施耐德电气发布新型可编程自动化控制器

Schneider Electric Releases New Programmable Automation Controller 

施耐德电气发布新型可编程自动化控制器

July 11, 2007 -- Schneider Electric yesterday announced the release of its Telemecanique-brand Modicon M340 programmable automation controller (PAC), featuring communication, motion, database, and manipulation capabilities, in addition to the Modicon line's real-time logic-solving platform for industrial environments.

7月11日消息——施耐德电气昨天发布了其TE电器品牌的Modicon M340可编程自动化控制器(PAC)产品，除了具有Modicon产品线适用于工业环境的实时逻辑解决平台功能之外，还具有通信、运动、数据库以及处理功能。

The Modicon M340 PAC is intended to make its mark in the growing mid-range automation controller market, the company said, and will complement some of Schneider's existing products in this market segment. The M340's primary differentiator, said Richard Hutton, senior automation marketing specialist at Schneider's North American Operating Division, is its use of Schneider's Unity application development software. In addition, he said, the Modicon M340 PAC will be a replacement option for current Modicon Compact984 PLC applications where compatible requirements exist.

施耐德电气表示，Modicon M340 PAC 目地在于涉足快速发展的中端自动化控制器市场，以及补充施耐德在这个市场现有的一些产品。施耐德北美运营部高级自动化营销专家Richard Hutton表示，M340的主要区别地方，是其使用了施耐德的Unity应用开发软件。他表示，此外，Modicon M340 PAC还将是目前有兼容需要的Modicon Compact984 PLC应用的一个替代选择。

One aspect of the M340 that separates it from competing products, according to Schneider, is the availability of as many as two communication ports in addition to a high-speed USB port. "Since there are multiple CPU versions that embed the open standard Ethernet protocol Modbus/TCP, we have enabled companies to benefit from direct, simple collaborative control and communications with all currently available Modicon PLCs, plus many third-party devices as well," Hutton said.

依据施耐德的介绍，M340与其竞争产品的一个不同之处就是其具有两个通信端口以及一个高速USB端口。Hutton表示：“因为有多种嵌入了开放式标准以太网协议Modbus/TCP的CPU版本，所以我们可以使客户公司受益于目前所有可用的Modicon PLC以及许多第三方设备的直接、简单的协同控制和通信。”

Other features of the M340 include fast execution of both Boolean processing and floating decimal calculations, 4 MB of internal memory, and an internal Flash memory and SD-based memory card. The unit can accept from four to 12 modules with a maximum density of 64 channels per module.

M340的其他特点包括Boolean处理和浮点十进制运算的快速执行，4MB的内存，以及一个内置闪存和SD记忆卡。一个M340可以接受四到十二个模块，而每个模块最大可容64个通道。

Some examples of shop floor machines that can benefit from the M340's PAC features include conveyors, sorters, wrappers, packers, elevators, boxers, filtration and pumping systems, injection and other machines, automated assemblers, and transportation wash systems, Hutton said.

Hutton表示，可以受益于M340的PAC特点的车间机械包括传送机、分拣器、包装机、电梯、装箱机、过滤和泵系统、注塑机和其他机械、自动化组装机以及运输洗涤系统等等。

Other members of the Modicon family include the Modicon Premium and Modicon Quantum programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Users of traditional PLCs are beginning to demand PAC-type functionality from the automation suppliers that have provided PLCs for years, ARC Advisory Research Director Craig Resnick said, especially in hybrid environments — including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and life sciences industries — in which process applications such as temperature level control and packaging applications such as material handling are managed simultaneously.

Modicon家族的其他成员还包括Modicon Premium 以及 Modicon Quantum可编程逻辑控制器(PLCs)。ARC咨询研究主管Craig Resnick表示，传统PLC的用户已经开始向其供应了数年PLC的自动化供应商要求PAC功能，尤其是在卫生环境，包括食品和饮料、制药以及生命科学工业，在这些领域，如温度水平控制等过程应用以及如材料处理等包装应用是同时管理的。

PAC systems feature a single database that stores and maintains data from several applications — whether process or discrete — simultaneously.

PAC系统具有一个单独数据库同时储存和维护数个过程或者离散应用数据的功能。

"PAC makes life easier for companies running separate systems for disparate control applications because there's only one platform to maintain and one HMI," Resnick said. "It really lowers total cost of ownership for the user when they need maintain only one system."

Resnick表示：“PAC使应用分离的系统用于不同控制应用的公司变得轻松多了，因为他们只有一个平台需要维护，而且只有一个人机界面。在只需要维护一个系统的情况下，用户确实减低了总成本。”

Other automation vendors offering PAC products include Rockwell Automation and GE Fanuc, Resnick said. Automation vendors that offer PAC-like functionality with their PLCs include Mitsubishi, Omron, and Siemens, he added.

Resnick表示，其他提供PAC产品的自动化供应商还包括罗克韦尔自动化和通用电气发那科。在其PLC产品带有类似PAC功能的自动化供应商包括三菱、欧姆龙以及西门子。

ARC sees a strong market for both PACs and PLCs moving forward, with PLCs maintaining their popularity in process plants that don't necessarily require the extra functionality of a PAC.

ARC预计PAC和PLC市场将持续强烈增长，PLC在不需要PAC额外功能的过程工厂保持着高普及度。

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