-use portal interface offers users an organised, personalised view of factory floor information. Its simple and easy to set-up architecture requires no other knowledge of website construction or design. The architecture has been designed for scalability, extensibility and centralised administration. Customisable sections allow easy integration with websites, corporate applications, reports and resources. The portal provides additional services including single sign-on and portal search capability.
Key features
The SuiteVoyager portal is a 'thin' graphic view of factory floor HMI supervisory systems that also provides:
* An integrated website or portal for many types of factory floor data.
* A portal that is easy to install and requires no prior web knowledge or knowledge of specific website building tools.
* Scalability - with the use of new 'made-for-the-web' technologies like XML (eXtensible Mark-up Language), web servers can be immediately scaled for greater than 300+ 'casual' users. No re-engineering is required to add new data sources, analysis tools, or HMI windows.
* Information management - companies can manage this new level of casual user by controlling the type of access and their method of accessing information.
* Analysis tools - the casual user may need an additional level of analysis beyond the typical HMI windows. The SuiteVoyager portal allows the integration in a single framework with these additional tools.
* Reports - the casual user may need summary information in the form of reports. In its premier release, SuiteVoyager allows HTML reports to be linked directly to the portal.
* Documents - The premier release of SuiteVoyager will allow maintenance and control engineers to access on-line documents and forms.
* Performance - by taking advantage of new Internet technologies like XML, users no longer need to wait for long periods of time while components download to the client.
* Access to components including HMI windows is immediate.
* Security - no compromise has been made on security. Companies can feel secure when using SuiteVoyager over the Internet as well as an intranet. Firewalls do not need to be opened. Access can be fully controlled and managed.
* Extensibility - not only has the portal been designed for multiple data handlers like DDE, SuiteLink, OPC, XML and ADO, but also portals themselves can be linked.
Advantages of the portal concept
A portal is simply a website that offers a doorway to additional information about a specific topic. From a technical standpoint, the SuiteVoyager manufacturing information portal is a system of integrated programs designed to make it easier for a user to find information. The purpose of these integrated programs is to offer convenience and a community for specific information. This strategy also enables users to locate information quickly as opposed to going to several different places using different sets of tools to find the information.
About Wonderware
Wonderware, a business unit of the Invensys Industrial Software and Systems Division, is a world leader in the supply of industrial automation software. Founded in 1987, Wonderware pioneered the use of Microsoft Windows-based, human-machine-interface (HMI) automation software for manufacturing operation systems. Today, Wonderware's mission is to provide integrated software suites that drive the customer's strategic, planning and operational decision-making based on realtime plant floor information. Recent corporate and product acquisitions have broadened Wonderware's market coverage to range from 'sensor to supply chain.' In addition to its HMI and manufacturing execution systems (MES) products, Wonderware offers leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) and enterprise asset management (EAM) solutions as well as strategic consulting services.
Based in Irvine, California, Wonderware has regional sales and development offices throughout the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia to provide support to its network of more than 160 independent distributor offices. Wonderware has more than 150 000 successful software installations in more than 25 000 plants worldwide.
About Invensys
Invensys is a global leader in the automation and controls industry. With its head office in London, Invensys operates in all regions of the world through four focused divisions: Industrial Software and Services, Industrial Drive Systems, Power Systems and Controls.
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