New platform: Yokogawa launches new VigilantPlant advance

The next generation in the series supports operational excellence.

By Control Engineering Staff March 5, 2008

Yokogawa Electric Corporation has released CENTUM VP , a new integrated production control system for process industries to become the flagship platform for its VigilantPlant operational excellence initiative.

VigilantPlant is Yokogawa’s automation concept for safe, reliable, and profitable plant operations. It aims to enable operational excellence where plant personnel are watchful and attentive, well-informed, and ready to take actions that optimize plant and business performance. This eliminates unplanned downtime, improves asset utilization, and allows businesses to adapt to shifting market conditions quickly and efficiently.

Yokogawa says CENTUM VP is the latest of the series, and succeeds the CENTUM CS 1000/CENTUM CS 3000. The company has built in backward compatibility and consistency with previous systems in the series. The new version redefines the role of a production control system, going beyond the traditional DCS functions of controlling and monitoring a plant.

The new generation sets out to integrate plant information management, asset management, and operation support functions, achieving a unified operating environment, providing a foundation for operational excellence.

Satoru Kurosu, senior vice president of Yokogawa’s industrial automation business says, “CENTUM VP is designed to empower real-time decision makers at all levels of a plant’s operations. A significant improvement in information efficiency enables our customers to enhance both plant safety and business agility.”

The first release of CENTUM VP features a new and intuitive HMI, dubbed the human interface station (HIS). While maintaining full compatibility with the CS 3000, the new HIS introduces a unified and intuitive operating environment. The new screens are ergonomically designed and arranged to reduce operator fatigue and discomfort.

Yokogawa has aimed the new platform at traditional process industries, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, power, pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, food, iron and steel, waste, and water and sewage treatment.

—Edited by Peter Welander, process industries editor, PWelander@cfemedia.com , Process & Advanced Control Monthly Register here and scroll down to select your choice of free eNewsletters.