INDUSTRY

Rockwell Automation, Inc. today announced that it is working together with Intel Corporation to expand the use of Intel's new high-performance network processor technology in industrial automation applications. Rockwell Automation is the first industrial automation supplier to use Intel's new line of Intel IXP465 network processors, designed specifically for the rigorous performance demands of manufacturing environments. The Intel IXP465 network processor, designed by Intel with significant input from Rockwell Automation, is part of a line of high-performance network processors that help manufacturers facilitate seamless information flow between factory floor and office environments. This information flow allows better-informed, real-time decision-making that improves productivity, flexibility, and profitability. Intel relied on Rockwell Automation's technical and industrial expertise to help ensure that the Intel IXP465 network processor met factory automation performance requirements, and Rockwell Automation plans to embed the new processor into its next generation of communication products. "Rockwell Automation's relationship with Intel is a critical component of our strategy to deliver open, information-enabled automation solutions that help manufacturers gain a competitive advantage. Working with Intel has resulted in a new breed of high-performance network processors that, when embedded in our communication products, will enable our customers to better capture and seamlessly distribute plant floor information to other parts of the enterprise," said Keith Nosbusch, president and CEO, Rockwell Automation. Convergence of computing, industrial control and communications technologies has created a demand for better information sharing across the factory floor, and between the factory floor and the rest of the organization. In the past, industrial automation suppliers had to rely on proprietary microprocessor technology to achieve the performance levels required of manufacturing environments. The new network processors from Intel, the world's leading chip manufacturer, rival the performance of proprietary offerings, but are based on open, industry-standard interfaces and platforms. "In developing our new line of high-performance processors, we wanted to work closely with an automation leader who understood the rigorous demands of industrial automation and recognized the importance of seamless information flow," said Doug Davis, vice president, Intel Communications Group, general manager, Infrastructure Processor Division. "Rockwell Automation was the obvious choice, and their expertise has been key in understanding the needs of the industrial automation market."