Softing and Wago collaborate in synergy partner program

Citation

(2001), "Softing and Wago collaborate in synergy partner program", Assembly Automation, Vol. 21 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2001.03321dab.009

Softing and Wago collaborate in synergy partner program

Softing and Wago collaborate in synergy partner program

Keywords: Automation, Control

Automation market leaders Softing and Wago have agreed to collaborate in a partnership program that will see close integration of Wago's I/O System 750 intelligent I/O modules with Softing's 4CONTROL PC-based automation platform (see Plate 2). The aim is to provide enhanced 4CONTROL automation solutions by placing soft PLC capability at the remote I/O terminals, reducing master slave dependency over a fieldbus and pushing control applications further into the field.

Under the agreement, Wago has become a member of Softing's Synergy Partner Program alongside industry majors such as Citect (SCADA) and Inmotion Technologies (motion control). Wago will introduce a special I/O System 750 4C Ethernet bus coupler which is directly configurable via Softing's IEC 61131-3 compliant 4C Engineering package over an Ethernet link.

Plate 2 4CONTROL panel PC with Ethernet links with WAGO 750 to provide distributed control solution

This bus coupler has its own microcontroller capable of running control applications locally, even when the comms link is broken. Control tasks developed on a 4C engineering platform are downloaded and run directly at the I/O level. Benefits include reducing the load on the host system and the fieldbus network. Time-critical local control solutions become simple and a single engineering tool for two different hardware modules makes training, implementation and maintenance easier. The number of I/O nodes used in this way is limited only by the network capacity.

"The combination of 4CONTROL and Wago I/O System 750 forms a complete system solution that reduces the master/slave dependence of conventional I/O and puts PLC performance into the field", said Oliver Roth, Softing European business manager. "Wago I/O Sytem 750 fits perfectly within the open system architecture of 4CONTROL, providing a substantial synergistic effect for the end user. We believe this solution is the best in class by far. Tight integration between the two products helps realise flatter automation architectures and facilitates enterprise-wide transparency from Internet down to the field I/O level."

Protocols used are TCP(UDP)/IP running over twisted pair S-UTP 100 Ohms Cat 5 cable with R J45 connectors. The maximum length of a bus segment is 100m between hub and I/O, with the maximum network length limited only by the Ethernet specification. Transmission rate is 10 Mbit/s.

Softing, which is currently supported in the UK by GGH Marketing Communications and Tom Ridley, an independent technical sales consultant, is in the process of setting up a UK operation. Automation Products (01675 466658) of Coleshill, Birmingham, is already appointed as a Softing distributor in the UK.