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Opto 22 Announces iOS App for Automation and Control Systems

07/08/2011

TEMECULA, Calif. - Opto 22 has introduced the Opto iPAC iOS App, offering access to the company's flagship SNAP PAC System via popular mobile devices including the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. For the first time, detailed, real-time, control system information is quickly and easily accessible to authorized control engineers, maintenance personnel, instrumentation technicians, panel builders, developers and others through their mobile and tablet devices. Now these automation and control professionals can view, debug, and fine-tune their wirelessly accessible control and I/O systems, saving time and money during installation, commissioning, and ongoing maintenance.

Using the Opto iPAC application, devices running iOS (Apple's mobile operating system) can discover any wirelessly accessible SNAP PAC programmable automation controllers (PAC) and I/O systems on the control system network. Authorized Opto iPAC users with proper security credentials can inspect SNAP I/O points and PAC Control strategy variables and execute control functions such as turning digital output points on or off, writing values to analog outputs and changing control variables and table entries. Specific I/O points and tagnames can be retrieved, viewed and saved to a Watch List for quick future reference. Opto iPAC users can start or stop any flowcharts running within their control strategies.

The mobility enabled by Opto iPAC creates new opportunities for control system diagnostics, maintenance and troubleshooting. Engineers and technicians carrying their mobile device in the field or on the plant floor can inspect their SNAP PAC System controllers and I/O processors, view any control strategies running or saved on their controllers, check firmware and perform other functions that could otherwise only be accomplished from a PC running Microsoft Windows-based PAC Project software. Finally, the Opto iPAC offers support for virtual private networking and port forwarding.

The Opto iPAC application is available for download now from the Apple iTunes Store at a cost of $4.99 USD.