OMAC guidelines ease design, programming, integration

OMAC demonstrates an automation object, part of the ISA88 Part 5 discussion, for higher efficiencies and more flexibility after easier system integration. Standards simplify customization and integration, extending the usefulness of OMAC PackML guidelines. See more photos of the Pack Expo 2008 OMAC demonstration.

By Control Engineering Staff December 2, 2008

Integrating hardware and software from multiple vendors was easy when OMAC Connect-and-Pack guidelines are used, says Nick Santucci, Wonderware.

Wago, Wonderware, B&R Industrial Automation, Elau (Schneider Electric), Rockwell Automation, and GE Fanuc hardware and software were interconnected at the OMAC Pack Expo 2008 demonstration.

Standards simplify customization and integration, OMAC says, and the ISA88 Part 5 draft standard under construction uses an automation object, extending the usefulness of OMAC PackML guidelines.

Chicago – OMAC guidelines, such as PackML , are developed to make it easier to design, program, integrate and troubleshoot automation software. They are also designed to ease comparisons across plants, lines, and machines with standard naming conventions and data structures, according to Nick Santucci, solution architect for Wonderware. He helped integrate the OMAC display at Pack Expo International 2008 . See photo gallery of the related demonstration, at right and“I didn’t need to ask one question to integrate software and hardware from Wonderware, B&R Industrial Automation, Wago, Elau, Rockwell Automation, and GE Fanuc. All use the same tag names and state names,” said Santucci.Without having to figure out I/O lists from each vendor, an end-user, system integrator, or machine builder has more time to make a technology application more productive, Santucci noted.However, just because guidelines and standards are available, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re included with new machinery. Users must require that the standards be included with new machinery.“Requests for proposals must require standards,” Santucci advised. “End-users are all over this. Now we have to get all the machine builders on board.” Those involved with the OMAC organization will have an opportunity to advocate for greater use of these standards and the higher efficiencies they bring at a joint WBF and OMAC conference May 4-6, 2009, .OMAC, using ARC Advisory GroupWorld class operations incorporating OMAC Connect-and-Pack standards have 80-90% OEE using lines that run many products with highly automated and flexible lines, the organization says.Learn more about the packaging line system integration, demonstrated .A Control Engineering

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