PEI 2022

Rockwell Automation Demonstrates the Connected Enterprise

Oct. 25, 2022

At PACK EXPO International, Rockwell Automation explains the convergence of plant-level and enterprise networks to securely connect people, processes, and technologies in its Connected Enterprise exhibit.

David Greenfield, editor in chief

The carts in Rockwell’s iTrack technology each have their own intelligently controlled axis of motion, meaning that they can speed up or slow down based on where other carts are in the system.

What does the Connected Enterprise concept—which involves the ability to access, analyze, and act on connect systems’ production data in real-time to improve productivity and safeguard assets—mean to packaging and processing operations? At PACK EXPO International, Rockwell Automation (Booth S-1660) Digital is answering such questions.

Steve Deitzer, vice president of global industry, CPG, Rockwell Automation, said, “For the first time, attendees will be able to experience a demonstration of a full Connected Enterprise on the show floor and learn how to maximize and safeguard their operations through data.”

The Connected Enterprise experience at Rockwell Automation’s exhibit includes…

A Flexible Manufacturing Robot demonstration, which showcases a flexible manufacturing robot using Rockwell Automation’s:

Unified Robot Control, which refers to the company’s work with Comau, Denso, and Fanuc to connect its control software with these partners’ latest robot technologies to allow for operation with or without a robot controller.

Independent Cart Technology, which uses Rockwell’s iTrack technology to allow for curved or straight sections of track to be combined in custom combinations to suit your conveyance design and space requirements. The carts in these systems each have their own intelligently controlled axis of motion, meaning that they can speed up or slow down based on where other carts are in the system. And because the system also tracks what each cart is moving, there’s no need to slow down for sortation—all of which leads to reduced bottlenecks and increased output.

VersaView 6300 Industrial PCs have a built-in heatsink as well as protection against shock and vibration, and can operate in 0° to 50° C operating temperatures.

VersaView 6300 Industrial PCs are compact IPCs that fit in the palm of your hand yet are extremely rugged. They have a built-in heatsink as well as protection against shock and vibration, have no moving parts, and can operate in 0° to 50° C operating temperatures.

This combination of technologies is designed to show what users can accomplish through single use fulfillment, flexible equipment design, and smart manufacturing.

A SaaS (Software as a Service)/Cloud demonstration shows how Rockwell Automation’s Plex Asset Performance Management helps optimize the performance of production equipment by enabling connection to virtually any asset or data stream, providing live dashboards of the facility and individual work cells, as well as real-time views of asset status, remote access to dashboards from any device, and historical views of logged asset status and event logs. Also shown in the SaaS Cloud demo are MES Automation & Orchestration for product tracking, genealogy, maintenance management, document control, and remote access, as well as the Fiix CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) software to create, complete, and optimize work orders and work requests in one place.

Rockwell Automation’s Emulate3D software can show, for example, if a conveyor or filler assembly design doesn’t meet requirements or won’t work properly with other, connected systems before it is built.

The Digital Twin Station is targeted at OEMs to aid in determining the optimal design of packaging/processing equipment prior to build. Demonstrations of Rockwell Automation’s Emulate3D software show how the software can help OEMs know, for example, if a conveyor or filler assembly design doesn’t meet requirements or won’t work properly with other, connected systems before it is built. The software can also be used to highlight controls and/or integration issues before the machine is brought to the customer site. Beyond design and commissioning applications, Emulate 3D can also be used to train workers in a virtual environment to reduce operating risks.

A Cybersecurity Station in Rockwell Automation’s Connected Enterprise exhibit addresses the security concerns that come with any network-connected system. This is a particularly important issue for food and beverage manufacturers, as cyberattacks on their operations can result in public health risks. At the cybersecurity station, attendees can experience an attack simulation to understand the effects on production operations and learn how to keep their systems safe.

About the Author

David Greenfield, editor in chief | Editor in Chief

David Greenfield joined Automation World in June 2011. Bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and media experience to his position, David’s contributions can be found in AW’s print and online editions and custom projects. Earlier in his career, David was Editorial Director of Design News at UBM Electronics, and prior to joining UBM, he was Editorial Director of Control Engineering at Reed Business Information, where he also worked on Manufacturing Business Technology as Publisher.