- Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the announcement of the world's first distributed control system, CENTUM continues to shine in the areas of safety, security, and sustainable autonomous operations -
(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces the unveiling of the next-generation Release 7 concept and the launch of Release 7.01 of the CENTUMTM VP integrated production control system, a core product in the OpreXTM Control and Safety System lineup. This is the 10th generation of the CENTUM series, and its release coincides with the 50th anniversary of the announcement of CENTUM as the world’s first*1 distributed control system (DCS), on June 19, 1975.
Development Background
In addition to the dynamic changes in supply chains over recent years, countries have been strengthening regulations in response to a growing awareness of the need to protect the environment. At the same time, with the increasing use of digital technologies for complex applications such as the management of the utilization of renewable energy and the analysis of data in cloud-based environments, security risks have become a greater concern. Also, while utilizing existing tangible assets, there is a growing need to pass on to others the expertise of seasoned operators, and to reduce the workload and mental burden for personnel who are responsible for systems that must be kept operating around the clock. Amidst the growing complexity of these industry challenges, management and frontline personnel are required to increase competitiveness and strike a balance between the stable manufacturing of superior products and the need to improve efficiency and profitability.
The Concept behind CENTUM VP Release 7
In response to these issues, Yokogawa has based its development of CENTUM VP Release 7 on the concept of enabling autonomous operations*2. With CENTUM, Yokogawa is helping its customers attain sustainability by improving energy efficiency, accelerating decarbonization, and providing a safe and secure working environment. While maintaining the reliability, stability, continuity, robust security, and comprehensive engineering and service network that have been hallmarks of the CENTUM series since its inception, Yokogawa will drive innovations for the future in the following three areas:
- Expanded scope of control and monitoring
By securely aggregating a wide range of data scattered throughout the plant, the status of the entire plant can be monitored, and the scope of automated operation can be expanded, enabling safer and more secure operations. - Predictive monitoring through process condition monitoring
By extracting and identifying process-specific events related to operations and predicting deviations from expected values, operators can anticipate changes and take action, helping to achieve more stable operations and improve energy efficiency. - Reduction of operator workload
By presenting future scenarios that leverage operator knowledge and know-how, it supports the operator in making accurate decisions. In addition, autonomous control AI*3 can take over from operators to achieve long-term stable operation. This reduces operator workload and mental stress.
Main Features of Release 7.01
To achieve autonomous operations, it is essential to leverage AI while ensuring safety and security. Release 7.01 helps to establish the necessary foundation for this goal. The key features are as follows.
1. Enhanced security
To achieve data-driven operations, it is crucial to ensure the security of critical infrastructure. This release adopts industry security benchmarks to strengthen the cybersecurity of the components that make up control systems and enhance the overall security level of the system.
2. Expansion of control and monitoring scope with CENTUM
By integrating OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) connectivity, the range of plant equipment and devices that can be controlled and monitored by CENTUM is expanded. OPC UA is a platform-independent standard that enables data exchange between devices from different manufacturers in the industrial automation field. In this update, OPC UA client functionality has been added to CENTUM.
3. Enhanced engineering capabilities for large-scale projects
To promote operational optimization by integrating various systems within the plant, a feature has been added that allows the merging and testing of multiple engineering databases related to CENTUM. This enhancement will enable high-quality and efficient engineering, contributing to the rapid startup of new plants and restart of upgraded plants.
Mitsuhiro Yamamoto, Vice President, Executive Officer, and head of the Systems Business Division at Yokogawa Electric stated, “In this VUCA*4 era, the conditions required for manufacturing sites and management are becoming ever more complex. By realizing stable operations and expanding the scope of autonomy, CENTUM VP Release 7 will help our customers achieve a more sustainable society and sustainable business growth.”
*1 CENTUM has been recognized as the world’s first DCS by Japan’s
National Museum of Nature and Science, which in 2012 designated CENTUM
as such in the document “Important Material for the History of Science and Technology (Heritage of Future Technology)” (Japanese). This status was also confirmed by the Denki no Ishizue (Foundation of Electric Technology) 14th Electric Technology Awards (Japanese).
*2 Yokogawa is advocating the transition from industrial automation to
industrial autonomy (IA2IA), and defines industrial autonomy as a state
where plant assets and operations possess learning and adaptive
capabilities that allow responses with minimal human interaction,
empowering operators to perform higher-level optimization tasks.
Autonomous operations is the final stage of industrial autonomy,
representing an ideal state where operations function with complete
autonomy throughout a value chain.
*3 The Factorial Kernel Dynamic Policy Programming (FKDPP) reinforcement
learning AI algorithm. Yokogawa defines autonomous control AI as "a
robust system capable of deriving optimal control methods and
autonomously responding to unexperienced situations to a certain
extent." Yokogawa already has experience in integrating the use of an
autonomous control AI and CENTUM VP, and this has been officially
adopted for use in controlling operations at a chemical plant. For this
achievement, which has reduced environmental impact, lessened workloads,
and improved safety, Yokogawa has received the Prime Minister's Prize, the highest of the 2023’s Japan Industrial Technology Awards (Nihon Sangyo Gijyutsu Taisho), which was established in 1972.
*4 An acronym that stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity
Major Target Markets
Various process industries, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, steel, pulp and paper, electric power, and water treatment
Applications
Operation monitoring and automatic control of plants and manufacturing equipment
More Information
CENTUM 50th Anniversary website
https://www.yokogawa.com/special/centum-50th/index.htm
About CENTUM
CENTUM was announced as the world’s first distributed control system by Yokogawa Electric on June 19, 1975, and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Since its launch, more than 30,000 systems have been deployed in more than 100 countries around the world, supporting a wide range of industries such as oil refining, petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, textiles, steel, pharmaceuticals, food, water, electric power, and gas. It’s development was made possible by Yokogawa’s experience in providing safe and stable control technologies. For over 50 years, CENTUM has continued to evolve as a core plant operations system characterized by reliability, stability, and continuity. By enhancing control functions, it has played a significant role in increasing product functionality, reducing energy consumption, and improving plant productivity. With “trust” as the design theme during development, CENTUM is leading the safe and secure operation of industry, supported by Yokogawa’s global service network.
About OpreX
OpreX is the comprehensive brand for Yokogawa's industrial automation
(IA) and control business. The OpreX name stands for excellence in the
technologies and solutions that Yokogawa cultivates through the
co-creation of value with its customers, and encompasses the entire
range of Yokogawa's IA products, services, and solutions. This brand
comprises the following five categories: OpreX Transformation, OpreX
Control, OpreX Measurement, OpreX Execution, and OpreX Lifecycle. One of
the product groups that make up the OpreX Control category is the OpreX
Control and Safety System family, which includes CENTUM VP. With its
various OpreX Control solutions, Yokogawa is able to quickly effect
changes for its customers that lead to a transformation in such areas as
management and operations, and provides highly reliable control
technology that ensures high efficiency, high quality, and safe and
stable plant operations.
With the OpreX brand, Yokogawa will deliver integrated solutions that
address specific needs and support its customers in their efforts to
transform and grow their businesses.
About Yokogawa
Yokogawa provides advanced solutions in the areas of measurement,
control, and information to customers across a broad range of
industries, including energy, chemicals, materials, pharmaceuticals, and
food. Yokogawa addresses customer issues regarding the optimization of
production, assets, and the supply chain with the effective application
of digital technologies, enabling the transition to autonomous
operations.
Founded in Tokyo in 1915, Yokogawa continues to work toward a
sustainable society through its 17,000+ employees in a global network of
128 companies spanning 62 countries.
For more information, visit www.yokogawa.com
The names of corporations, organizations, products, services and logos herein are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Yokogawa Electric Corporation or their respective holders.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250602970172/en/
Contacts
Media enquiries
Yokogawa Electric Corporation
PR Department, Integrated Communications Center, Corporate Administration Headquarters
Yokogawa-pr@cs.jp.yokogawa.com
