Yokogawa Releases Enhanced Version of CENTUM VP Integrated Production Control System

Tokyo, Japan - June 15, 2012

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces the development of Release 5.02 of the CENTUM^® VP integrated production control system, the company's flagship product.

Yokogawa has been continuously developing and enhancing CENTUM VP as the cornerstone of the VigilantPlant^®business concept for operational excellence. In accordance with the strategies set forth in the Evolution 2015 mid-term business plan, our aim with the development of CENTUM VP Release 5.02 has been to achieve best-in-class functionality and reliability.

With the shift toward larger and more efficient industrial plants that make use of highly functional systems and devices, processes are growing more complex. The increased use of field devices is also providing more data on these processes. To give operators better access to essential information, Yokogawa has developed new functions that improve the operability of the control and monitoring displays. In addition, a PROFIBUS communication function has been enhanced to give operators the full benefits of field digital communications^*1.

*1 field digital communications
A means by which plant operations are optimized by making full and effective use of digital information exchanged between intelligent field devices and the CENTUM VP system

CENTUM VP

CENTUM VP Release 5.02 Features

1. Strengthened operation and monitoring functions
   CENTUM VP Release 5.02 includes a function that uses instrument tag names to create hierarchies that allow operators to quickly and easily access information on the status of plant operations. Additional changes that improve operational and maintenance efficiency include more memory for the storage of historical data, improved graphic display operability, enhanced control logic correlation, and standardized printing formats. With these functions, we have made progress in accommodating certain requirements of the VGB R 170C operational guideline, opening up new opportunities for CENTUM VP in Europe and other growing power plant markets.
2. Reinforced PROFIBUS Communications
   A newly released communication module, the ALP121, complies with the PROFIBUS communication standard that has been widely adopted by the chemical and other industries, primarily in Europe. As specified in PROFIBUS User Organization (PNO) guidelines, the ALP121 module supports the use of redundant communication paths with subsystems, improving overall system reliability. The installation of additional devices and online parameter changes are also enabled, which makes it easier to maintain devices and operate a plant.

Major Target Markets

Process control and monitoring in industries such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, electric power, pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, foods and beverages, iron and steel, and water supply and sewage treatment

Applications

Control and monitoring of plants and production equipment

Future Product Development

With CENTUM VP as its core platform, Yokogawa continues to develop a variety of production control systems. As called for in the Evolution 2015 mid-term business plan, Yokogawa is strengthening its offering of comprehensive solutions to target markets. For example, in the oil & gas upstream market, Yokogawa continues to develop collaboration/decision support solutions (CDSS) that are capable of acquiring and integrating information from production control systems distributed over a wide area.

About VigilantPlant^®

VigilantPlant is Yokogawa's automation concept for safe, reliable, and profitable plant operations. It aims to enable an ongoing state of operational excellence where plant personnel are watchful and attentive, well-informed, and ready to take actions that optimize plant and business performance. Based on this concept, Yokogawa introduces a variety of solutions through its Safety Excellence, Asset Excellence, Production Excellence, and Lifecycle Excellence initiatives.

 

About Yokogawa

Yokogawa's global network of 25 manufacturing facilities and 80 companies spans 54 countries. Since its founding in 1915, the US$3 billion company has been engaged in cutting-edge research and innovation, securing more than 7,200 patents and registrations, including the world's first digital sensors for flow and pressure measurement. Industrial automation and control, test and measurement, information systems and industry support are the core businesses of Yokogawa. For more information about Yokogawa, please visit the website www.yokogawa.com