2005 Press Releases-21

Yokogawa Electric Corporation has added a online download function to the STARDOM network-based control system. The new version of STARDOM with this function is being released onto the market today.

The development of this online download function exemplifies Yokogawa’s commitment to the continuous enhancement of STARDOM. Although STARDOM is an open system, this new function enables it to achieve a level of operability and maintainability equal to that of a distributed control system (DCS).

Development Background
At present, capital investment is brisk with high value-added materials such as fine chemicals and semiconductor materials, as well as in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, iron and steel. As continuous processes (liquid processing, for example) and discrete processes (assembly and machining) coexist in these fields, an increasing number of users are introducing mainly small- and medium-scale PLC-based control systems. While programmable logic controller (PLC) systems can bring initial cost benefits, they often lack the necessary capacity and are less reliable. Demand is therefore growing in fields such as oil and natural gas extraction for a low-cost monitoring and control system solution that is highly reliable, can handle significant amounts of data, and is compatible with a wide range of networks. The introduction of this new online download function and other recent enhancements to the STARDOM network-based control system are intended to address these user needs.

Overview of Functional Enhancement
In process-related industries, products are made in continuous processes. Continuously operating shared-used facilities such as boilers and compressors play a particularly important role in such processes. As the plant operating rate has a major impact on profitability, it is important to keep downtime to a minimum. Since the release in March of this year of a STARDOM version with enhanced CPUs, it has been possible to repair and replace the CPU units without halting plant operations. The addition of this online download function takes this one step further by making it possible to download controller modules and updated control programs from a PC to the STARDOM controller without taking the plant offline. Coupled with its low introduction cost, STARDOM helps users reduce their total cost of ownership (TCO).

Overview of STARDOM
STARDOM is made up of function-specific control, operation, and monitoring components that can be interconnected flexibly and on a scaleable basis using networking technology. The system achieves the reliability and supportability of DCSs while having the openness, versatility, and cost-effectiveness of systems that combine PCs, PLCs, and other devices.

To offer solutions that are optimally tailored to user needs, Yokogawa relies principally on STARDOM for high-speed control and widely distributed control and on the CENTUM CS 3000 R3 DCS for control of large-scale main processes.

Major STARDOM target markets
Oil and natural gas extraction facilities, upstream process equipment and pipelines; widely-distributed facilities including water-processing plants and cogeneration equipment; small to medium-scale process-related plants including oil, chemical and water purification plants; and a wide range of small to medium-scale production facilities including food and pharmaceutical plants

STARDOM applications
The overall operation, monitoring, and control of various types of facilities
Monitoring and control of production facilities
Remote monitoring and control of district heating/cooling, natural gas and oil wells, pipelines, etc.
Remote monitoring and control of pumping stations and other facilities for water supply and sewerage systems
Energy conservation monitoring and control

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