A New Direction for the Konnections Newsletter |
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Editor’s Note |
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Welome to the March issue of Konnections. With spring around the corner, it’s naturally the perfect time to introduce some exciting changes to the Konnections newsletter. Thanks to your comments and suggestions, you can now look forward to more how-to articles, commentaries, industry feedback, and some exciting contests (yes, with cool prizes to boot). This month, the spotlight is on Honeywell connectivity. In this issue Bob Erickson offers an in-depth yet light-hearted look at the history of connectivity with Honeywell systems. In his article “With or Without You?” he draws parallels between Honeywell and the iconic band U2. We also take the latest, state-of-the-art MatrikonOPC Server for Honeywell TPS for a test drive and give you the chance to get behind the wheel as well. We’re always interested in what’s happening with your OPC Connectivity. As our readers, you span the world, covering all industries, OPC knowledge levels, and responsibilities (from integrators to end users); we look forward to all your comments and suggestions, and hope you enjoy the newsletter as much as we enjoy putting it together. Happy Connecting, The Editors |
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Until recently, “easy, reliable data access to the Honeywell TPS by non-Honeywell applications” was relegated to integrators’ wish lists and b-rated fiction—but no longer. After months of development and thorough field trials, the much anticipated MatrikonOPC Server for Honeywell TPS has arrived. This MatrikonOPC server vaults the TPS past its iron-curtain of proprietary communications, making its data readily accessible via standards based OPC communications. And it gets better. The R&D folks at MatrikonOPC did not forget about the integrators and users on the “front lines” who’ll be installing and configuring this driver. Not content with just “communicating” with Honeywell TPS, they put on their thinking caps, drank far too many colas, and tapped MatrikonOPC’s extensive Honeywell TPS experience to create a time-saving, rock-solid installation experience. They reduced the setup procedure to simple, automated installs and a walk through a comprehensive, easy-to-follow configuration wizard. “Having recently installed, configured, and acceptance tested the MatrikonOPC Server for Honeywell TPS at a refinery; I can tell you first hand that a new page has been turned in the story of communicating with the Honeywell TPS. ” ...But why take my word for it? If you work with Honeywell TPS systems, try it for yourself and let me know what you think. |
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You always hear how in modern manufacturing environments, real-time and history data is crucial for making the right decisions, at the right time. Read this white paper for the latest in how OPC is being utilized by Rockwell’s FactoryTalk gateway to ensure performance and visibility applications like user interfaces, reporting tools, management and maintenance software can harness OPCs power to easily connect to the myriad of control devices (PLCs, DCSs, RTUs, etc.) deployed in these environments.
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If you’re in manufacturing or production, odds are, you’ve got PLCs somewhere in the equation. While to some not as glamorous as their DCS cousins, they certainly hold their own on the grounds of comparatively affordable pricing, versatility, and raw practicality. Yet, over the years their popularity made them a victim of their own success. With OPC ushering in the dawn of the “open connectivity” era, there were simply too many PLC makes and models, most with their own communications protocols to warrant third parties writing OPC Servers for them all. Instead, the most popular PLCs got their own OPC Servers, while the others were left behind in the proprietary connectivity domain. Fortunately, from the beginning, MatrikonOPC developed OPC Servers for different PLCs often working directly with the PLC manufacturers themselves. Fast forward to now and MatrikonOPC’s built-up a comprehensive suite of OPC Servers for many PLC families which it continues to expand. Odds are good, if you’re looking for an OPC server for a PLC, MatrikonOPC already has it. Some examples: |
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Check out the complete list of OPC Servers for PLC at the MatrikonOPC PLC Suite webpage |
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If you’ve ever experienced any of the many headaches DCOM can throw your way, then you’ll want to see this webinar! Trying to get your OPC data often feels like you’re on an endless DCOM treadmill; fix one problem and antoher pops up to take its place – this keeps you busy, but gets you no-where! Fortunately, OPC Tunnelling technology solves this problem quickly and easily. Attend this webinar, apply what you learn, and you’ll stop spinning your wheels and start getting your OPC data fast! Sign up now! Nothing is more powerful than knowledge, and MatrikonOPC is committed to providing only the most relevant OPC related webcasts. If you have an idea for a webcast, please email it to opcexperts@matrikonopc.com |
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As an original player in the control industry, Honeywell has developed and deployed many control solutions based on different generations of its hardware and communication standards. To support such a massive install base, it’s had to work carefully to push innovation while ensuring existing technology investments were not made prematurely obsolete -- an ambitious task by any measure. In this paper, Bob Erickson takes a sweeping look at how Honeywell approached the challenge, the impact it’s had on the market, and the important role OPC now plays in bridging the past, present, and future. |
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Many customers are asking us about the recent Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-008 regarding the vulnerability with OLE Automation. Looking at things, it doesn’t look like this should have any bearing on OPC Servers since they use the custom interface, and the vulnerability is with OLE Automation. Of course it is still a very good idea to patch your systems since the consequences can be quite serious and there are some OPC clients out there that make use of OLE Automation… |
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The OPC Foundation and its sponsoring members will host a Training Seminar in Boston, MA on March 13. This Seminar is designed to cover the fundamentals of OPC including Servers, Clients, OPC Data Access, OPC Unified Architecture, Best Practices and Compliance. |
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 Automation professionals are frequently faced with a variety of connectivity challenges. Work with industry peers and OPC experts to learn how to take full advantage of OPC technology.Get the skills to position yourself as an expert in your field by learning the secrets of OPC Technology directly from the World’s Largest OPC Developer. |
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Level 1 & 2 - OPC Integration and Diagnostics  Seattle (Kirkland), WA, United StatesMarch 6 - 7, 2008 |
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Level 1 & 2 - OPC Integration and Diagnostics Los Angeles (El Segundo), CA, United StatesMarch 17 - 18, 2008 |
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Quebec City, QC, Canada |
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