CLPA Europe

A Ukrainian winemaker is using CC-Link to help automate and expand the production of its world class wines and spirits. With domestic consumption booming, and export markets opening up, the Shabo vineyard in the Odessa region is combining high technology with the delicate art of fine wine production.

The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) has just released a new “Gateway to China” (G2C) programme video; based on the recent webinar of the same subject, it should be of great interest to any company selling into China or planning to approach the market.

Potential suppliers wanting efficient access to the accelerating Chinese automation market may also win themselves an iPad ahead of Christmas, by visiting the CLPA (CC-Link Partner Association) in Booth 6-136 at SPS/IPC/DRIVES. This fair is Europe’s leading exhibition for industrial automation and runs in Nuremberg 22 - 24 November 2011.

Manufacturing plants across Europe are being transformed by the adoption of Open Architecture control systems as the sector’s recovery from recession continues. Plant managers and control engineers are choosing to invest in the flexibility that will allow their production capabilities to easily adapt to changing demands over the coming years. The trend is being followed by John Browett of the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA), which promotes and develops the CC-Link open network technology.

The CC-Link Partners Association (CLPA) continues to increase its global strength. 2011 has now seen the 1,500th member join, while the worldwide installed base has now exceeded 8.5 million devices. These two events have further secured its position as one of the world’s largest fieldbus organisations.

The biggest automation and robotics training centre in Poland has just been opened in Łódź. It will train over 10,000 students and teachers a year as the country races to modernise its manufacturing and production infrastructure.

The SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2010 fair saw the announcement that the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) had signed an agreement with the FDT Group to incorporate the CC-Link family of open networks into the FDT standard by development of a protocol annex.

The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) has added a full multi-language capability to their European website, www.the-non-stop-open-network.com.This significant investment has resulted in nine language options being available.

Across Europe manufacturing is being automated as a way to both compete against imports from ‘low cost’ economies and to ensure consistent output quality. However ‘greenfield’ projects are rare and the vast majority of automation projects are retrofits, upgrades and extensions. Here, John Browett of the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA), looks at how the upgrade of systems using open networks can provide major cost benefits, while also improving system performance.

Of the criteria that may influence the choice of a communications network today factors such as speed, ease of integration, open communications, vendor support, etc. can be taken for granted with most major protocols. The same cannot be said, however, for availability; the ability to keep the network running with the minimum of interruptions under the faults and events typical of real-world manufacturing operations is critical. Maximising availability is critical for anyone looking to boost productivity to world class levels.

The CC-Link Partner Association CLPA has signed a cooperation agreement with the FDT Group to promote the use of the FDT as an international standard. Under the agreement CLPA will support the development of an annex of the protocol for the FDT standard to support the CC-Link family of networks including its CC-Link IE Field Gigabit Industrial Ethernet.