OLDI Picks Kepware as Communications for M2M Gateway Product

Kepware Technologies reportedly has been picked as a strategic provider of communications for Online Development Incorporated and its development of a new Machine to Machine communications Gateway (News - Alert).

 

The gateway will be used with an Allen Bradley Control Logix controller and as a standalone solution among third-party automation controllers, according to the companies.

 

Online Development develops add-on and private labeled modules for Allen Bradley automation solutions. The company has targeted its next generation of intelligent module to enable the Allen Bradley ControlLogix platform to communicate with other automation equipment in a high performance and reliable M2M configuration.

 

Kepware officials say that OLDI achieves its goals through the licensing of Kepware’s KEPServerEX and LinkMaster products. Currently under development, this new product will be available in the fall timeframe in both standalone and PLC module configurations. Kepware said the solution will be marketed and supported by Online Development.

 

Online Development has also joined the “Connected with Kepware” Vendor Protocol program and has developed specialized backplane communications between an Allen Bradley ControlLogix processor and co-processor solutions, to enable a reliable and high performance integration, according to company sources. As the standalone configurations will enable the delivery of Gateway communication solutions, they’ll allow M2M connectivity between thousands of different devices through more than 100 communications protocols encompassing both Serial and Ethernet communications.

 

Roy Kok, vice president of Sales and Marketing at Kepware, said Online Development is an excellent partner for Kepware, as it is able to leverage the company’s technologies and deliver new capabilities to a market ready and eager for improved machine to machine connectivity.

 

Ron Monday, president of Online Development, said that Kepware is the industry standard in discrete manufacturing protocols and the architecture of its KEPServerEX product has enabled it to develop and test these new communications solutions knowing that it will deliver a proven solution. He said that this offering will enable Rockwell Automation ControlLogix users to tie their control systems to third-party solutions.