AutomationDirect, Cirronet developing wireless automation products

Atlanta, GA—Cirronet Inc. and AutomationDirect announced Oct. 8 that they’ve formed a partnership to tailor Cirronet's wireless products to the needs of AutomationDirect's industrial automation customers.

By Control Engineering Staff October 8, 2003

Atlanta, GA— Cirronet Inc. and AutomationDirect announced Oct. 8 that they’ve formed a partnership to tailor Cirronet’s wireless products to the needs of AutomationDirect’s industrial automation customers. The two companies are working together to define performance, packaging and regulatory specifications to address industrial automation applications served by Automa-tionDirect.

Product availability is planned for 2004’s first quarter through AutomationDirect. Beta versions of the two firms’ first jointly developed products will be demonstrated this week at the Atlanta-based ISA Wireless Industrial Communications and Industrial Ethernet Technical Conference. The products will also be demonstrated at ISA Expo 2003, Oct. 21-23, in Houston, TX.

‘AutomationDirect evaluated a number of wireless vendors, and we were most impressed by Cirronet’s security, noise immunity and advanced features, particularly its ability to avoid interference with commercial 802.11b networks,’ says Jim Allison, AutomationDirect’s communication products manager. ‘None of the other vendors’ products could match the performance and price of Cirronet’s products. Additionally, the breadth of Cirronet’s offerings, including serial and Ethernet devices, will help us expand our product line to serve a continually widening range of customer needs.’

Tim Cutler, Cirronet’s sales and marketing VP, adds that, ‘AutomationDirect’s leadership position in the industrial automation market is a superb fit with our industrial wireless technology. Their deep market knowledge and application expertise will be invaluable in our joint efforts to bring the most practical wireless products to the industrial automation marketplace.’

Cirronet has been developing wireless data networking and communications products for more than 10 years for the industrial, OEM and Internet access markets. Employing proprietary frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) radio transmission technology, the company’ says its products offer reliable, long range performance and unparalleled immunity against jamming and interference. Cirronet products, which are FCC certified, UL certified and CE marked, operate in license-free ISM bands.

Control Engineering Daily News DeskJim Montague, news editorjmontague@reedbusiness.com