The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA, www.cclinkamerica.org), has gained some added momentum for its drive to promote the CC-Link fieldbus worldwide with the recent announcement that vision-systems specialist Cognex Corp. (www.cognex.com), Natick, Mass., has joined the CLPA Board of Director Companies.
CC-Link, a Mitsubishi Electric Automation-sponsored fieldbus that became an open standard in 2000, has a strong position in Asia, and the CLPA is aggressively promoting the technology in Europe and North America. Cognex, a supplier of vision-based inspection, guidance, and identification systems, has more than half a million systems installed.
“We are delighted to have Cognex on our board of directors,” said CLPA-Americas’ Director Chuck Lukasik in a Dec. 1 press release. “It broadens our technology base and brings skills associated with developing worldwide markets for innovative products. Because its vision systems are so widely used, it will help us introduce CC-Link technology to whole new industries.”
CC-Link reduces wiring and automation system costs, enabling multiple field devices to communicate to each other and to automation controllers over a single cable. CC-Link technology is open, allowing any company to embed it into its products so that those products can be used in CC-Link based control systems.
The CLPA is the organization of manufacturers formed in 2000 to oversee and develop the underlining CC-Link technology and to promote its integration into automation products. CLPA also promotes the worldwide adoption of CC-Link technology for network communications in automation. Cognex joins Digital Electronics Corp., IDEC Corp., Mitsubishi Electric Corp., and NEC Corp. on the board of directors. It replaces Molex, which has stepped down from the Board and resumes its status as a regular member of the group.
CC-Link Partner Association
www.cclinkamerica.org
Cognex Corp.
www.cognex.com
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