Automated machinery designers must be multi-discipline masters to orchestrate the required mechanical, electrical, and automation elements. Adding to those roles, today’s applications often require seamless access to edge-sourced data, along with other IIoT capabilities.
In the December 2021 issue of Design World, Nishita Palkar and I contributed an article titled, “Implement IIoT projects faster with ready-to-configure machine edge solutions,” in which we discuss how Emerson has addressed this need with PACSystemsTM Edge Solutions, a family of pre-integrated hardware and software combinations that help users overcome challenges to rapidly create IIoT solutions.
Edge valueUsers at various organizational levels realize substantial benefits from edge solutions, such as:
New and retrofit solutions to deliver these benefits have often required integration of many makes and models of hardware and software, which introduces excessive costs, along with risks such as incompatibilities.
Integrated solution advantagesEmerson has created pre-integrated combinations of hardware and software so users can hit the ground running as they create edge solutions. Typical benefits include:
Emerson PACSystems Edge SolutionsEdge solutions typically fulfill many roles and need hardware that is more capable than a standard PLC, but don’t necessarily need IT-grade computing. Emerson has assembled a portfolio of tailored edge solutions for fill five of the most typical edge solution roles:
Streamlining edge applicationsOne consumer packaged goods machine OEM already offered automated equipment using PLCs, HMIs, AC drives, pneumatics, and more. Building IIoT analytics into the existing platform would be difficult with a traditional approach
However, by specifying a PACSystems Edge Solution using an IPC and associated PACEdge software, they were able to add a complete asset health monitoring suite as an add-on option, without impacting the underlying automation.
The newest frontier for industrial automation is providing edge solutions for connecting with, analyzing, and visualizing field-sourced data. Emerson PACSystems Edge Solutions streamline this mission with ready-to-configure combinations of proven industrial hardware and software, helping users create fit-for-purpose edge computing solutions.
For more information on the PACSystems Edge Solutions, visit the website at www.Emerson.com/PACSystems-Edge or get this new brochure that will walk you through each of the packaged solutions to show you what’s possible and how they can help you solve your specific application problems.