Rockwell launches modular, open distributed machine monitoring, protection system
Milwaukee, WI— To help manufacturers improve uptime by using existing DeviceNet infrastructures for cost-effective plant-floor connectivity, Rockwell Automation introduced Aug. 20 its Entek XM Series, which it reports is the industry’s first modular and open distributed machine monitoring and protection system.
Consisting of a network of intelligent modules, XM Series continuously monitors and protects plant-floor machinery and equipment. Information gathered allows maintenance personnel to identify developing faults in the equipment, and then correct them before production is impacted or safety is compromised.
Designed for companies requiring machinery protection for high-speed and critical-production assets, XM Series can help users optimize maintenance activities based on actual asset conditions, rather than relying on manufacturer-recommended preventative maintenance schedules. On average, predictive maintenance activities can reduce maintenance, repair and operating costs by 10-30% and increase return on net assets.
XM Series uses a facility’s existing networking infrastructure, and requires less wiring than traditional rack-based protection systems. “The distributed and real-time monitoring of the XM Series gives companies a much broader level of connectivity and provides access to more extensive machinery data,” says Rick Schiltz, P.E., Rockwell’s capabilities and engineering vp. “This results in more accurate decision-making with respect to optimized production control, increased plant asset availability and improved plant uptime.”
XM’s modular design makes it completely scalable, allowing users to add machinery to the system as needed. XM’s discrete, DIN-rail mounted modules can be added to existing control panels, or installed close to machines because the modules require no special enclosures, power or cooling requirements. Deploying the system on a control bus architecture further reduces commissioning time. Each XM module is “hot swappable,” allowing quick-and-easy module replacement without shutting down power.
XM modules can communicate directly with programmable controllers or distributed control systems (DCS) via the control network architecture. Also, the modules can interface with condition monitoring software, such as Rockwell’s Entek Emonitor Odyssey/Enshare. This allows all online and surveillance data to be stored in a common database, and then shared across Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems, as well as corporate and global information networks.
Control Engineering Daily News DeskJim Montague, news editorjmontague@reedbusiness.com
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