GE Fanuc Automation Americas, a unit of the GE Infrastructure global business platform, has introduced the new PACSystems Control Memory Xchange, which can increase users' product quality and boost uptime by increasing data acquisition capacity and reliability, even in the harshest electrical noise environments.
Developed with GE Fanuc's patented, leading-edge technology, PACSystems Control Memory Xchange allows multiple devices to share large amounts of control data over a fiber-optic deterministic network at speeds up to 200 times faster than Ethernet.
This is according to Daniel Coetzee, GE Fanuc Automation Business Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.
"Increasing automation performance and reliability, this high-speed memory-sharing application operates in parallel to the main logic CPU with virtually no effect on the scan time of the control processor," Coetzee advises.
"Additionally, PACSystems Control Memory Xchange offers improved security over Ethernet - which operates on an open protocol - and supports the distance requirements to physically separate redundant processors into different cabinets or buildings in critical applications with potential homeland threats," he adds.
High Speed Memory Sharing Benefits
"By acquiring large amounts of data at very high speed through PACSystems Control Memory Xchange, users can quickly adjust process parameters and achieve tighter synchronization between control systems - which can increase product quality and reduce material scrap," Coetzee maintains.
Apparently, applications that benefit from PACSystems Control Memory Xchange include paper production; metals forming, finishing and extracting; cement crushing and conveying; oil and gas processing and distribution; wind tunnel testing; chemical dispensing; painting; batch processing; and any other process requiring high speed, high volume data acquisition for high resolution measurement and fast response.
"Furthermore, PACSystems Control Memory Xchange allows users to capture process and regulatory compliance data at tighter frequencies, which can help companies more precisely measure process performance. With greater bandwidth and capacity, users can also acquire a higher number of parameters for future process analysis. Manufacturers can augment data management systems, such as iHistorian software from GE Fanuc, with PACSystems Control Memory Xchange to combine high-speed communication and processing with powerful archiving capabilities," comments Coetzee.
PACSystems Control Memory Xchange Leading-Edge Technology
Says Coetzee:"The PACSystems Control Memory Xchange controller writes data to shared memory, and this unique technology immediately and automatically broadcasts the data to all other nodes on the network. This automatic data transfer requires no software overhead or host processor intervention, enabling the PACSystems CPU to devote its processing resources to the control application and reducing the cost and time typically associated with software development."
Available in multiple control form factors for controllers and PCs such as VME, PCI and PMC, the new PACSystems Control Memory Xchange allows users to easily share data in real time at rates up to 174 Mbytes per second with node-to-node latency as low as 450 nanoseconds.
"Users can realise updates on 10,000 data tags from input controller to second controller or screen display in as little as 1 millisecond. This simple yet powerful "shared memory" architecture provides real-time speed and deterministic performance without the data collisions and latencies that can plague other network technologies," Coetzee explains.
PACSystems Control Memory Xchange permits data sharing between up to 256 independent systems or nodes, allowing for plant-wide data transfer. Each controller or computer keeps a local copy of shared data for fast real-time use. Noise immunity in the fiber-optic system increases reliability and eases installation. Furthermore, the system features an OPC server to connect with GE Fanuc Human Machine Interface (HMI) software and other software.
"The technology is operating system independent, making it easy to implement in a variety of applications. In fact, this patented GE Fanuc technology has been proven in many industries and applications around the world. PACSystems Control Memory Xchange will be available for the PACSystems RX7i platform in July with additional platforms to follow," Coetzee concludes.
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