New automation software suite for SNAP PAC Systems™ simplifies ...

Tag : Hardware Assortment

Opto 22, a developer and manufacturer of hardware and software forindustrial automation, remote monitoring, data acquisition, andmachine-to-machine (M2M) applications, has introduced PAC Project,a new automation software suite that makes developing applicationsfor industrial automation, control, data acquisition, and remotemonitoring much easier. Because PAC Project is specificallydesigned for use with Opto 22's new SNAP PAC System™acollection of programmable automation controllers (PACs), brains,and I/Oconfiguration, development, troubleshooting, andmaintenance are much simpler.
The PAC Project software suite includes all of the controlprogramming, human machine interface (HMI) development, andconnectivity tools needed to design, develop, and maintainsophisticated industrial control, monitoring, and data acquisitionapplications. The affordability and single tagname databasedevelopment environment of PAC Project make this software suite farless costly and more user-friendly than traditional automationsoftware development tools. At the same time, tight integrationwith the SNAP PAC System hardware provides control programming, HMIdevelopment, and OPC connectivity that offer simplicity,versatility, and reliability at the industry's most competitiveprice (the Basic version of PAC Project is free).
PAC Project is available in two versions: Basic and Professional.PAC Project Basic provides all the functionality required for mostmodern industrial applications and includes PAC Control™ forcontrol programming, PAC Display™ for HMI development, and PACManager™ for system configuration. PAC Project Professionalincludes the same components, plus added features and applicationsfor advanced networking, enterprise connectivity, and legacyhardware support.
Control programming development is accomplished with PAC Project'sPAC Control. PAC Controlwhose origins date back to 1991is anintuitive, flowchart-based control programming and debugging toolthat offers both a comprehensive, plain-English command set and apowerful advanced scripting language. This dual programming optionmakes PAC Control ideal for both new userswho are likely to findflowcharting a less complicated alternative to ladder logicprogrammingand experienced control engineers who prefer aprocedural approach to program development similar to C or Pascal.PAC Control offers commands for analog process and digitalsequential control, complex math, conditional branching, stringhandling, serial device control, subroutines, PID loop control,data arrays, and other complex functionsall within a singleprogramming environment. Additionally, PAC Project Professionalsupports configuration of the Opto 22 SNAP PAC controllers' dualEthernet interfaces to allow segmenting the control and I/O networkfrom the business local area network (LAN), commands for use withlegacy hardware control devices such as Optomux® andmistic™ systems, and importing of control strategies fromlegacy Opto 22 software applications like FactoryFloor'sOptoControl™.
For HMI development, the PAC Project software suite also includesPAC Display, an HMI configuration and runtime application used todesign and run operator interfaces on Microsoft Windows®-basedclients. Utilizing PAC Display, SNAP PAC System users can createsimple or elaborate graphical human-machine interfaces using anassortment of original or included industrial symbols, jpegs, andbitmaps. Support for alarm management, recipe handling, operatorlogging, real-time and historical trending, multimedia, andunlimited tags allows PAC Display to compare favorably againstcompeting HMI development applications costing thousands of dollarsmore per seat.
The Professional version of PAC Project adds OptoOPCServer™,an OLE for Process Control (OPC) 2.0-compliant server used toconsolidate and publish SNAP PAC System data to OPC-awareclientsincluding third-party HMIs such as Wonderware'sInTouch®, Intellution's iFix®, aware clientsincludingthird-party HMIs such as Wonderware's InTouch®, Intellution'siFix, and Iconic's Genesis®. OptoOPCServer works with anotherPAC Project Professional component, OptoDataLink™, to createand facilitate a bi-directional data transfer link between the SNAPPAC System and enterprise databases, like Microsoft SQL Server,Microsoft Access, and MySQL, among others.
Finally, PAC Project includes PAC Manager, a configuration andmaintenance tool used to inspect and view I/O data associated withthe control strategy in real-time.
PAC Project Basic and Professional will be available March 1, 2007.PAC Project Basic is available as a free download from Opto 22'swebsite at www.opto22.com. PAC Project Professional is priced at$999 USD. Company Information
43044 Business Park Drive
Temecula, California 92590-3614 ( see map )
Contact Name: Sales and Support
Phone: (800) 321-6786 or Phone: (951) 695-3000
Fax: (951) 695-3095
email: sales@opto22.com
Website: www.opto22.com