Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced that its CENTUM® VP R6 integrated production control system has received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Prize in Japan
This is the second time a CENTUM system has received the highest Machine Industry Design Award. Earlier, the CENTUM-XL distributed control system won the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Prize in 1989.
Yokogawa’s CENTUM series plant production control and monitoring systems are the core product platform for the company’s control business. In the CENTUM VP R6, there is an added N-IO (Network-I/O) device to the product line up. I/O devices are an important element of the control system, and the N-IO device has unique I/O modules that can accommodate any signal type. All the user needs to do is change the software setting. This eliminates the need to change the I/O modules and do a lot of re-wiring when, for example, a decision is made during a plant construction project to change to a different sensor type, thus keeping project delays to a minimum.
In terms of design, the same bright colour scheme is employed for the I/O modules including the LED display area, and the modules all also have the same friendly rounded features. This unified design concept serves to communicate that these modules all work together for improved safety and reliability.
The originality, appearance, functions, performance, safety, and other features of the N-IO device and the CENTUM® VP R6 system all received high marks from the evaluation committee. The Machine Industry Design Awards, established in 1970, aims to advance and improve the design of mainly industrial products. The evaluation committee consists of experts from various government agencies, universities, and industrial organizations. The award is sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and supported by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and various other industrial organisations.
