New integrated and intelligent industrial PC platform for manufacturing.

Omron Automation has introduced a new Industrial PC Platform (IPC) that delivers “integrated” and “intelligent” automation to production sites and equipment. The powerful and robust automation platform integrates motion, sequencing, safety, networking and vision inspection, and a new software (Sysmac Studio). It includes configuration, programming, simulation and monitoring and uses the fast EtherCAT machine network to control motion, safety, vision, sensors and actuators.

The IPC provides a stable factory automation platform to support manufacturers making production equipment smarter as they move towards IIoT and big data. The new platform helps users boost both equipment productivity and manufacturing quality by applying production line know-how.  Advanced fine-tuning control of machines and production lines is achieved through the Sysmac Automation Platform.According to Omron, the market for control automation is changing and driving demand to a new approach.

The current trend to aim for innovative manufacturing by leveraging IoT, big data, and robotics at production sites is spreading. To collect data for preventive maintenance, a (PLC) connects to a PC for office environments which requires complex license management and is supported only for a short time.

In addition, builders of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and machine tools in-house produce dedicated boards, equipped with real-time operating systems, as main controllers. They are outsourcing development of general control functionality and concentrating resources on development of competitive core technology. These circumstances increase the global needs for PC architecture based controllers which provide environmental resistance and reliability and allow for flexible development.

Industrial PC Platform

To accommodate this demand, Omron has developed three types of IPCs. Users can choose the best IPC from box-type PC models and all-in-one PCs with built-in monitors to suit their system configurations and applications. The IPC supports the EtherCAT open network used for production lines, and provides a development environment that allows users to customise functionalities unavailable with a PLC.

INDUSTRIAL PC

The Industrial PC offers robustness and reliability for applications in FA environments and is suitable for use with both Windows software and programs for machine control and automation. Production data can be collected to ensure stable equipment operation.

IPC MACHINE CONTROLLER

The IPC Machine Controller combines the precision and speed of the NJ/NX series of Machine Automation Controller with the versatility and range of Windows programs on single platform by using our unique hypervisor function. This achieves both production data handling and advanced fine-tuning control using Input, Logic, Output, Robotics + Safety.