Panduit Corp., a Tinley Park, Ill.-based provider of enterprise hardware and software, has launched an automation-zone system that is designed to make it cheaper and easier for facilities to deploy manufacturing networks.

Available in three configurations, Panduit's Integrated Network Zone System "enables seamless communications between control rooms and the manufacturing floors within industrial facilities," according to the company.

"The Integrated Network Zone System significantly reduces the costs and complications associated with integrating the plant floor and enterprise networks," said Steve Timian, Panduit's director of industrial automation solutions.

"This robust system will provide our customers with the ability to manage and improve manufacturing processes and productivity."

The system promises up to a 75 percent reduction in deployment time, according to Panduit.

Highlights of the UL-certified system include an Allen-Bradley Stratix industrial switch, which is pre-assembled into a NEMA-rated 4/12 enclosure; and Allen-Bradley uninterruptible power supplies installed behind a touch-safe protective cover.

In October, Panduit and Milwaukee-based Rockwell Automation formed a strategic alliance to deliver integrated systems to market and accelerate adoption of Ethernet/IP networks, the company noted.

"Together, the two companies are focused on providing optimized physical-infrastructure solutions, effective collaboration between automation and IT, and integrated solutions and services for customers globally," Panduit said in a news release.  

For more information on the Integrated Network Zone System, visit www.panduit.com/iamobi.