Managing change during the lifetime of automation

With a large enterprise and many systems developers and maintenance staff, it is easy for outdated files and databases to be utilised unwittingly, but Fxmanager provides a reliable solution.

With increasing pressure to respond effectively to growth, market changes, competition and regulatory demands, industries continue to enhance or replace their automation systems.

As expansion and adaptation intensifies, so does the complexity of the systems and the need for organisation.

Today is more challenging than ever for the need to stay profitable and accountable.

Problems caused by changes during a system's lifetime The automation systems and related software used in the manufacture or processing of products may consist of many disparate elements including PC control applications, HMI panels, CAD drawings, PLC applications, databases and project plan documents.

Each element plays a crucial role.

During engineering, implementation, and throughout the life cycle of an automation system, many changes occur due to the competitive nature of today's business environment.

Updated regulations and process equipment improvements may also give rise to change.

As a result, over a period of time, all these modifications give rise to the possibility of more and more chances for something to go wrong.

For example, loading and running an outdated version of an application on a single PLC could result in production errors that give rise to very significant financial implications.

These may consist of lost sales, wasted materials, wasted man-hours during lost production and during back-tracking to resolve the situation.

Furthermore, the result of regulatory non-compliance could be catastrophic.

Thus, with a large enterprise and many systems developers and maintenance staff, it is easy for outdated files and databases to be utilised unwittingly.

Recording changes and informing staff becomes difficult to control.

The GE Fanuc software package, fxManager, provides a reliable solution.

It automatically organises and keeps track of changes to the various elements of the automation or software system.

It enhances the usability, reliability and accountability of the system, thus efficiency and responsiveness to market changes are greatly enhanced.

At the same time, it makes it much easier and less costly to modify and revalidate software.

fxManager fully integrates with GE Fanuc's PLC programming software and Cimplicity software products.

fxManager manages all versions of automation projects on a central server, including drivers and programs, ensuring that users load and edit only the current projects for each device.

Operators, even those using remote access, make changes in a secure environment, always knowing the version they are working on is the right one.

fxManager also records user actions, disallows unauthorised tampering and automates events for easy backups and recovery.

The software guarantees complete logging of any application software modification, thus ensuring compliance with legal provisions.

This is of vital importance in pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries.

Central data storage along with revision control prevent out-dated software versions from being used within the control systems, thus avoiding time-consuming backtracking procedures and a waste of resources.

Each user always works with the latest files and databases.

Audit control keeps records of all modifications, including author and date, while the integrated reporting tool enables the easy creation of test reports in any desired format.

The security options restrict access to authorised staff, and the scheduling function is used to automate routine tasks such as data backups or version checks.

Key features of fxManager are...

- centralised storage and version control.

- audit trails of who did what, and when they did it.

- reporting tools making it easy to generate detailed audit reports.

- security and access control ensuring that only authorised users are able.

to update specific elements of the system.

- a scheduler which automates repetitive tasks such as backups and compares.

- an open and flexible structure.

Present automation systems are made of many different components.

Along with the hardware used, the software has increasingly gained in importance in recent years producing benefits to users which include cost reduction.

Systems integrators and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) particularly look for integrated software packages rather than isolated application solutions.

Apart from traditional control applications, they also expect visualisation functions to be implemented using the same tools.

In addition, tasks such as drive control, communication between different stations, and the automatic supply of machine and process data for Internet access need to be carried out at the same time.

Here GE Fanuc's open software systems bring even more advantages.

fxManager is just one of several programs which will run in GE Fanuc's FrameworX environment.

FrameworX is an object oriented control solution, an innovative software solution that meets these integrated requirements.

Using latest software technologies such as COM/DCOM, Active-X, and OPC, FrameworX is a framing program which provides an environment offering a seamless integration of PC-based industrial control, man-machine interface (HMI), and system management software.

fxManager is just one of GE Fanuc's open software products that will run in a FrameworX environment.

Other products include the soft-PLC fxControlT and the monitoring component fxViewT.

A major advantage of this integration of software components under FrameworX is the 'drag and drop' facility.

The basic principle of 'drag and drop' is that data and objects need only be entered once by a user.

This data is then available within the entire system without any further editing.

Any modification of a master object will automatically cause any linked objects to be updated accordingly.

This applies both to control and visualisation objects.

By employing GE Fanuc's fxManager, users can modify their automation systems to keep their competitive edge, sure in the knowledge that all updates and additions will be securely logged, and that everyone will access the correct versions of files and databases.

And with a presence in most industrial countries throughout the world, GE Fanuc is able to build a complete solution in conjunction with its clients.

From engineering services to support services, from product training to complete application consultations, GE Fanuc is able to bring its expertise to help its customers increase productivity.

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