GE Fanuc Upgrades Proficy iFIX 4.5

GE Fanuc Automation, a Charlottesville, Va.-based unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, has announced the availability of Proficy HMI/SCADA - iFix 4.5, providing comprehensive monitoring, control and data management in human-machine interface/supervisory control and data acquisition applications. In a coordinated release, Proficy Change Management version 5.7 was also announced.

iFIX 4.5 supports operation on the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. The software automatically adopts the latest operating system look and feel throughout all of its applications and dialogs.

Other major enhancements in iFIX 4.5 include:

•With iFIX 4.5, Dynamos are given names, version numbers and descriptions. iFIX 4.5 delivers tools to update Dynamos in pictures or across applications. As a Dynamo is updated in the library, it is updated for use across applications automatically.
•Multiple instances of a display can be held open, each displaying unique data through the use of Tag Groups. These displays can be opened in different screen locations, facilitating use with Multi-Monitors.
•The iFIX Process Database can now deliver 15 digits of data precision for all internal calculations and data use. Backward compatibility will be achieved with existing systems while enabling newer iFIX nodes to leverage the new data precision.
•Support for up to 200 clients connected to one SCADA node is now included, up from 100 previous versions.
•OPC (an open communication standard) integration and certification are improved, plus users can browse OPC Client Driver Tags right from an iFIX block.

Proficy Change Management 5.7 provides improvements to Machine Edition integration, HMI/SCADA support, and improved third party programmable logic controller (PLC) support. Version 5.7 allows schedule upload-and-compare capability for GE Fanuc programmable automation controllers (PACs) allowing automated backup of the logic and data in the PLC, as well as the ability to compare the PLC to the master version on the Change Management Server. The scheduled compare capability is key to detecting unauthorized changes, and backup ensures that users have an updated copy of their PLC programs in the event of a disaster.

GE Fanuc Automation
www.gefanuc.com