If you are an engineer looking for controllers, you have more flexible options available than ever before and suppliers are offering a wide variety of powerful control platforms. More processing power is creating new controllers of all types and offering engineers new integrated solutions for distributed control.
The objective is more highly integrated solutions for motion and logic control, HMI, vision, integrated drives and network communications. But the result is choices for automation and control engineers.
Controller Options
“The main trend in controllers is a variety of controller platforms which meet specific application objectives, price points and provide distinctive feature sets,” says Dan Throne, food & packaging industry manager for Bosch Rexroth Corp., Electric Drives & Controls Div. “Unless the technology is simple enough and low cost enough to use, there won't be broader adoption of the technology.”
Throne says the key is lower cost controllers and scalable architectures that meet a broad range of needs and create platforms that can be synchronized across modular machines. “For an OEM who wants to build machine platforms with low cost, modular controls for an infeed system, wrapper or collator, with a case packer on the end of it, they can build around the common platform because the cost points have hit specific levels,” he says.
Single Control Platforms
“Customers are looking for a single solution to meet a wide variety of control needs,” says Scott Tenorio, manager of Controller Strategy for Rockwell Automation. “In the controls industry, there is a movement to controllers that provide multi-disciplinary functionality that can address the majority of a customer's applications. The key is platforms that address a variety of disciplines including discrete, motion, safety, drives and process all with one controller.”
Choices and Options
“Having options allows the customer to make choices based on their specific needs and desires,” says Tenorio. “We see engineers looking for flexible options and with a greater desire to implement distributed control systems.”
CE-based HMIs, offering expanded control capabilities, is another option that could also become a force if it hits the right price point. If CE-based HMIs with integrated controls drop below the $1,000 price point, Throne believes that computing platform will offer a very attractive solution for industrial controls. Eliminating the hard drive is an attractive alternative because the system powers up instant-on and is more reliable.
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 Controllers are offering powerful solutions for distributed motion control. |
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