Highlights from Automation Fair 2023

Rockwell Automation®’s Automation Fair 2023 has come and gone. This year’s event was held in early November in Boston, Massachusetts. If you joined us at the event, you saw the latest technology, training and inspiration from the innovative Rockwell Automation team and their partners. If you weren’t able to attend this year, fear not. We have you covered.

We asked our in-house Rockwell Automation experts to provide a summary of the most impactful technology on display at Automation Fair 2023 for Agilix Solutions customers, and we assembled all of their feedback into this value-packed article.

Drive Highlights from Automation Fair 2023

FactoryTalk® Analytics^TM GuardianAI^TM

FactoryTalk Analytics^TM GuardianAI^TM is a machine learning based supervisory application that uses existing plant devices, such as variable-frequency drives, as sensors to monitor the health of assets like pumps on the plant floor.

The device data is first used to establish a baseline signature of each asset’s behavior under normal operating conditions. Then, it monitors the assets for any deviation from baseline. Once a deviation is detected, a notification is sent to the user identifying the anomaly. FactoryTalk Analytics GuardianAI alerts maintenance when an unidentified anomaly is detected, ensuring swift response to potential issues. The engineer can then investigate the issue, determine the cause of the anomaly and tag the deviation accordingly. The FactoryTalk Analytics GuardianAI machine learning engine will then train itself to identify the new anomaly for future encounters.

Allen-Bradley® PowerFlex 755TS Drive

Rockwell Automation has taken powerful motor control to the next VFD level with this remarkable drive. It’s a smart, flexible drive for greater production, increased uptime, energy savings, and unmatched productivity.

Inventory+ from Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation now offers Inventory+ service agreements to provide industrial customers a flexible, easy-to-use, warranty tracked inventory program that will ensure you have onsite access to critical spares, when and where you need them.

Innovations in Industrial Controls

GuardLink^TM 432ES-IG3 On-Machine Ethernet/IP Interface

The GuardLink® EtherNet/IP module monitors three independent channels of GuardLink-enabled devices and communicates the status of those devices to a safety-rated controller over a CIP Safety EnterNet/IP network.  This interface integrates seamlessly with Allen‑Bradley® GuardLogix® controllers and can be configured using Studio 5000 Logix Designer® software

Enclosed Starters with Snap-Together Wiring

It’s component wiring made easy! Allen-Bradley enclosed starters now feature patented snap-together terminations for quick and secure component wiring. The first and most obvious advantage is a reduction in wiring time. But these connections also virtually eliminate wiring errors and allow for simpler on-site assembly and component replacement.

ArmorBlock 5000^TM I/O Blocks

ArmorBlock enables users to meet challenging application needs with minimized operational disruption and cost. Designed for On-Machine^TM use in harsh environments, Rockwell Automation’s configurable ArmorBlock 5000^TM I/O blocks offer the scalability to help reduce total installation cost and the flexibility to adjust to your application requirements.

New Network Advancements

Stratix 5200

The Allen‑Bradley® Stratix® 5200 managed industrial Ethernet switch is a flexible and adaptable solution that can be used for a wide range of industrial applications. These switches feature optimized integration with Studio 5000 Automation Engineering & Design Environment® software, which simplifies configuration and monitoring. Advanced integration can help you experience easier commissioning and actionable diagnostics.

Verve Industrial Protection

In October of 2023, Rockwell Automation announced the acquisition of Verve Industrial Protection, a cybersecurity software and service company specifically focused on industrial environments. The Verve Security Center platform enables real-time asset inventory, vulnerability management, and risk remediation that will be leveraged to strengthen Rockwell’s current offering and address these common industrial network issues.

FortiGate

Production environments today demand more data and capabilities to make informed decisions about the business. Protecting these environments now and into the future requires a Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW). Enter FortiGate from Fortinet. Within the Rockwell Automation environment, FortiGate can provide the power to control applications as well as user and third-party vendor access with two-factor authentication. FortiGate offers a pathway to refresh how we use virtual private networks (VPNs) by taking advantage of security protocols that offer convenience and reliability with built-in state-of-the-art security and encryption.

Process Innovations from Automation Fair 2023

FlexHA 5000^TM

Looking for a highly available I/O solution?  The Allen-Bradley FLEXHA 5000^TM I/O platform allows users to operate with ease, featuring high availability and increased productivity.   With the new highly-flexible Universal I/O card, spares are minimized and maintenance is simplified.  Designed for the Process industry, it can be delivered as part of a PlantPAx® solution.

5069 Isolated Analog Hart Modules

The next generation of analog Bulletin 5069 Compact 5000^TM I/O modules now supports the Hart protocol.  Each isolated channel supports diagnostics with time stamping and removes the need for field isolation barriers.

New Advances in Automation Technology

Embedded Edge Compute Module

Are you interested in enhancing your processing capabilities while revolutionizing your control software solution?  By incorporating edge computing capabilities with data analysis software, critical data processing can happen at the desired speed, improving access performance and responsiveness. With the ability to host FactoryTalk® Optix™ and FactoryTalk® Remote Access™, the Embedded Edge Compute Module provides a packaged solution for you to process visual data locally and remotely while maintaining the capability to grow and scale your system as your needs change.

ASEM^TM 6300B and 6300PA PCs

ASEM^TM 6300B box PCs are available in multiple form factors and processors, allowing you to tailor the solution to your application. These industrial PCs can be paired with Factory Talk® View SE or Factory Talk® Optix^TM software to deliver the optimal HMI experience within the Rockwell Automation® Connected Enterprise® production system.

THE ASEM^TM 6300PA On-Machine^TM industrial PCs provide all the performance capabilities of the 6300B model in a space-, time-, and cost-saving on-machine interface. They feature a fanless design and broad temperature specs, and are built to deliver years of reliability in industrial environments.

FactoryTalk DataMosaix

Industrial DataOps is your company’s ticket to breaking down data silos and optimizing how industrial data is leveraged across your organization. FactoryTalk® DataMosaix™is an industrial DataOps solution from Rockwell Automation® that provides flexible and scalable tools to accelerate data usability by your domain experts and analysts. It’s a cloud-based solution that provides multi-site, enterprise-wide access for people and applications.

Your Connection to the Rockwell Automation Universe

Nobody is doing more to help your company leverage new and evolving technology to upgrade your operations and reach new milestones than Rockwell Automation. And when it comes to local expertise in leveraging Rockwell Automation innovations in your facilities, nobody is better positioned to help you than Agilix Solutions. Reach out to your Account Manager or your nearest Agilix Solutions branch to get connected to the area’s foremost experts in industrial automation and take the next step on your Industry 4.0 journey.