ROCKWELL AUTOMATION

'Rockwell Automation' is an industrial automation company. Its products include Allen-Bradley controls and engineered services and Rockwell Software factory management software. The company headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On January 31, 2007, Rockwell Automation sold off their PowerSystems Division which consists of Dodge mechanical and Reliance Electric motors with headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina to Baldor Electric Company.

Contents

Company History

Products

Sponsorships

Trivia

See also

External links

Company History

Rockwell Automation spun off from Rockwell International in 2001 and retained Entek. From there, Rockwell Automation went through a series of acquisitions, particularly DataSweep in 2005 and ICS Triplex in 2007. Also, Rockwell Automation divested its Power Systems division, Dodge and Reliance Electric to Baldor Electric Company.

Products

Rockwell Automation's industrial automation offerings in terms of hardware and software are numerous. Some examples are:

★ Controllers e.g. ControlLogix, CompactLogix, MicroLogix, PLC5, SLC.

★ Variable Speed Drives e.g. PowerFlex Drives, Drive Systems.

★ Software e.g. FactoryTalk View, FactoryTalk Historian.

★ Entek condition monitoring

Sponsorships

Rockwell Automation is the primary sponsor of #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series driven by Denny Hamlin and Aric Almirola. In 2006, Rockwell Automation made two trips to victory lane in NASCAR's Busch Series at the inaugural race in Mexico City and at the spring race in Darlington. In 2007, Rockwell Automation again won the spring race in Darlington, the AT&T 250 at the Milwaukee Mile, and the Carfax 250 at the Michigan International Speedway in August of 2007. The Milwaukee win was not without some controversey as Almirola qualified the car and started the race, but was forced to get out of the car (while leading) by Joe Gibbs Racing , so Nextel Cup superstar Denny Hamlin could drive to the victory. This happened because Denny Hamlin, originally scheduled to drive the entire race, arrived late because his helicopter had no place to land. While the Joe Gibbs team was extremely happy with Almirola's driving, it is believed that they felt they owed it to Rockwell to put Hamlin in the car, since the race was at Rockwell's "home track." Ironically, Almirola is credited with the win but left the track, disgusted. Their logos have also appeared on the #26 car in the Indy Racing League driven by Marco Andretti and owned by Andretti Green Racing. In the past, they sponsored the #21 car in the NASCAR Busch Series driven by Mike Dillon and owned by Richard Childress Racing. In August of 2007, it was announced that Rockwell Automation would finish it's 11-year motorsports sponsorship participation. "Rockwell Automation has been a great partner to Joe Gibbs Racing," said JGR president J.D. Gibbs, son of Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs.

Trivia

★ Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley systems are used for roller coaster control at every Six Flags and Disney theme park.

★ The Panama Canal control logic uses Logix family Controllers by Allen-Bradley. This is biggest project ever developed by Rockwell Automation.

★ Rockwell Automation is a spin off of Rockwell International. Some of its spin off include Conexant, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems and Rockwell Collins.

See also

★ Retro-Encabulator, fictional Rockwell Automation device

External links

★ Rockwell Automation