Yokogawa and Dell to partner for provision of dedicated PCs

High performance PCs that incorporate the latest technologies are being used in greater quantities in the control systems arena – for example, by replacing the dedicated terminals used as HMIs and to connect with host systems. 

However, while a production control system usually remains in use for a period of one to two decades, new PC hardware, operating systems, and application software incorporating the latest technologies and offering ever higher levels of performance are continually being released. While incorporating this new PC hardware and software in a control system, the control system supplier must ensure that the overall system is able to continue to meet the required quality standards throughout its life. 

Dell will supply PCs that have been tested to verify their compatibility with Yokogawa products. Yokogawa will globally distribute these PCs as Yokogawa certified models for use with its industrial automation system-related products, including the CENTUM VP integrated production control system, ProSafe-RS safety instrumented system, Plant Resource Manager (PRM), and Exa series solution-based software. 

These PCs are ‘long-life’ products that will remain available for long periods. To meet a variety of operating conditions and installation requirements, they will be available in a rack-mount or desktop configuration with either a server or client operating system.