"Intel provides a standard hardware platform that simplifies migration of our industrial applications to more powerful technologies--in a manner that is largely transparent to our customers."
-- Richard McAllister, Vice President, Corporate Marketing

The Foxboro Company is the first major automation company to offer Windows NT* industrial software running on Pentium® processor-based personal computers. Foxboro I/A Series* systems are standards-based open industrial platforms designed for complete scalability, from entry-level all the way to plantwide networked automation systems. I/A Series functionality includes comprehensive data acquisition and real-time information management; integrated regulatory, logic, and sequence control; an advanced graphical user interface, and object-based integration to multiple I/O subsystems.

Foxboro's recently introduced Micro-I/A Open Modular Controller employs Intel486™ processor technology to perform both control and network integration functions. As an intelligent, locally mounted controller, this device can be configured to meet virtually all control requirements encountered in process, batch, hybrid, or other manufacturing facilities--including control of the facility itself. Over the years, Foxboro's I/A series system has used embedded Intel 8086, 80286, Intel386™ and Intel486 processors repackaged in environmentally hardened enclosures for a variety of industrial automation and control functions. Foxboro is currently investigating the use of embedded Pentium® processors for higher-performance applications.

Foxboro's Richard McAllister explains the benefits of Intel architecture:

"The move to the Pentium processor greatly enhances the scalability of our automation systems. Engineers can generate applications off-line on PCs and then run them in an embedded real-time environment.

"In the past, a small I/A Series system began in the $30,000 to $50,000 price range, and could grow to plantwide systems costing millions of dollars. By unbundling our software, porting these formerly exclusively UNIX-based applications to Windows NT, and running them on a Pentium processor-based PC, we can now deliver fully-scalable I/A Series systems for less than $10,000.

"In addition, I/A Series systems allow users to migrate their existing applications from 16-bit Intel, to 32-bit Intel (including Pentium processor) technologies -- without having to retrain personnel, rewrite applications, rebuild databases, or discard previously installed hardware."