News for Process Automation 1/2016 | Pepperl+Fuchs

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Extra Smart:
Thin Client Solution for Industry 4.0
Operating and Monitoring Systems Take the lead with
innovative technologies and pave the way for Industry 4.0:
With this focus in mind, Pepperl+Fuchs is continually
pushing ahead, developing new products that provide
users with solutions that keep pace with the challenges
of Industry 4.0. The most recent example is the smart
VisuNet RM GXP thin-client solution with the new
RM Shell 4.1.
Technologies + Products| News for Process Automation 1/2016
Networking sensors which are using Internet technology to an ever
greater extent are opening up a wide range of possibilities for the
process industry. However, as automation components become
increasingly networked, users are faced with an ever-growing flood
of data. To ensure this information can be handled in a simple and
convenient process, smart HMI systems are required.
The highlight of the smart thin-client-based remote monitors is the
additional software control center. Using IP-based communication,
remote monitors can be set up, configured, and monitored from a
central workstation, meaning users no longer have to physically enter
hazardous areas or clean rooms – a benefit that saves both time and
costs.
Remote monitoring capabilities in the new control center demonstrate
what is possible through the industrial Internet of Things. With these
capabilities, administrators can connect to each smart remote monitor
with the RM Shell 4.1 in the field. In this way, users can also receive
remote support directly on site at any time, to resolve faults in a quick
and cost-effective manner. This makes the smart HMI system VisuNet
GXP with RM Shell 4.1 the perfect solution for utilizing the benefits of
Industry 4.0 for the process industry in Zone 1/21.n
At Pepperl+Fuchs, solutions for Industry 4.0 must meet one fundamental
requirement – that users are granted direct horizontal and vertical access
to information regarding production systems, whether in Zone 1/21 or
in the clean room. This means communication within the production
process and, at the same time, direct access right down to the sensor –
across all hierarchical levels. This is exactly the functionality offered
by the smart thin-client-based remote monitors which are equipped
with RM Shell 4.1 firmware.
With the innovative new VisuNet GXP HMI system, it is now possible to
make optimum use of the opportunities that Industry 4.0 has to offer –
even in Zone 1/21.
Like all remote monitors, the thin-client solution communicates with
the process control system or the MES (which can also be located in
the cloud, if necessary) via Ethernet, allowing the automation system
to be controlled and monitored with a high level of convenience. At the
same time, the remote monitors can also access the sensors via an
embedded web browser for commissioning, configuration, or mainte-
nance purposes.
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