Innovative intelligent marshalling and revamped control, HMI and engineering software make modernisation fast, easy and affordable.
Invensys Operations Management has introduced the next major evolution of its Foxboro I/A Series distributed control system. As the core DCS component of the company’s InFusion Enterprise Control solution, the latest I/A includes an innovative Intelligent Marshalling solution and high-performance Foxboro control and simulation software, which reduce total cost of ownership and expand traditional DCS functionality for superior collaboration and visibility across the enterprise.
“The new I/A Series system allows users to begin their journey towards real-time business optimisation by taking full advantage of their existing automation systems, while preserving existing investments and lowering total cost of ownership,” says Mike le Plastrier, divisional director, Invensys Operations Management southern Africa.
Intelligent Marshalling is designed to reduce installation costs. With traditional control systems, field wiring must be sorted out in a marshalling cabinet before it is connected to the main I/O module terminal strips of the DCS panel. It’s an inflexible approach that often leads to expensive indirect costs. The I/A Series solution features the Universal Fieldbus Module, a per-channel configurable I/O module that supports a variety of analogue and digital signal types, eliminating the need for marshalling entirely.
Designed to simplify engineering efforts and improve the user experience, Foxboro Control Software 3.0 embeds the company’s ArchestrA System Platform and Wonderware InTouch HMI within the Foxboro I/A Series system, applying common object technology from process control up to the business system level and out to any third-party system. This allows users to integrate all of plant devices, systems, databases and software applications. Additionally, enhanced integration with the latest advanced software applications from Invensys, including its mobile workforce management and workflow offerings, provide more systems flexibility, adaptability and responsiveness, helping to reduce total cost of ownership. By enabling real-time access to critical plant and business data, users are able to balance competing strategic objectives related to controls, assets, environment and safety and people to optimise their overall business and maximise operational effectiveness.
“Process manufacturing is facing what could be characterised as a perfect storm. The loss of experience as a result of the shifting demographics, the need to operate proactively rather than reactively, the ability to empower knowledge workers with actionable context and more, are all new challenges that require changes in our processes and tools,” says Dave Woll, vice president, consulting services, ARC Advisory Group. “With the Foxboro Control Software 3.0 release, Invensys provides component-object technology throughout the Foxboro I/A Series system up to the operations management level. Its open-technology platform transcends disparate systems, providing the unique ability to apply best-of-breed solutions from Invensys or third parties. This level of enterprise-wide integration makes it significantly easier to access, manage and contextualise information for a wide variety of operations users, allowing them to drive and deliver greater production value in real-time. We are also observing a strong resurgence with customers refocusing on cost of ownership and the preservation of their investments over the lifecycle of their plants and systems. Maintaining focus on product lifecycle management pays dividends for them in the long term.”
For more information contact Jaco Markwat, Invensys Foxboro, +27 (0)11 607 8100, [email protected], iom.invensys.co.za
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