COPA-DATA announces launch of zenon 14

Packed with cutting-edge features and enhancements to existing capabilities, zenon 14 promises to revolutionise project planning, connectivity, user experience, and sustainable efficiency across various industries, including life sciences, energy, and food and beverage.

Established as a cornerstone tool for automation, zenon boasts a more than 30-year history of empowering industries to use data effectively and intelligently. The versatile software platform has continuously evolved to meet the dynamic needs of manufacturing and process industries, and the launch of zenon 14 is no exception.

Improved user experience

The new iteration introduces numerous improvements to enhance user experience and efficiency in project planning. Notable advancements include streamlined creation and editing of Smart Objects, facilitated by a multi-search and replace function that significantly saves time during variable mapping. When creating and editing Smart Objects, distributed engineering support has also been included to ensure seamless collaboration among team members, enhancing centralised management without risking workflow disruptions.

“One of the main improvements with the current release of zenon 14 is the improved support of Smart Object Templates (SOTs) during engineering. From multi search and replace during instantiation, contributing with colleagues on SOTs within the same project, to use dynamic placeholders for texts within templates. The goal was to give zenon customers the opportunity of a more ergonomic use of ready-made templates or their own custom templates all within a single project”, says Lukas Punzenberger, Director Product Management at COPA-DATA. 

Moreover, the platform's Web Visualisation Service (WVS) has been extensively improved, offering visually appealing and high-quality Human Machine Interface (HMI) solutions across multiple web browsers.

With zenon 14, users can import existing external Process Gateway configurations into the Engineering Studio, allowing for easy switching after an update and taking advantage of integrated Process Gateway configurations, such as automatic startup, control via functions and gateway monitoring.

Committed to connectivity

The new version of zenon also reinforces COPA-DATA’s long-term commitment to connectivity and openness. This is exemplified by OPC UA Gateway certification and enhancements to the GraphQL Interface. By leveraging SQL Server 2022, zenon 14 ensures compatibility with the latest Microsoft technology.

Modular production for life sciences

As a flexible tool, zenon can be used in a vast range of settings and includes specially developed features to meet the needs of specific sectors. For life sciences, zenon 14 offers support for process orchestration – a necessary tool to accelerate time-to-market for pharmaceutical products.

This is made possible by the integration of the Module Type Package (MTP) standard, a constantly evolving standard to enable modular production built on the Plug & Produce concept. In zenon 14, the Orchestration Studio is natively integrated and includes an API extension for importing MTP files from a marketplace, MTP Device Management for an overview of device status, as well as ready-made calculation blocks that can be added using a drag-and-drop feature.

With the MTP Gateway, it is also possible to make non-MTP-capable devices compatible with the MTP standard. This paves the way for the transition to the concept of modular production without having to overhaul existing machines.

zenon 14 also includes support for VDI/VDE/NAMUR 2658 to ensure compliance and efficiency in this highly regulated sector.

zenon for energy

For the energy industry, zenon 14 empowers users to navigate fluctuating system dynamics with ease, offering improved safety, efficiency, ergonomic operation, and situational awareness. These features will be key for energy facilities and utilities organisations as the world continues to transition to renewable energy sources.

Many of the extensive improvements in the WVS affect the energy industry. For example, the Command Processing within the WVS was enhanced in order to enable safe substation operations via HTML5 web client. Furthermore, enhanced connectivity options of zenon facilitate the seamless integration of volatile energy sources while ensuring grid stability. The platform's Extended Trend and data historian capabilities enable advanced data analytics, empowering users to make informed decisions. Additionally, zenon stays a vital brand in the area of digital substation automation around the globe and ensures the grid compatibility with the challenges of the renewable revolution.

Digital transformation in manufacturing

As with all previous zenon iterations, zenon 14 is also suitable for deployment in all types of manufacturing settings. The software platform embraces industry's digital transformation journey and offers enhanced features specifically for food and beverage manufacturers.

From improved drivers and logic functionalities to advanced Web Visualisation Services and Smart Object engineering, zenon equips manufacturers with the tools they need to achieve their sustainability and net zero goals and drive operational excellence. Additionally, with the introduction of the Trend Visualiser and extended Batch Control capabilities on WVS, food and beverage manufacturers can streamline production processes and ensure product quality and consistency by leaning on their own data.

Future-proofing with zenon 14

With zenon 14, COPA-DATA reaffirms its commitment to empowering industries with future-proof solutions that optimise efficiency, connectivity, and user experience. By leveraging the latest technological advancements and addressing the unique challenges of various sectors, zenon is the software platform for smart industrial automation supporting a more sustainable use of our resources.