Automation platform provider American Industrial Systems (AIS) Inc. today unveiled a new Web-based, PC-based automation control system with a built-in OPC server and standard networking communication protocols said to ease device and application interoperability.
The new AIS programmable automation controller (PAC) system, model AIWP-8441, combines a 530MHz processor and the Windows CE 5.0 operating system, which AIS said provides fast boot speed, interrupt handling, and deterministic control. The automation system can be connected via VGA, USB, Ethernet, RS-232/485, and expandable I/O slots. The PAC also communicates over TCP/IP, allowing the transfer of data between the machine controlled by the automation system and other machines, applications, or databases, the company said.
A programmable automation controller tightly integrates controller hardware and software using a single development platform for common tagging across a range of disciplines, as well as programmable tools that support process flows across several machine units.
The AIS PAC is most commonly used in industrial settings for data logging, supervisory control, machine monitoring, and motion control. The built-in OPC server translates various protocols from devices, such as other automation controllers and PLCs, into a standard OPC-based format that allows for the exchange of information between disparate hardware and control applications.