the rockwell automation planpax system

7/30/2019 The Rockwell Automation PlanPAx System

1/9

Distributed Control Systems Worldwide Outlook Supplier Profiles

Rockwell Automation

http://www.rockwellautomation.com/solutions/process/

Key ProductsPlantPAx Process Automation System

Regions

North America; Europe, Middle East & Africa; Asia; China; India;

Latin America; Brazil

Description

Rockwell Automation is a global provider of industrial automation

control and information solutions. The company focuses on

addressing customers business needs to form automation and

information solutions through partnerships with a large network of

local companies in distribution, services, and software around the

world. To this end, Rockwell Automations message to its served

markets includes reducing time-to-market and total cost of

ownership, asset optimization, and providing business risk

management.

With headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation

has two major product lines, Allen-Bradley and Rockwell Software,which offer a comprehensive suite of automation solutions that

include control and information platforms, industrial components,

intelligent motor control and global manufacturing support

services. Additionally, it offers a wide range of services including

design, implementation and post-sale support services.

DCS Business

For process applications, Rockwell Automation recommends

building the solutions with PlantPAx, the companys process

automation system. PlantPAx combines the plant-wide control

technologies and unmatched scalability of Integrated Architecture

with the core capabilities expected in a world-class DCS.

PlantPAx is based on a combination of core Rockwell Automation

Integrated Architecture technologies (Logix, View and

FactoryTalk) and extensions, such as batch management, process

Copyright " ARC Advisory Group ARCweb.com For Internal Use Only 5-1
http://www.rockwellautomation.com/solutions/process/http://www.rockwellautomation.com/solutions/process/


2/9


information management functionality, APC, or SIL 3 process

safety, as customer needs dictate. PlantPAx can also utilize

functionality developed through co-investments with partners,

such as Endress+Hauser, OSIsoft, On-Line Development Corp.,

Quest Technical Solutions, Spectrum Controls, ProSoft

Technologies, and others.

The Logix platform provides a unified, common controlinfrastructure that addresses continuous applications as well as

traditional batch and sequencing, motion, and discrete

applications. FactoryTalk encapsulates the supervisory and

production management environment and includes applications

such as operator interface/visualization, batch control, batch

management, asset management, and integration with enterprise

resource planning (ERP) systems. PlantPAx incorporates

standards such as IEC 61131-3 programming, EDDL, FDT/DTM,

Foundation Fieldbus, HART, EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, and

ControlNet. ISA-88 hierarchies are implemented in the system, asare structural and transactional elements of the ISA-95 standard.

Security is in conformance with the ISA-99 standard.

Rockwell Automation is building on its core strengths that have

long been demonstrated in process, hybrid, and discrete

industries. The goal is to supply users with a process automation

5-2 Copyright " ARC Advisory Group ARCweb.com For Internal Use Only

PlantPAx


3/9


system that suits their needs in terms of scalability, ease of use,

and a plantwide view of control. Current customers tend to use

small to medium size systems, according to ARCs definition.

PlantPAx is capable of meeting those requirements as well as the

requirements for large systems.

PlantPAx Provides Unified Engineering & Configuration

Design and configuration for PlantPAx are done through an

integrated environment for creating, modeling, and programming

production processes. With PlantPAxs integrated engineering

tools, users manage the full control application lifecycle:

conceptualization, design, development, simulation, testing,

deployment and maintenance.

The PlantPAx configuration environment covers process control,

motion, safety, discrete control, and drives applications, enabling

information to be provided in context to the users or other

applications in the environment. Rockwell Automations

configuration supports the IEC 61131-3 languages, which can

work with each other in a control application, enabling function

blocks to call ladder routines, sequential function charts (SFCs),

structured text, and so on; this is a unique ability for Rockwell

Automation.

PlantPAx Provides Single HMI EnvironmentPlantPAx has a common HMI environment, which is integrated

with the Logix control layer. The Rockwell Automation Integrated

Architecture offers additional visualization options which can be

applied within the overall solution. Operators, supervisors,

maintenance personnel, and others connected to a PlantPAx

solution have access to data and information from other Rockwell

Automation or third-party supervisory control and production

management, or maintenance management applications. Users

can be delivered supporting information, in a useful context, so

that they can make effective routine and critical productiondecisions.

PlantPAx Open Hardware Environment for Controllers & I/O

PlantPAx can scale from a single controller, associated I/O, and

workstation focused on a local unit operation, up to a system with



4/9


tens of thousands of I/O points, multiple servers, and many

controllers.

Rockwell Automation has been making control hardware for use in

harsh industrial environments for years. Logix I/O and controllers

are highly durable and can be mounted in harsh environmentsoutside the control room. I/O is offered in multiple form factors

with options for connectivity, giving users great flexibility for

meeting their plant requirements.

Many Rockwell Automation systems are in use today, which

makes it easy to find people trained to program and maintain

Rockwell Automation systems.

EtherNet/IP Provides Common Control Network

EtherNet/IP is the industrial Ethernet solution from ODVA Inc., anindustrial consortium also known for its CIP networks DeviceNet,

ControlNet and CompoNet. The common thread of these networks

is the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP). The advantage of the

CIP model is that the same command set is common to all CIP

networks, enabling applications to cross networks without the

need to translate protocols.

As opportunities arise in the automation space, ODVA considers

them and, if merited, adds capabilities and extensions to the

network through the development efforts of its Joint Special

Interest Groups working groups that focus on a particular

technology or application need.

Integrated Process Control and Safety

Rockwell Automation provides the broadest portfolio of process

safety products and solutions, using capabilities from its

Integrated Architecture, as well as technology from the acquisition

of ICS Triplex.

Rockwell Automations technology is scalable and provides the

application developer with options to meet end user standards or

preferences and application requirements:

Appropriate SIL level for requirements of the application:

SIL1 through SIL3 requirements



5/9


Technology selection of common or diverse technology for

BPCS and safety system

Architectures for solution 1oo1, 1oo2, 2oo2, and 2oo3

(TMR) providing highest levels of fault tolerance available

Level of integration between BPCS (Basic Process Control

System) and safety system

Rockwell Automation has the technology, expertise and project

and support services to support the full system lifecycle for an

initial safety system implementation as well as for legacy safety

migration or conversion.

Rockwell Automation Continues its Process Plan

The company continues to invest in overall process automation

development.

Rockwell Automation identified six primary areas it wants to focus

on as the company integrates this functionality seamlessly with

PlantPAx. These include operations productivity, engineering

productivity, field device integration, plant asset management,

high availability and safety, and core process control functions.

Rockwell Automation continues to build its solutions capability

with acquisitions and new alliances. Following the 2009

acquisition of Hinz, of Canada, the company has acquired South

African integrator (and product developer) Hiprom Technologies, a

leading process control and automation systems integrator

headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. Hiprom serves

multiple industries, delivering customer solutions in the rapidly

growing Sub-Saharan market, as well as globally in the mining,

metals & minerals industries. This acquisition closed in early

2011.

A Truly Integrated System

The PlantPAx roadmap is made up of a unified control and

visualization solution. PlantPAx includes a reusable object library,

built in trouble shooting features, such as breadcrumbs that

allow users to trace sequence of events and perform root cause

analysis.

Rockwell Automation integrated its enterprise manufacturing

intelligence (EMI) software product technology (acquired with



6/9


Incuity in 2008) into the FactoryTalk software suite. The

functionality provides real-time intelligence and business decision

support for improving operations and reducing production waste

by providing manufacturers with management insight into their

operations. Now known as FactoryTalk VantagePoint, this

functionality serves as the supervisory layer in the PlantPAx

system.

Rockwell Automation continues to expand advanced process

control capabilities within the Integrated Architecture and

PlantPAx. Pavilion8 has been integrated with PlantPAx through

FactoryTalk. Pavilion8 is the modular software platform with a

hybrid modeling engine at its core, and includes modules to

control, analyze, monitor, visualize, persist, and integrate that are

combined into high-value applications. Previously, theseapplications were run on a supervisory computer, connected with

the PlantPAx environment. Recently, Rockwell Automation

released PlantPAx ModelBuilder which allows use of the model-

building technology and encapsulation and deployment of the

resulting real-time model into a Logix-based control application.

Other advancements to the PlantPAx core system include

enhanced redundancy and improved network resiliency. PlantPAx

uses Ethernet in the automation system architecture, and

implements a Device Level Ring (DLR) network topology networkwith embedded switch technology when more fault tolerance is

desired from the network.

Rockwell Automation integrates centralized engineering

management, automatic backup-and-compare operations on

supported devices, disaster recovery, and change management in

its FactoryTalk AssetCentre Plant Asset Management offering.

Safety System Integration

In early 2010, Rockwell Automation announced integration ofPlantPAx with the Trusted TMR and AADvance safety system

platforms (acquired with ICS Triplex). The integration of safety

system platforms goes beyond just process safety; including fire

and gas detection, ballast control, and compressor and turbine

controls. Rockwell Automation also participates in Foundation

Fieldbus Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF) development.



7/9


AADvance I/O from ICS Triplex has also been integrated into

PlantPAx for high availability control systems. Logix controllers

are already SIL 2 certified out of the box by TV Rhineland.

Field Device Integration

While Rockwell Automation supports EtherNet/IP as its controlnetwork backbone, the company is neutral when it comes to

support of device level networks, such as Foundation Fieldbus,

Profibus PA, HART, and Wireless HART.

Through its support of FDT technology, Rockwell Automation is

working toward a solution for unified device configuration for

HART, PA, and Foundation Fieldbus devices in a common

environment. The companys alliance with Endress+Hauser has

been a key part of the companys PAM strategy. Rockwell

Automation continues to release integration information and

application code for EtherNet/IP devices from Endress+ Hauser.

In addition to its longstanding alliance partnership with

Endress+Hauser, Rockwell Automation has relationships with

Pepperl+Fuchs for their corrosion measurement devices and other

products, and Mettler Toledo for analytical products, through its

Encompass Partners program. For control valves, the company

has formed alliances with Metso Automation and Dresser

Masoneilan.

Support of Virtualization on VMware

Rockwell Automation also announced support of virtualization of

automation software based on VMware. The company will

validate many of its software offerings under the VMware Ready

program.

Competitive Conversions and Migration Portfolio

Competitive control system migration/conversion continues to be

a strategic focus for Rockwell Automation.

Rockwell Automation provides conversion or migration to PlantPAx

or to the Integrated Architecture-based solutions from:

Field-proven Allen-Bradley and Rockwell Automation

controllers, I/O and systems.

Legacy systems from ABB, Honeywell, Invensys, and

Emerson.



8/9


Legacy PLC users from platforms, such as Modicon, Texas

Instruments, IPC, and others.

The company develops enabling tools and services and works with

partners to provide products to convert or migrate legacy

systems, including: Preservation of existing wiring or marshalling cable

solutions and swingarm swapout

Preservation of complete I/O subsystems scanner cards

for some I/O families, including redundant communications

Migration/conversion of control and visualization

applications

Preservation of historical process and production

information

System-to-system integration

Partnerships and Acquisitions

Partnerships: None to report.

Acquisitions: None to report.

Strengths and Challenges

Strengths: Rockwell Automation has taken advantage of the

growth opportunities provided by the global process automation

market. PlantPAx is a fully functional process automation systemthat conforms to ARCs CPAS model in key areas, from

engineering and configuration to a common hardware platform to

presenting information in context to the right people at the right

time from any point within the system. The major process

automation system players should consider Rockwell Automation

as a formidable competitor in the years ahead, in North America

and globally.

Rockwell Automations background in the discrete industries and

its large presence in the markets for drives, PLCs, discrete

sensors, and motion control provide the company with some

unique advantages when it comes to addressing the process

automation space, particularly for its core target industries, such

as life sciences, food & beverage, consumer products, fine

chemicals, and oil & gas. These industries typically involve a

significant amount of discrete and motion control processes that



9/9


are not typically integrated into a single automation system

framework. It is this unified framework across multiple domains of

automation that is enabled by PlantPAx .

Challenges: As a relative newcomer to the DCS world, Rockwell

Automation still has its work cut out for it. In the processautomation system marketplace, the top tier of suppliers control

well over two thirds of the market. The company, however has

continued to strengthen its offering to the process industries

beyond a fully functioning DCS, with its substantial abilities in

safety instrumented systems (SIS), it abilities in plant asset

management (PAM), and advanced process control (APC). It must

provide a superior business value proposition and continue to live

up to its release schedule and invest heavily in research and

development.

Key Industries

Rockwells strongest installed base in the process industries

continues to be in the life sciences, food and beverage, and

consumer products industries. The company has been expanding

into more traditional heavy process industries such as power

generation, chemicals, and upstream oil and gas.


the rockwell automation planpax system

Documents