What is Rockwell Automation's Connected Components Platform?

Rockwell Automation’s Connected Components platform is a range of hardware and software products that are used for “micro-control” applications.

These hardware and software products can be used for small, standalone machines where price is an extremely important factor.

At the core of the Connected Components solution is a range of hardware products that are designed for small, simple applications including;

• Micro800 PLCs
• PowerFlex 520 drives,
• PanelView Component HMIs,
• Kinetix 3 servo drives,
• CR30 configurable safety relays

All of these intelligent devices are programmed and configured using Connected Components Workbench. A free development environment for the Connected Components platform.

Connected Components Workbench helps machine builders to save time and money since they all have to learn how to use one piece of software to configure all of the devices on the machine and they can access that software for free.

As well as these core products, the Connected Components platform includes components that are required for the complete machine including power supplies, MCBs, relays, terminal blocks, and buttons and selector switches.

Thanks to Rockwell Automation’s scope of supply, machine builders building small machines can order all of the hardware that they need for a machine’s controls from a single supplier to simplify their ordering process and delivery schedules.

Since all of this hardware is coming from Rockwell Automation, machine builders can be sure that the hardware meets international standards and that the Allen Bradley brand is accepted by manufacturers from all over the world.

Let’s look at some applications of the Connected Components platform to understand what applications it is suitable for.

Target Applications

The Connected Components platform is ideal for small, standalone machines that do not require high-performance control.

Some typical applications are shown below to give you an idea of where the Connected Components platform is commonly used.

Adhesive Labeller

Stamping Press

Air Handling Unit

Material Handling Systems

Solar Tracker

Wrap Up

In this post, I introduced the Connected Components platform from Rockwell Automation.

As part of that introduction, I explained the hardware and the software that makes up the platform and some typical applications of the Connected Components platform.

In my next post, I’ll dive into more detail about the Micro800 PLCs that are at the core of this platform. If you haven’t already, sign up to my email list below to be notified when that post is published.