PRODUCTS

Siemens PLC Drivers Added To Ignition OPC-UA Server

Kepware adds SNMP agent capabilities, major configuration enhancements to KEPServerEX Version 5.5

See Canary Labs at OPC interoperability workshop

Web-based HMI: View your process data from anywhere

WHITE PAPER
Effective OPC security for industrial automation control systems
Recent security incidents such as the Stuxnet worm that attacked Siemens WinCC and PCS7 systems in Iran and the remote sabotage of a Texas power utility are a wakeup call. White paper from Matrikon presents simple, cost-effective solution. For the past decade, industrial control systems administrators and engineers wanted to believe that ‘air gaps’ truly existed between their systems and the rest of the world. They have also hoped that ‘security by obscurity’ would keep them safe from security threats. Those days are over—recent security incidents such as the Stuxnet worm that attacked Siemens WinCC and PCS7 systems in Iran and the remote sabotage of a Texas power utility are a wakeup call for the industrial automation industry. These aggressive and targeted attacks shed light on just how vulnerable and exposed automation systems really are. They also give us a glimpse of the future of the threats to industry. Ultimately they provide a clear warning: secure your control and automation systems or the reliability and safety of your entire operation is at risk... Read More»

TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Measuring and monitoring energy consumption using OPC and Siemens technology
Using Softing's OPC Server with Siemens PAC 3200 for intelligent energy management can help determine where the “energy guzzlers” are in any industrial automation environment. Rising energy prices aren't just a problem for the automotive industry. These days, the management and conservation of energy is of growing concern to manufacturers in all sectors as well as to cities, local authorities and private households. Intelligent energy management starts with measuring energy consumption to determine where the “energy guzzlers” are in a building or production area and whether certain machines use a particularly large amount of energy... Read More»

CASE APPLICATION
OPC empowers fire equipment manufacturer to integrate legacy control with an Allen-Bradley ControlLogix robotic controller
Company taps Software Toolbox to provide OPC solution that bridges legacy platform running on Linux to a brand new Allen-Bradley ControlLogix robotic controller. Since 1971, Task Force Tips (TFT) in Valparaiso, Indiana has manufactured high quality water delivery solutions to clients worldwide. Their focus is on nozzles for the firefighting industry but their product offerings include hoses, valves, nozzles for de-icing, and foam solutions. For many years TFT has had a robotic picker picking from hundreds of parts bins along a 100 foot multi-level picking line. The robot was controlled by a COBOL program via serial connection running on a Linux box. This picking line had become problematic with frequent breakdowns and slow response time to commands. The team at TFT began to explore solutions to make the line more reliable and efficient. To accomplish this, they began by completely overhauling the robot. For control, they chose Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLCs and A-B servo drives. The question for TFT then became, how to maintain their control program on the Linux box and use it to pass commands to the ControlLogix PLC. It was suggested that TFT investigate OPC technology... Read More»