9 October 2009

This year’s ISA Expo automation and control show, which took place in Houston, Texas, saw Iconics demonstrate its newest HMI/SCADA product, Genesis64 using the Microsoft Windows Embedded operating systems.

Iconics provides OPC-based, HMI/SCADA visualisation and manufacturing intelligence software exclusively for the Microsoft Windows operating systems.

The demonstration involved Genesis64 monitoring and controlling a balancing pendulum cell. The device was able to update at a rate of 2,000 updates per second, and moved the pendulum along an X/Y axis that was kept vertical by a Beckhoff Embedded controller running Windows Embedded CE with an OPC UA Server. The embedded controller contained Intel Atom technology getting updates from a PC running Windows 7 with Multi-touch and Genesis64.

“Iconics is excited to be hosting this demo”, said Russ Agrusa the company’s president and CEO. “Genesis64 combined with OPC-UA, Windows Embedded and Silverlight will demonstrate how 3-D Multi-Touch, Windows 7, HMI/visualisation technology will change the way people interface with machines in the future.”

This demo shows how 3-D Multi-Touch, Windows 7, HMI/visualisation technology will change the way people interface with machines in the future

Russ Agrusa, Iconics  “It gives me great pleasure to see Iconics, Microsoft and Beckoff incorporating OPC UA into the pendulum demo,” said Tom Burke, OPC Foundation president and executive director. “The dedication and leadership that these organisations consistently demonstrate to the industry with their commitment to open standards and quality products is clearly demonstrated in their adoption and deployment of the OPC Foundation Unified Architecture specifications.”

The Iconics/Microsoft demo was built by Beckoff and uses three devices with different operating systems: the CX1020 controller running Windows Embedded CE for controlling the pendulum; a Beckhoff Ethernet panel running Windows Embedded Standard; and an industrial appliance running Windows Embedded Server for data storage in an SQL database.

“The Beckoff Embedded PC CX1020 only uses 20 per cent of the available CPU capacity for controlling the pendulum”, said Stefan Hoppe, Beckhoff programme manager for HMI and system connectivity. “This means that the CPU still has enough available capacity in order to process additional tasks.”

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