Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced that sales of its Exapilot operation efficiency improvement package are double the initial sales projection made at the time of its release in March 2000.

As of August 31, more than 500 units have been shipped.
The Exapilot package makes it possible to incorporate the know-how and plant operation expertise of experienced operators in automated plant operation procedures that ensure standard and uniform plant operation.
“Exapilot is enjoying overwhelming popularity among users and is strongly supported because it helps plants run more efficiently and safely,” a company spokesman said.
The specific plant control operations executed by experienced operators include plant startup and shutdown, manual operations such as product switchover, decision-making, and instrument monitoring. With the assistance of Exapilot’s icon-based flowcharts, an automated control support programme for such duties can be easily created. When the programme is executed, the manual operation procedure is displayed on a screen and voice commands are given. In this way, Exapilot passes on the expertise of experienced plant operators and helps ensure that plant control operations are carried out accurately.
Yokogawa has acquired patents for the technologies employed in Exapilot. In August, the company received a technology award from the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers for this technical achievement.
“In response to changing market trends and user needs, Yokogawa will strive relentlessly to add functional enhancements to Exapilot that ensure this product remains the optimum plant control solution,” the spokesman said.
Yokogawa’s global network of 18 manufacturing facilities, 83 affiliate companies, and over 650 sales and engineering offices spans 28 countries. Since its founding in 1915, the $4 billion company has been engaged in cutting-edge research and innovation, securing more than 7,000 patents and registrations, including the world’s first digital sensors for flow and pressure measurement.
Industrial automation and control, test and measurement, information systems and industry support are the core businesses of Yokogawa.