Product category:
Automation software
News Release from: Copa-Data UK | Subject: Process control technique and automation
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 05 July 2006
Software manages production
security/reliability
After evaluation of all leading HMI/SCADA systems, a German automotive group chose the one offering the most standardisation, to achieve greatest possible internal synergy between operations.
The BMW Group has chosen to use zenOn software for their plants world-wide, with immediate effect The reason for this long-term decision - zenOn has already proven its value in daily use and BMW are confident it could increase efficiency and productivity considerably across their plants
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 8 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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After an intensive evaluation of all leading HMI/SCADA systems, the BMW Group decided in favour of world-wide implementation of zenOn.
The visualization solution of Copa-Data, Germany, has already successfully operated the surface technique across the BMW Group for five years, with more than 1,500 installations.
"This is another milestone in our successful business development.
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This long-term partnership reaffirms the trust earned by the European software house Copa-Data," said Juergen Schroedel, managing director of Copa-Data in Ottobrunn.
* Copa-Data prepares for the future - with the decision to use zenOn company-wide, BMW has entered a strategic partnership with Copa-Data.
For car production, the automotive specialist chose the contractor who could offer the most standardisation, and thus create the greatest possible internal synergy between operations.
Furthermore, the automotive manufacturer requires a universal solution from the plant pictures to the alarm management.
This universality not only increases quality, but also the overall productivity of their equipment.
As zenOn 6.20 can be used on all Windows operating system and platforms, from Windows CE up to Windows Server 2003, a transparent flow of information throughout the company network can fully be guaranteed.
Supervisory control to operator terminal transparency offered by zenOn makes it possible for the production team members to come to the right decisions at any time irrespective of their location.
* Copa-Data stands for competence and reliability - besides Copa-Data's automation expertise, software skills have also proved important for the BMW Group: "With more than 50,000 installations we could prove our reliability as well as our technical competence.
We will continue in this way in order to realize our long-term goal of expansion," Schroedel explained.
* HMI/SCADA technology that inspires - for the operation of machinery, plant and handling equipment, BMW specifiy a B and R Windows CE platform.
The various process visualisation options and important production data are particularly powerful here.
Local operator terminals can be defined as network projects with a single mouse click, the high-capacity client / server architecture forming the basis for plant-wide use.
zenOn's highly regarded seamless redundancy guarantees the highest possible availability.
Integrated sequence chain diagnostics provides the control status of a production sequence at a glance.
In the case of a malfunction, zenOn also displays the graphical link status beside the predefined message text.
Implemented heuristics ensure the user is automatically informed about the most probable reason, simplifying maintenance and improving equipment productivity considerably.
* Security as the 'closing bid' - the alarm management with escalation methodology implemented in zenOn is considered as leading the HMI/SCADA systems market.
zenOn analyzes all incoming equipment malfunction messages in a centralised equipment monitoring platform and displays it according to the individual users' requirments.
For example, effectiveness and efficiency of equipment is implemented graphically using a Pareto chart.
Optionally, the alarms can be stored in an ODBC compatible database.
All responsible personnel can access the desired data via the company network.
Here, a complete and secure user administration is very important.
The user permissions are administered according to FDA Part 11 rules.
Based on an Active Directory integration, access to the company-wide Windows network is even possible.
Furthermore, the zenOn software offers many functions to find and manipulate the latent production potential within the same intuitive graphical development environment.
"zenOn is a unique universal tool.
Copa-Data will deliver more than 7,000 licenses to the BMW Group and help with know-how, expertise and commitment.
The BMW Group stands for 'recognizing potential and designing growth'.
Together we have recognized our potential, and based on a clear strategy we will transform this into joint success," Schroedel concluded.
* zenOn - software for process control technique and automation - the zenOn product family comprises easy to use and powerful software for industrial automation.
The solution of COPA-DATA has diverse applications: It can be used for process visualization, as a machine control system (HMI) or a process control system (SCADA) for manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, process engineering, building management and power supply.
* About Copa-Data - Copa-Data is a leading European innovator in HMI/SCADA systems.
Specialising exclusively in automation software since the mid-80s has enabled the Salzburg-based company become technological trail blazers in the industrial marketplace.
Today, Copa-Data has subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, France and the Middle East with distribution and integrator partners throughout the world.
The company currently employs more than 100 staff and has impressive references including Festo, BMW and Audi.
Over 50,000 zenOn systems are installed in automotive, machine building, energy and manufacturing plants worldwide.
* About zenOn - the zenOn software suite was the first visualisation suite to run entirely on Windows, later taking advantage Windows XP platform's capabilities.
Currently a unique feature of zenOn, the same platform extends from Windows CE handhelds on the factory floor up to Windows XP using an efficient event-driven distributed network.
The new generation 6 zenOn software features a powerful editor to reduce engineering time using automatic engineering wizards and through highly efficient reuse of pictures and control elements.
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