Control platforms to be consolidated for industrial Internet

GE Intelligent Platforms is consolidating its control platforms, starting with OPC-UA, into one integrated architecture to provide a broader reach and system impact.

By GE Intelligent Platforms November 6, 2013

GE Intelligent Platforms has announced progress against plans for consolidation of the company’s control platforms to enable the Industrial Internet. The company’s convergence strategy starts with standardization on open systems across the platforms to provide customers with interoperability, secure communications and an optimal user experience (UX). 

GE Intelligent Platforms’ investment in a single integrated architecture features modular components, an Ethernet backbone and software applications all based on industry standards. As convergence continues, Connected Controls devices will enable more power at the point of control, while software applications provide local intelligence to deliver on the principles of the Industrial Internet and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications.

OPC-UA is the first open systems standard to be deployed across GE’s control platforms. It is the next generation Open Productivity & Connectivity standard that provides a cohesive, secure and reliable cross platform framework for access to real time and historical data and events. GE’s Connected Controls platforms, featuring the popular PACSystems and Mark*VIe controllers, as well as Proficy Cimplicity HMI/SCADA software are rolling out with the OPC-UA standard. Additionally, the two largest open I/O standards, Profinet and Foundation Fieldbus (Mark*VIe only), have been fully integrated in the controllers.

GE said that its efforts to bring all of the control platforms across GE together into one integrated architecture will provide customers with broader reach and system impact through: 

  • Enterprise visibility – information flows from the device to the enterprise as application and device data is available from bottom to top of industrial control systems
  • Interoperability – a common architecture and standard suite of communication protocols as well as deterministic and enterprise buses bring solution scale to business
  • “Interdesignability” – Translation and convergence of design tools and model libraries accelerate productivity and quality

The platforms will build on technologies by GE’s Software Center called Predix, an industrial-strength software platform that provides a standard and secure way to connect machines, industrial big data and people. Predix combines technologies for distributed computing and analytics, asset management, machine-to-machine communication and mobility that can run on-premise or in the cloud. New solutions that leverage the platform will be able to easily integrate with customers’ existing software and data management infrastructure to increase productivity, reduce waste and improve business operations. 

GE Intelligent Platforms

www.ge-ip.com 

– Edited by CFE Media. See more asset management stories and PLC, PAC stories.