Fujitsu Ltd and Mitsubishi Electric Corp have successfully completed inter-operability trials of Fujitsu’s Unix computers the Compact A proprietary processor-based Astation 230 Sigma workstation and its FMR-70HL1/FA factory automation personal computers, and Mitsubishi Electric’s Melsec-LM7000 factory automation controller, and the Melsec-A general sequencer, using the MAP Manufacturing Automation Protocol and mini-MAP. The test results will be used by both companies in selling systems under the Open CIM banner, and in building multi-vendor systems for manufacturers that combine their equipment. The impetus for the interoperability trial came from efforts at Japanese automobile manufacturers, where for example Fujitsu has installed 30 systems and a total of 2,000 machines supporting the Manufacturing Automation Protocol, while Mitsubishi is Japan’s largest shipper of general sequencers for factory use.
