Wonderware, Woodhead strengthen plant-floor connectivity with ArchestrA

Lake Forest, CA— Wonderware reports that it’s working Woodhead Industries Inc. to offer ArchestrA plant-floor connectivity technology with Woodhead’s hardware and software communication products.

Woodhead Software & Electronics (WSE) division has developed an integrated DataAccess Server (DAServer) in combination with WSE’s applicom products by using the ArchestrA DAServer Toolkit. The results are hardware and software offerings that tightly integrate protocols supported by WSE’s applicom interfaces for use with Wonderware’s Industrial Application Server and its new industrial computer product line. The partners say combining their solutions delivers plant-floor connectivity for a wider range of networks and devices, while offering users higher connectivity performance and simpler overall systems management.

Wonderware will feature the WSE DAServer as part of its standard Wonderware software distribution. These new, native ArchestrA connectivity offerings include support for Schneider, GE, Omron, and Mitsubishi PLCs, along with Profibus and other protocols. Wonderware already offers native ArchestrA connectivity support for Rockwell and Siemens PLCs.

‘The Wonderware/WSE collaborative agreement helps extend the connectivity possibilities for FactorySuite Ato cover customer communications needs.’

WSE DAServer is the first example of a third-party developer using Wonderware’s DAServer Toolkit, and is the first server offered by a third party to fully support installations built on Invensys’ ArchestrA technology. DAServers are designed to provide simultaneous connectivity between plant-floor devices and client applications based on DDE, SuiteLink and/or OPC protocols, all with a single development effort. WSE DAServer runs Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP Professional operating systems.

Based on WSE’s entire applicom range of software and intelligent network interface cards, DAServer enables Wonderware’s users to connect with and obtain data from more than 30 different types of controllers or related industrial communications protocols. This enhanced communication with industrial automation vendors will extend the market reach of Invensys’ products, and allow greater flexibility for Wonderware’s users, adds Black.

In addition, users receiving Wonderware’s FactorySuite AWSE’s applicom intelligent network cards to complete the solution and enable full-featured connectivity performance.

For more information, visit www.wonderware.com/about_us/news/wwarchestra.asp .

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

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