Woodhead, MOST partner on combining Ethernet, open process control

Buffalo Grove, IL; Hampton, NH—Woodhead Industries and MTL Open System Technologies (MOST) have formed a partnership to help process industry engineers assemble open system components and Ethernet infrastructure by allowing MOST to package its open systems with Woodhead’s RJ-Lynxx line of harsh-duty data communication solutions.

By Control Engineering Staff July 21, 2003

Buffalo Grove, IL; Hampton, NH— Woodhead Industries MTL Open System Technologies

MOST provides open hardware and software building blocks used in real-time industrial control and automation applications. Their new partnership allows MOST to package its open systems with Woodhead’s RJ-Lynxx

‘MOST open system products, including Ethernet-based controllers and control software, allow users to choose best-of-breed components for their process control needs,’ says Dave Reynolds, MOST’s marketing VP. ‘Providing suitable infrastructure components to tie the control system together is essential for delivering a complete control solution. Teaming with Woodhead is a natural fit for us because their RJ-Lnxx connectors and Ethernet switches are designed for use in harsh environments, where MOST is ideally suited.’

MOST’s Hybrid Workbench provides an integrated project development environment for control project engineering, simultaneously supporting process and IEC 61131-3 programs. In this environment, users can coordinate project engineering for design, implementation, documentation and maintenance of a process control system. In addition to its hybrid control capabilities, Process Workbench is available for regulatory control. Logic Workbench is available for discrete control needs.

MOST reports that its controllers are rugged, field-mountable control platforms intended for process applications that might have previously used PLCs. When combined with MTL8000 process I/O components, it offers savings over control room-mounted systems, as well as flexible system design and high system availability. MOST adds that its controllers are ideal for harsh and hazardous applications, with a wide operating temperature range and redundant Ethernet communications ports.

‘The use of Ethernet on the factory floor is growing rapidly as end-users decide to implement automation systems to increase flexibility, lower costs and make data readily accessible throughout the enterprise,’ explains Bob Neagle, Woodhead’s industrial Ethernet group manager. ‘MOST’s solution clearly satisfies these needs. However, simply connecting with commercial-grade infrastructure is not going to provide the reliable levels of performance these applications demand, and that’s where RJ-Lnxx comes in.’

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


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