March 10, 2009 -- ABB released the latest version of IndustrialIT cpmPlus Enterprise Connectivity (ECS). This release includes SAP certification against the latest version of SAP’s R/3 ERP system and its NetWeaver service oriented technology platform. It also provides deeper integration with IBM’s Maximo Enterprise Asset Management system (EAM) for expanded asset optimization. In addition, ECS now has enhanced universal template development and deployment to ensure corporate-wide consistency while saving time, effort and money.
ECS provides a streamlined, single point interface for vertical integration between plant and enterprise business systems for improved productivity, flexibility, quality control and reduced order-to-cash cycle. It reduces Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for enterprise owners by using a standard product for all vertical integrations, eliminating the need for costly custom developed Point-to-Point solutions.
The latest release of ECS has been SAP certified against SAP’s newest ERP system version. ABB’s ECS was also certified against earlier SAP versions and supports these interfaces; it provides connectivity to the myriad of system versions that might be part of the corporate network infrastructure.
In addition to its existing interfaces to Maximo EAM systems, the newest version of ECS also provides deeper integration to this system to help manufacturers better optimize their production assets. Using real-time context sensitive information from Maximo, ECS allows personnel in manufacturing to create work requests based on current asset health conditions, so that all factors that could affect the production process are communicated to and considered at the business level.
ECS now includes an expanded integration template repository so users can easily develop corporate wide templates that ensure consistency throughout the enterprise. This uniformity reduces the time needed to deploy new integration scenarios throughout the company, while it lowers implementation risk. ECS uses Microsoft Sharepoint Server to manage the versions of these templates, making them easy to save, share and archive.
Part of ABB’s Collaborative Production Management (CPM) portfolio, ECS helps customers become more competitive in the global marketplace by providing one standard interface that connects automation and business systems for information access and exchange. It provides connectivity between manufacturing solutions, including ABB’s award winning Industrial System 800xA, as well as non-ABB DCS systems, other CPM solutions, and enterprise systems such as SAP, Oracle or Microsoft. Additionally, ECS can integrate database systems, OPC-compliant systems or Web Service enabled systems.
Enterprise Connectivity is a core component of cpmPlus, ABB’s Collaborative Production Management suite of applications. cpmPlus provides process and production management, advanced optimization and connectivity solutions for the process industries.
“ABB’s cpmPlus Enterprise Connectivity provides customers with one of the only productized ERP integration platforms on the market today. It drives out much of the complexity and the customization associated with ERP integration, while providing the all important context that is required with the production and automation data,” said Allen Avery, analyst at ARC. “ Doing large customized ERP integration projects is a waste of money. In the current economic environment, end users that want to cut costs need a solution that provides shorter order to cash cycles and lower cost of ownership.
“In ARC’s view, ECS provides a cost-effective solution that won’t take forever to configure and is sustainable.”
ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs more than 120,000 people.
