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by Stephanie Neil, MA Editorial Staff Posted on Monday, May 05, 2008 1:12:30 PM   | Abstract: | Vendor regards safety as strategic aspect of automation design, as reflected in its recent acquisitions. |
Rockwell Automation began building out its safety business in 2001. But some recent acquisitions, including CEDES, a maker of light curtains, and ICS Triplex, which offers process control and safety products, have resulted in a shift in Rockwell's technology message. The company says that integrating safety as part of the automation design is critical to maximize responsiveness and productivity, as well as improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and lowering total cost of ownership (TCO).
Protecting people, adhering to safety standards and regulations, and avoiding downtime are critical to plant performance. That's the message Rockwell representatives are spreading on their "Safety is Good Business" media tour.
"The automation trends that customers have been dealing with for the last 20 years are the same trends that they want us to apply to safety," says Dan Hornbeck, Rockwell's safety business manager. The trends include integration, applying lean techniques to the system, and access to information, he says.
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