Support all OPC comms

MatrikonOPC releases OPC Tunneller with support for alarms and events

MatrikonOPC™ has released the newest version of OPC Tunneller - now with support for OPC Alarms and Events. With OPC Tunneller, users can now easily transfer data from remote OPC Servers into a centralized A&E Historian without DCOM communication issues. This allows users to establish and maintain secure, reliable communications between systems spanning large geographical distances and systems on complex networks.

OPC Tunneller’s Features:
• Easy cross-domain and workgroup connectivity
• Direct connectivity to A&E Historians
• Works well in low bandwidth environments
… and many more

OPC Tunneller’s lossless data compression uses less than 10 percent of the bandwidth normally needed by regular OPC traffic based on DCOM. Such low data overhead is optimal for use in limited data bandwidth applications that involve the use of satellites, modems, radios, and other bandwidth-limited communications. In addition, OPC Tunneller keeps OPC data confidential by encrypting it. This approach provides users with an additional layer in the defense-in-depth cyber security model.

"The ability to access your data whenever and wherever you need is crucial in today’s automation solutions, especially when it comes to alarm data. Plant operators and engineers need ready access to such data to prevent down time, costly maintenance, or outright disasters. OPC Tunneller provides users the most stable and secure connectivity possible to their real-time, historical, and alarm and event OPC data sources,” said Darek Kominek Marketing Manager at MatrikonOPC products.

Redefining trending!

MatrikonOPC Analytics redefines trending with Easy Trender™

MatrikonOPC™ has released Easy Trender ™, a user-friendly tool that allows users to quickly and easily visualize process and equipment data. Easy Trender extends the popular MatrikonOPC Analytics™ line of software that provides engineers and technicians with simple industrial reporting and trending.

From small data archives to massive ones, MatrikonOPC Analytics Easy Trender simplifies the task of creating and working with ad-hoc trends, replacing data-overload with valuable insights.
Engineers can organize important tags, trends and timestamps in a Workspace, avoiding the need to continuously save and search for files.

"When we spoke to customers, we found that many were frustrated with existing trending packages.   Usability and universal data access were the primary concerns. Many existing tools were too difficult to use, tied to specific systems, or only accessible through remote workstations. Easy Trender allows front-line problem solvers quick and easy access to all process and equipment data right on the desktop. Easy Trender truly simplifies the trending experience," said Mustafa Al-Mosawi, MatrikonOPC Analytics Product Manager.

Some key MatrikonOPC Analytics Easy Trender features and benefits are:
• View up to 25 trends simultaneously in Dashboard Overview for easy side-by-side visualization of key information
• Organize trends, tags and timestamps in intuitive Workspaces to isolate and group key data together in one place
• Use popular trending formats like Strip-chart, X-Y, Histogram, SPC, Single-Y, Multi-Y and Multi-X plots to best represent your data in the right context

Partners for connectivity

InduSoft partners with MatrikonOPC for OPC connectivity

MatrikonOPC™ is partnering with InduSoft Inc. to include MatrikonOPC‘s full range of OPC Servers into the industrial software developer’s InduSoft Web Studio (IWS) v7.0 platform. The partnership will allow a wide range of industrial customers – including manufacturing plants, electric utilities and building automation professionals – to more easily integrate their automation systems with InduSoft Web Studio by using MatrikonOPC’s secure and reliable OPC Servers.

As a member of the MatrikonOPC Global Partner Network, InduSoft will utilize MatrikonOPC servers for third-party OPC data connectivity solutions. The MatrikonOPC Vendor Partner Program enables software and hardware vendors to provide their customers with world-class connectivity software and support while keeping their resources focused on core areas of expertise.

“As a MatrikonOPC Vendor Partner, InduSoft leverages MatrikonOPC technology and expertise to provide InduSoft customers with a superior integration experience,” said Drew Brydon, Program Manager - Vendor Partners at MatrikonOPC. “In addition, InduSoft solutions are now attractive to more customers thanks to its expanded connectivity capabilities.”
 
“The goal of control automation is to improve operational efficiency, so it only makes sense to combine our software expertise with MatrikonOPC’s server capabilities to achieve that goal. With this partnership, our customers will now reap the benefits of having secure and reliable data connectivity to their systems,” said Marcia Gadbois, vice president of Business Development for InduSoft, Inc.

InduSoft provides a powerful suite of industrial software products for developing applications in industrial automation, instrumentation and embedded systems for all Microsoft-supported operating systems. InduSoft’s technology uses the latest communication standards to access data that is stored on industrial devices and test and measurement equipment. In addition, InduSoft technology converts personal computers, web browsers and remote productivity devices such as cell phones, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) into industrial automation and test and measurement systems.

By partnering with MatrikonOPC to bundle the OPC Servers with IWS, InduSoft increases its already expansive number of communication offerings. Over 240 built-in drivers continue to be included with IWS for communications with all major brands of PLCs, temperature controllers and motion control systems--the MatrikonOPC servers extend this range to DCS systems, electrical utility monitoring, flow computers and building automation systems.

Green building automation

MatrikonOPC™ has released its KNX OPC Server for Green Building Automation and Data Centers. The software enables facility managers to run their building control systems more efficiently by tightly integrating systems such as lighting, security and energy management. It gives building automation professionals and data center operators fast access to all KNX data, enabling them to save energy by more quickly responding to building events.

The KNX OPC Server integrates devices that communicate via the KNX protocol with HMI, ERP software and many OPC-enabled reporting tools. It also supports KNX communications over Ethernet (EIBnet/IP or KNXnet/IP) – making it easy to integrate KNX-enabled systems such as lighting and shutter controls, security, alarms and energy management, with other systems. Its high-performance framework provides data in real time from KNX devices.

For maximum security, the KNX OPC Server allows administrators to manage access to tags based on users’ login information, maximizing control over the building management system and making it an instrumental component to green data centers and building integrity.

The KNX OPC Server also features several enhancements that simplify software configuration. For example, the server features automatic device discovery and binding, as well as easy integration between the ETS Network Management tool and its database. Additionally, the server runs on Microsoft Windows 2008, Windows 7, Windows 2003 and Windows XP, and does not require KNX Foundation’s Falcon API.