End users are increasingly demanding integrated packages from their capital equipment suppliers, such that they can simply connect power and network hookups to quickly have the system up and running. They expect machinery skids to be delivered with integrated control, diagnostic, and prognostic capabilities, as well as providing open connectivity to higher-level supervisory control systems. It is becoming imperative for OEMs to find a trusted control system partner that can incorporate state-of-the-art technology into their equipment offerings.

Fairmount Automation is working with a number of capital equipment manufacturers to address these new market expectations. FA's record of successful collaborations in this area is attributable to its use of a repeatable development process that has consistently delivered timely results within budget. Upon engagement, Fairmount Automation develops a project work plan that incorporates frequent and scheduled interaction with the customer to review progress, identify action items and development risks and track them to closure, collaborate to reach concensus on design tradeoffs, and generally ensure that the deliverables meet expectation.

In combination with Fairmount Automation's naval control system integration expertise, the Company's Chameleon programmable controller platform is especially attractive to OEMs serving the U.S. Navy market. Because Chameleon meets all of the requisite MIL-SPEC requirements "out-of-the-box", it can drastically reduce time-to-market while eliminating development risk and sharply lowering development costs.

FA's recent work with the Hellan Strainer Company to develop an integrated control system for their 5-Micron fuel strainer serves as a good example. Within four months of contract award, FA designed, implemented, tested, and qualified a shipboard-ready prototype.