Range-Free Multi-Controller Enhanced with New CPU Modules and Software

Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Netherlands) has enhanced the FA-M3V range-free multi-controller - a PLC with a rapid CPU scanning speed and with new CPU modules and software.

As manufacturing processes become increasingly complex, the programs that run on the controllers embedded in electronic component and equipment assembly systems and semiconductor manufacturing equipment are becoming more advanced. At the same time, equipment manufacturers have to deal with greater complexity in their processes ranging from design and development to maintenance.

To help its customers develop these programs more efficiently, Yokogawa has introduced the WideField3 programming tool for the FA-M3V and Tool Box programming tools for the controller's temperature control/monitoring and positioning modules. The sampling trace function for the FA-M3V's two CPU modules has also been enhanced to allow the long-term logging of field data.

With this logging function, any time interval can be specified and many different types of triggers can be set. This greatly facilitates the analysis of problems that can occur at start-up or during normal operation. These new features allow quick system start-up and reduce the workload associated with processes such as design, development, and maintenance.

In addition to the newly released WideField3 programming tool, two Tool Box programming tools for the FA-M3V's temperature control/monitoring and positioning modules have been added to the product lineup. Ever since first releasing these tools in Japan, Yokogawa has worked to enhance them to meet a variety of user needs and to speed up the program development process.

The enhanced CPU modules have a sampling trace function that enables up to 100 traces to be set, allowing highly accurate analysis of large amounts of operation data. By inserting an SD memory card into a slot on the FA-M3V CPU module, users can automatically log data in a trace setting file that can be later used to troubleshoot problems and debug programs. It is not necessary to connect a PC to perform this task. Remote maintenance of the FA-M3V can also be performed by e-mailing trace setting and results files.