GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms this week released a new version of its supervisory control offering, aiming to give more manufacturing workers easier access to important production data.
The iFIX WebSpace product is a browser-based visualization upgrade to GE Fanuc’s Proficy HMI/SCADA application. Without any extra configuration or programming, the company said, the new offering delivers the power of an existing iFIX server to any desktop, laptop, or mobile device supporting ActiveX controls. This gives engineers, maintenance operators, and field personnel the ability to access real-time data from anywhere inside or outside the plant, the company said.
The Web-based offering provides KPI monitoring, operational reports, alarm and response actions, historical analysis, integration with third-party applications, and even animation, all within a thin-client setup. In addition, within the WebSpace browser, multiple sessions can be launched to view a variety of aspects of a single application.
Layering on a lightweight application to extend the reach of information is becoming more and more appealing to many manufacturers struggling through IT infrastructure issues and a tough economy, GE Fanuc said, and this need was the impetus behind the development of WebSpace.