Fuji Electric Company, Limited (President Yoshihiko Nakazato) and Yokogawa Electric Corporation (President Eiji Mikawa) reached an agreement to begin joint development of a new generation of process input-output devices (PIOs), basic components of information and control systems, on March 26, 1998, and development operations commenced on the same day.
The environment of the petrochemical, steel, electric power, and other process industries is in a transition to an increasingly globalized business environment, and information and control systems, as the core systems of these industries, have been plunged into an age of intense global competition as well. Process control, which is the main function of information and control systems, is also moving increasingly to open features much like other information industries, and the industry has been buffeted by a wave of downsizing. Thus, further strengthening of international competitiveness will be demanded in the future.
PIOs are devices that exchange field signals and information between actuators, which perform switching operations for valves and motors in accordance with centralized control through a wide variety of sensors that measure temperatures, flow rates, and pressures in the field, and high-level control equipment, computers, and workstations in petrochemical, steel, electric power, and other plants.
PIOs are attracting attention as crucial devices for reduction of the total costs of plant systems through lower design, construction, and maintenance costs and increases in plant operating efficiency and safety by spreading of risks and geographic dispersion.
These devices also allow the issues of miniaturization, high performance, durability, and low-cost responses for manufacturing technology to be addressed. Thus, PIOs are essential for concentrating the cream of Japan's manufacturing technologies, and "intelligent" PIOs are now necessary to respond to open networks.
The movement to "intelligent" PIOs cannot diminish the importance of PIOs, which have long been used for addition of forwarding functions. These devices provide maintenance information and are an important basic elemental technology that will spur responses to object technologies, which are attracting attention as the next generation of the technology. Consequently, PIOs are key devices for responding to the movement toward open information and control systems and downsizing.
PIOs are also forming a new market through segregation of PIOs as functional units and applied field units between specialized manufacturers and integrated information and control manufacturers as specialized overseas manufacturers introduce new products.
Based on these conditions, Fuji Electric and Yokogawa Electric, which are both striving for faster and more efficient development, have agreed to joint development of PIOs, and development operations have already commenced. Fuji Electric's main business segment is electrical control equipment, including the main equipment of plants, and they have an enviable record in building integrated electircal process control systems. Yokogawa Electric, which is the leading domestic manufacturer of process control systems, has pursued aggressive development in overseas markets and gained a strong position as a global manufacturer.
The two companies cited the following reasons for the agreement. The jointly developed PIOs will be equipped with both open 100-Mbps I/O buses and internal buses. The companies will be able to strengthen their development capabilities and accelerate the speed of development by commencing joint development of the PIOs. They will also realize cost reductions through higher shipment volumes, and their goal is development of the world's top PIO in terms of both quantity and quality.
The PIOs that result from joint development are targeted for product shipment beginning in fall 1999. Combined total sales for the plants of both companies are projected to reach approximately 400 million dollars in 2004.