Parker Hannifin’s new IQANdesign 4.0
More flexibility, connectivity and possibilities for controlling hydraulic systems
Latest generation software brings significant ease-of-use advantages while remaining 100% backwards compatible with previous versions
Parker Hannifin Corporation, the global leader in motion and control technologies has completed a significant upgrade to its established and proven IQAN software. Building on the highly successful version 3.0 (launched in Dec 2012), IQANdesign 4.0 allows for the easy implementation of distributed machine control, diagnostics and user interfaces in a multiple master module environment, while, due to the new Qcode editor, requiring minimal programming skills from the user.
IQANdesign 4.0 maintains all the previous features of version 3.0 and remains fully backwards compatible, ensuring customers are supported along the migration path. Key benefits of the new platform include enhanced programming capabilities, improved simulation, extended connectivity and higher run-time performance.
Qcode is a new and intuitive, self-instructing editor that offers a new way to program in IQANdesign. With Qcode; the user is able to reduce channel count by using powerful in-built Qcode expressions alongside the enhanced flexibility to re-use single channels across the entire application structure. Incorporated into Qcode is automated syntax checking which clearly indicates to the user code statements that need addressing. Coupled with clear and readable functions, syntax highlighting, auto-complete and the ability to document functions the latest generation IQANdesign software makes for an extremely usable and flexible editing platform that requires minimal programming knowledge.
Other innovative enhancements developed by Parker Hannifin and integrated into version 4.0 include the ability to add unlimited informative / instructional PDF’s to a project for easy viewing on the IQAN-MD4 display. There is also a new engine whereby powerful finite state machines are quickly realized using the new graphical editor which allows the user to pictorially represent the functions and monitor progress in real-time. Users are now able to add detailed comments to application logic anywhere thereby enhancing the ease of understanding complex functions.
New, real-time, graph displays allow end users to view critical in-cabin process data easily, further enhancing the value of systems developed within an IQANdesign environment while future-proofing is built in as standard - including plug-and-play connectivity for forthcoming vision systems currently being developed by Parker Hannifin.
