New Products and Solutions

Rockwell Automation Announces Strategic Investment in READY Robotics and Collaboration to Streamline Robot Implementation

Rockwell Automation announced a strategic investment in READY Robotics, a pioneering company in software-defined automation and a Rockwell Technology Partner.

READY Robotics’ ForgeOS platform enables operators to control and program the most popular brands of robots from a single user-friendly interface with minimal training. Using Task Canvas, one of many useful ForgeOS Productivity Apps included with the platform, operators can quickly create new automation tasks with a powerful, no-code, flowchart-based interface.

Rockwell and READY Robotics have collaborated to integrate ForgeOS with Rockwell’s line of Logix controllers and design and simulation software. The combination will simplify robot integration and accelerate time-to-market of industrial automation deployments. Rockwell’s investment will foster continued development of the ForgeOS platform, support its integration with Logix, and accelerate adoption across the Rockwell ecosystem of system integrators and technology and channel partners.

“We are excited to work with READY Robotics to help further simplify the use of diverse robotic systems in automation solutions for our customers. Linking the intuitive ForgeOS software suite with Logix control, design, and emulation capabilities allows a broader range of businesses to implement these powerful tools and spend less time getting their systems up and running,” said Matheus Bulho, vice president and general manager, Production Automation at Rockwell.

"Historically, automation has been hampered by software silos between robot vendors,” said Ben Gibbs, CEO and co-founder of READY Robotics. “READY’s interface alleviates this issue, eases deployment, and enables automation where it might have been prohibitive before, especially in high-mix operations. Our platform enables programming and control of over 3 million compatible robots deployed today." 

Rockwell Automation Launches New FactoryTalk® Optix™, an Open, Scalable, Flexible HMI platform with Unlimited Options

Rockwell Automation introduces FactoryTalk Optix as a new addition to their visualization portfolio. Known as “visualization for visionaries,” FactoryTalk Optix is a modern, cloud-enabled human-machine interface (HMI) platform that allows users to design, test and deploy applications directly from a web browser anywhere, anytime. Take advantage of new levels of collaboration, scalability, and interoperability to achieve your vision. 

FactoryTalk Optix is designed to help improve your process, efficiency and deliverables. Gain unlimited options:

• Design options: Design and test your projects in a modern object-oriented programming environment.
• Deployment options: Create your application once and deploy to any device.
• Graphic options: Style your graphics to support a global audience and provide a responsive experience.
• Extensible options: Achieve openness and interoperability through machine-to-machine and machine-to-cloud communications enabled by OPC UA, MQTT, IOT native connectivity and an open C# interface.

FactoryTalk Optix is one of the five core solutions in FactoryTalk® Design Hub™. Industrial organizations can now transform their automation design capabilities with a more simplified, productive way to work powered by the cloud. Teams of all sizes, skillsets and locations can work smarter through enhanced collaboration, improved lifecycle management and on-demand access to cloud-based software all while adhering to the latest security standards and information technology (IT) best practices. The result is increased design productivity, faster time to market and systems that cost less to build and maintain. Learn more about FactoryTalk Optix.

Rockwell Automation Reinforces New Capabilities in Emulation and Support with First expansion of FactoryTalk® Logix Echo

Virtualizing control systems with FactoryTalk^® Logix Echo can help customers save significant engineering efforts and financial expenditure at every stage of a project from start to finish. Attention was dedicated to improving testing, giving users access to more than 20 variations of the 5580 ControlLogix^® platform at their disposal.

FactoryTalk Logix Echo simplifies the emulator experience by providing users the opportunity to download directly to FactoryTalk Logix Echo without modifications. The modern user interface (UI) paired with project downloads gives anyone the chance to learn how to use it. Having the emulation of the 5580 ControlLogix Ethernet port means that to other software, FactoryTalk Logix Echo looks like another controller, offering flexibility to expand your emulation to visualization or other controllers.

Version 2 will be the first emulation platform to support safety controllers by introducing GuardLogix^® 5580 controller catalogs. Users can download to GuardLogix controller types and emulate the execution of both Standard and Safety tasks in their project. The inaugural version supported one 17 slot chassis, but the latest release now supports the creation and communication of multiple chassis with one FactoryTalk Logix Echo license. Users can create the configuration and arrangement of controllers/slots that they need without previous limitations, adding flexibility for multiple users to each access different controllers that can all live in their respective positions.

This expansion, with Studio 5000^® Logix Designer V35, includes the support of the Axis Test Mode feature that provides the physical axis to be placed into a test mode during evaluation, emulation, and testing. This gives users downloading a project into FactoryTalk Logix Echo automatically a place motion axis into test mode, removing the need to make modifications.

Rockwell Automation Streamlines Workflows, Stores and Protects Industrial Files, and Automates Project Analysis with FactoryTalk Vault

FactoryTalk^® Vault™ has secure, cloud-native centralized storage for manufacturing design teams. With its modern version and access control, FactoryTalk Vault with advanced Design Tools allows for greater insights into designs through in-depth analysis of controller projects. Teams can now spend more time working on projects and less time searching for files or working from outdated versions.

FactoryTalk Vault is one of the five core solutions in FactoryTalk® Design Hub™. Industrial organizations can now transform their automation design capabilities with a more simplified, productive way to work powered by the cloud.

Rockwell Automation Simplifies, Saves Space and Time with New Updated Branch Motor Control & Protection Solutions

Rockwell Automation announces the complete revision of its Allen‑Bradley^® Branch Motor Control & Protection Solutions of motor control components.

The recent overhaul of its motor control components within its Branch Motor Control & Protection Solution was brought on by the need for updating full systems where components are used to turn on and off motors of all sizes while helping protect the motors from overloading during operation. Basic across-the-line motor starters remain ubiquitous in industrial applications despite the proliferation of solid-state motor starting technologies. These components comprise motor starting contactors, motor-specific circuit breakers and motor-overload relays, where depending on the application, the motor overload functionality can be incorporated in the circuit breaker or applied as a separate component.

For machine designers, selecting and applying the correct combination of products to meet diverse global standards for motor control can be challenging and time-consuming. Rockwell Automation is committed to making this process easier by testing and certifying all valid combinations of Branch Motor Control & Protection Solution components to UL and IEC standards, so customers can easily document the compliance of their system to these standards using the company’s online Global Short-Circuit Current Rating (SCCR) tool.

“Customers have expressed they want to spend as little time as possible dealing with basic control technology,” said Bill Meindl, business manager for industrial components at Rockwell Automation. “By using Branch Motor Control & Protection Solution products, customers can access the right motor control solution from 5-2650 Amps, all with relevant components and accessories designed and certified to work together.”

One of the significant advantages of the system is the availability of the wide-range, energy-saving coils for Bulletin 100-E architecture-class contactors. These coils use much less energy in operation, and cover AC and DC control circuits from 24 to 240 volts, making selection much easier. Safety versions of the contactors are available, as well as NEMA-rated options. Bulletin E100 Electronic Overload Relays are now also compatible with Bulletin 100-E and 100-C Contactors to enhance systems.

The recently launched Bulletin 140MT line of Motor Protection Circuit Breakers and Motor Circuit Protectors provides higher short-circuit ratings than the products they replace. And the range of E100/200/300 electronic overload relays includes options for EtherNet/IP integration that enables comprehensive diagnostics and Logix integration.

For more information on Branch Motor Control & Protection Solutions from Rockwell Automation or to request more information from your local sales office.

Rockwell Automation Delivers Expanded Hardware Support, Feature Enhancements and Productivity with New Version of Studio 5000 Logix Designer® V35

One of the most desired improvements to the Studio 5000 Logix Designer experience in the process industry is the expansion for the SequenceManager™ to include 5x80P controller support. Customers will now be able to extend the same functionality that has been available and proven to a process application with the latest in process controller technology.

V35 supports the latest hardware, including the introduction of support for:

• FLEXHA™ 5000 I/O 
• GuardLink^®
• 1756-EN4TR Enhancements

A top enhancement request from users within Studio 5000^® to support the Motion applications is the ability to virtualize motion for Kinetix^®, PowerFlex^® and iTRAK^® 5730 CIP Motion devices. Axis-Test Mode supports physical controllers and emulated controllers using FactoryTalk^® Logix Echo. This allows for greater flexibility and design time experimentation via virtualization.

A new benefit with V35 is the expansion of three new process instructions that will be added and embedded in the software, including P_SD, P_nPOS, and P_valveMP. These instructions, along with the various process improvements made in the software, can be paired with PlanxPAx^® seamlessly, making programming a process application more streamlined.

The latest version will align with FactoryTalk Logix Echo V2 and the upcoming Studio 5000 Logix Designer SDK, offering the first publicly available user scripting utility for Studio 5000. This improvement allows users to write C++ script commands to automate repetitive tasks in the Logix Designer application environment.