Honeywell unplugged

When you think of Honeywell these days what is the first thing you think of? Is it as a DCS player? Or maybe their involvement in wireless?
If you ask Honeywell, they want to be known as an integrated main automation contractor (I-MAC) – a big solution provider.
“The earlier we come in with partners, the more predictable the project will become,” said Jack Bolick, president of Honeywell Process Solutions during his keynote address this morning before 700 attendees at the Honeywell Users Group Americas Symposium 2008 in Phoenix, Ariz.
Honeywell wants to focus on lifecycle sustainability, long term asset safety reliability and efficiency, Bolick said.
“Open systems are a little bit of a different animal compared to proprietary systems,” Bolick said. “Open systems need to be utilized across the enterprise,” not just at the plant.
Any time anyone from Honeywell talks, eventually the discussion leads to wireless. Today was no different. Honeywell unveiled an updated version of its OneWireless industrial wireless network equipment designed to be compatible with the ISA100.11a industrial wireless communication standard.
OneWireless is a mesh network with ISA100-ready hardware. When the standard becomes official, they can upgrade it with an over-the-air software update.
“Wireless is a major inflection point,” Bolick said. “Wireless is an enabler. You can pick up data quicker and cheaper.”