SAI&C took the opportunity to chat about Rockwell’s recently released factory automation software suite with Jean-Luc Bonnet, marketing manager, Software – EMEA, on his visit to South Africa.
Q. What is the purpose of your current visit to South Africa?
A. Rockwell Automation recently launched FactoryTalk, our integrated production management and performance suite, and we felt that the time was ripe to give South African companies and I&C specialists an opportunity to get a close look at its capabilities. We have just completed a roadshow visiting major cities.
Q. What is the development history of FactoryTalk?
A. The project was started some six years ago when we took the decision to build an integrated system using an SOA (services oriented architecture) philosophy on top of a core common services platform.
This model allows us to rapidly integrate extensive new capabilities without having to re-design the platform each time. For instance, during 2006 Rockwell acquired Datasweep, an experienced developer of manufacturing production management software solutions with strong capabilities in the track, trace and recipe handling. We were able to incorporate their technology into the FactoryTalk suite in a very short timeframe.
Q. What was Rockwell's strategic rationale for the FactoryTalk development?
A. We identified that clients wanted to be able to purchase both the front-end hardware such as PLCs and HMIs as well as a production management suite from a single vendor and so we took this decision to help to differentiate ourselves from other automation system vendors.
Having our own software suite has meant that we can better utilise the intelligence of field technologies and control room technologies in ways that cannot be achieved where these two control aspects are designed in isolation. Our common tag-based programming structure is a good example of this.
Q. How is the common tag-based structure handled across front-end and back-end systems?
A. We have designed it to eliminate the need for maintaining cross-references between host system tag names and physical PLC addresses. For Rockwell front ends the tags reside in the controllers, they are not centralised in the host system as happens in many PLC/scada systems from differing vendors. This means that we can reduce network traffic and improve system responsiveness.
Unlike some vendors' systems, there is no single common manually maintained SQL database in which all tags reside because that becomes a potential single point of failure.
Q. Does this devolution of tags to controllers mean that FactoryTalk can only support suitable Rockwell controllers?
A. No, not at all. It simply means that there are benefits from using Rockwell controllers, but we can integrate FactoryTalk with legacy Rockwell controllers and third party controllers.
Q. We understand that the system uses open industrial Ethernet standards such as ControlNet and DeviceNet that share the common industrial protocol (CIP). The reliable operation of these depends on good network design, component selection and configuration. In your experience does the average user have sufficient technical knowledge to do a good job of this?
A. In many cases clients are not strong in this area so Rockwell offers assistance in this through their own in-house expertise and through trusted partners. You may have heard that Rockwell and Cisco are working together on industrial networking solutions. We also partner with other industry specialists to offer our clients sound advice for network planning.
Q. You bill FactoryTalk as offering an 'integrated architecture'. What do you mean by that?
A. The system comprises both hardware (front-end controllers) and software that can be fully integrated into a company's information system and supports the lean manufacturing philosophy. It serves realtime factory floor information to operators, process engineers and management so that they can answer questions like, 'Are we doing well? If not, then why not? Do we have the production capacity and inventory to meet a particular manufacturing order?'
This integrated approach also leads to improved diagnostics capabilities and faster fault finding which helps to address the declining skills availability at the factory floor.
Q. Do clients need to invest in the whole FactoryTalk suite or can they choose appropriate parts to meet their immediate needs?
A. No, the whole premise of FactoryTalk is that clients only need to invest in what they need today. The suite is broken down into six disciplines and within each of those is one or more products. The disciplines are Design & Configuration, Production Management, Data Management, Quality & Compliance, Asset Management and Performance & Visibility.
So, for example, Production Management comprises FactoryTalk Batch, FactoryTalk Scheduler and FactoryTalk Production Centre.
Q. What level of investment is needed for a client to start to experience the benefits of FactoryTalk?
A. A client who already has his front-end controllers in place can get started with a View node licence and the necessary common services for R10 000-R40 000.
Q. Often it takes clients far longer than they have planned to bring a production management system up and running to the point where it is economically useful. In what ways can Rockwell help clients to expedite project implementation?
A. We recognised this and about two years ago introduced a team of requirements analysts who work with customers to determine their current and future needs. These analysts review client requirements from a business perspective.
As well as being able to assist clients from a business perspective at the project planning stage we have also introduced the concept of embedded engineers where we will contract with clients to provide resident Rockwell technical personnel at a client's site for ongoing maintenance and support.
Q. There are many different ways in which vendors support asset management. What capabilities are incorporated in FactoryTalk and what can we expect in the future?
A. Right now the FactoryTalk Asset Centre provides hardware and software asset management for Rockwell PLCs, drives and HMIs and some support for third party equipment.
We are particularly strong on access control - being able to restrict which users have access to which software and for what purposes - even to the point where we can control access to individual PLC processors when technicians hook up a laptop for programming. We are the only player in the market that can offer full traceability on application software changes.
This traceability at application software level helps clients to achieve regulatory compliance with regulations such as FDA 21CFR part II, Sarbanes-Oxley and TREAD.
All application software has file management and versioning such that a master file with the current working version of each front-end controller application resides on a network server. This means there is no more searching for the latest application version (is it that one on the laptop? Or on this flash drive? Or that CD?) and that translates into improved system availability through reduced MTTRs when a device such as a drive or PLC needs to be swapped out.
The next major inclusion in asset management will be the incorporation of instrumentation devices via HART. This will be available in the next few months and on release we will be the only player providing asset management on both discrete control hardware and instrumentation.
Q. At which South African industries are you targeting FactoryTalk?
A. There are many industries that can benefit from this suite. Of course, mining and metals are important industries for us in South Africa, as are automotive and beverage where we have a strong installed base. With the country's strong emphasis on mining, Rockwell's South African operation hosts our international Centre of Excellence for Mining.
We also have major South African clients in petrochemicals and since the system can compete head-to-head with many traditional DCS solutions it further opens up the oil, gas and petrochemical industries to us.
Jean-Luc Bonnet, marketing manager, Software – EMEA, Rockwell Automation
Bonnet has more than 16 years professional experience, which includes business, marketing and sales management covering solution sales and business-to-business marketing in a global environment.
Bonnet joined Rockwell Automation in 1997 as a sales engineer and throughout his tenure has been involved with the sales and marketing of manufacturing execution systems (MES), enterprise asset management, and visualisation solutions within Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He holds a BSc in Computer Science and Automation from the University of Toulouse and has completed courses in business management, sales techniques, financial management for factories, and value selling methodology.
For more information contact Deon Engelbrecht, Rockwell Automation, +27 (0)11 654 9700, [email protected], www.rockwellautomation.co.za
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| www: | www.rockwellautomation.co.za |
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