Emerson and Cisco to collaborate on wireless

Emerson Process Management is getting together with Cisco to offer open-standard solutions for wireless process and plant management applications that install easily and operate reliably in challenging process manufacturing environments.

Emerson’s wireless process applications use self-organizing field networks for increased monitoring of plant data for control and asset optimization; they also offer mobile operator and maintenance worker applications. Cisco wireless plant applications include those for worker mobility, voice over IP, tracking of personnel and assets, and video applications.

The plan is for Emerson to use Cisco’s Unified Wireless Architecture to provide ubiquitous, highly secure wireless LAN coverage and integration within the plant’s existing IT infrastructure, and so eliminate the need for a complex wireless overlay network. Cisco’s Wireless Control System will centralize the configuration and management of the plant’s Wi-Fi network, reducing overall cost of ownership.

Dramatic transformation “Networks and mobility are dramatically transforming our customers businesses and in-plant processes,” said Maciej Kranz, Vice President, Product Marketing, Wireless Business Unit for Cisco.

“By delivering a combined wireless architecture from Emerson and Cisco, we are enabling our manufacturing process customers to deploy flexible, scalable and safe wireless solutions and mobility applications in rugged plant environments.”

Emerson says that customers currently using Cisco’s wired plant network applications will realize an advantage by extending their relationships to include wireless applications.

John Berra, President, Emerson Process Management, commented: “The age of wireless will be advanced as process and IT improvements are smoothly integrated, and the canyons of steel and limits of wiring are removed as obstacles to the imagination of customers.”