GIANTS COLLABORATE TO COMPETE IN FACTORY AUTOMATION MARKET
FANUC FA America and Rockwell Automation are collaborating to offer closer integration between CNC and programmable automation controller (PAC) environments. Strategic emphasis will initially be placed on industrial automation systems where both CNCs and PACs are used.
Posted: September 20, 2010
FANUC FA America (previously known as FANUC CNC America Corporation) (Hoffman Estates, IL), the largest CNC organization in the Americas, and Rockwell Automation (Milwaukee, WI), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation solutions, announced a collaborative effort to offer closer integration between CNC and programmable automation controller (PAC) environments. The effort will result in the ability for both companies to deliver integrated automation solutions to key vertical market segments, such as automotive and aerospace.
The two companies will work together on connectivity between their respective controller platforms through open communication technologies, such as the EtherNet/IP and FL Net protocols. End-users and OEMs will benefit from reduced integration costs, improved synchronization between platforms and transparent data access across the manufacturing enterprise.
“This announcement is an important step to furthering FANUC FA America’s strategy to focus on what we do best, which is the sales and support of FANUC’s world-class CNCs, while working towards more flexible open interfaces to complementary automation systems,” said Tomoaki Ishibe, president, FANUC FA America. “Working with Rockwell Automation here in the Americas is a natural fit, given their industry leadership in programmable automation controllers and our shared customer base.”
Both companies cite customer demand for integrated solutions based on open platforms as a key driver in the collaborative effort. “Our mutual customers need visibility into their manufacturing assets in order to help make more informed decisions and stay competitive,” said Steve Eisenbrown, senior vice president of architecture and software, Rockwell Automation. “Integrating FANUC’s world-class CNC systems with the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture system further strengthens our two companies’ ability to help customers achieve plant wide optimization.”
Initial emphasis of the collaboration will be placed on developing, deploying and promoting integration technologies that simplify customers’ applications and improve the performance of industrial automation systems where both CNCs and PACs are used. The two companies will jointly document integration methods, quantify integration savings and work with joint customers to solve their application challenges, leveraging a fully integrated CNC and PAC platform.
In related news, at this year’s IMTS show FANUC FA America Corporation became the official name of the company, replacing FANUC CNC America Corporation. The FA (Factory Automation) division of FANUC Ltd. Japan is one of three major divisions of FANUC Ltd. Japan: FA, RO (Robot) and RM (RoboMachine). “FANUC FA America Corporation more accurately represents the company direction and relationship to our customers, the FANUC Ltd. corporate philosophy and our new company symbol,” states Ishibe. “The name change to FANUC FA America reinforces our representation of FA in the Americas market.”
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