IDEC PLC Earns Award from Japan Institute of Design Promotion

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (Dec. 7, 2016)—IDEC Corporation’s MicroSmart FC6A PLC has received the Good Design Award from the Japan Institute for Design Promotion, a public interest foundation, according to a statement from IDEC. Submissions for this award come from more than 4,000 entries submitted by more than 1,000 companies each year in a wide range of fields. These entries are screened by distinguished design experts selected from various industries. The main deciding factor for the award selection is based on whether a product can enrich society and people's lives through its design. Recipients of a Good Design Award are granted use of the G Mark symbol, an emblem of good design for over half a century worldwide. The FC6A MicroSmart PLC received this award because it combines the power of a PAC (programmable automation controller) in a low-cost controller with a small form factor, making it an ideal fit for demanding applications, according to IDEC’s statement. Before the FC6A was introduced, designers often had to choose between expensive PACs and micro PLCs lacking in features. The FC6A solves this dilemma by offering many of the features formerly found in PACs in a micro PLC. Industries particularly well suited to the FC6A MicroSmart PLC include oil and gas, chemical, solar, marine, packaging, food and beverage, material handling, utility vehicles, and OEM machinery and process skids, according to IDEC.