PC-Based Control System

Steeplechase Software, Inc.lease contains a concept that allows the Visual Logic Controller to directly integrate its hard real-time engine into generic Ethernet and TCPIP, the most widely used infrastructure in the world. This direct hook increases the reliability of the VLC's peer-to-peer communication, Ethernet I/O connectivity, and interface to custom devices such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for high-speed material handling applications.

An enhanced InProcess OPC server is significantly faster than previous versions of the VLC software. OPC (OLE for Process Control) is a standard mechanism for communicating to numerous data sources, either devices on the factory floor, or a database in a control room. This enhanced OPC server allows customers to take advantage of Microsoft's DNA for Manufacturing, a series of protocols and technology communication between the PC-based control system and factory information systems.

Features added to the VLC are based upon customer productivity needs, such as the On- Line Programming (OLP) capability added in the previous version of software, which allowed users to make changes to the flow chart programming without shutting down the manufacturing line. A new Human Machine Interface (HMI) networking feature in system enables users to animate graphics based on data from other factory floor systems.

<%=company%>, 1330 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Tel: 734-975-8100; Fax: 734-975-8123.