Emerson launches the DeltaV PK Controller, making the advanced automation of its DeltaV distributed control system (DCS) available to fast-growth industries traditionally less reliant on large-scale automation. The next-gen controller provides scalable automation control to all process industries, particularly parts of the life sciences, oil and gas, petrochemical and discrete manufacturing industries that have relied on complex, non-integrated programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with limited operational capabilities. The fit-for-purpose DeltaV PK Controller is reportedly the process industry’s first controller that manufacturers can scale down for skid units or scale up to be natively merged into the DeltaV DCS in a larger plant.
Organizations can leverage the DeltaV PK Controller for effective, easy-to-implement standalone automation control akin to a PLC but with the features of a full-scale DCS, including advanced batch production, recipe management, execution and historization, according to Emerson. Users can choose to leave the DeltaV PK Controller standalone or natively merge it into their DeltaV DCS. This capability eliminates operational complexity and reportedly improves the performance, safety and efficiency of the entire project and operational lifecycle.
The DeltaV PK Controller is the latest addition to Emerson’s Project Certainty initiative, targeting radical transformation in capital project execution. The new controller can simplify capital projects by enabling OEM skid-builders to design and produce skids in the same way they do today, while eliminating the costs, time and risks associated with integrating a PLC into their control system, according to Emerson.
The DeltaV PK Controller was designed with connectivity, particularly into the IIoT, in mind. The scalable controller leverages an assortment of communication protocols, including the first Emerson controller with a built-in OPC UA server. It is also the first Emerson controller with six Ethernet ports and can operate using any Emerson DeltaV I/O type, including DeltaV Electronic Marshalling, traditional marshalled I/O, wireless I/O and integrated safety instrumented systems. It has built-in protocols to communicate with Ethernet devices such as drives and motors. Together, these features can make connectivity easier at every stage and help plants achieve operational benefits of cloud-based tools and analytics through the IIoT. The DeltaV PK Controller also features built-in redundancy for controllers, communication and power supplies, allowing organizations to improve uptime without adding to complexity or footprint.
