Conventionally, factory automation devices have been developed and designed expressly for the factory environment in order to meet the market demand for robustness, stability, and reliability. The fact that the functions and performance of controllers, the "brains" of factory automation, are developed independently by each maker and installed on an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC),　means there is an inevitable time lag in responding to the needs of customers as they emerge, and this limits the speed of advancement of customers' automation systems. In addition, the "ladder language" used to program factory automation controllers is a language originally designed for electrical engineers working in the factory automation field, and each manufacturer uses different variations of the language according to their own particular specifications. This makes it difficult to train software engineers, as they are required to learn several different ladder language variations specific to each maker.
The NJ controller series was designed with the aim of creating the best factory automation devices on the market by integrating Intel Corporation's latest high-speed MPU, the Intel® Atom™ Processor, and OMRON's vast range of knowledge and know-how accumulated while serving the factory automation market. The result is a series of highly-robust, high-speed, high-performance, next-generation controllers. From now on we will be introducing controllers that allow the seamless connection of a variety of I/O devices such as servo drivers and vision sensors, that are capable of high-performance motion control (which is difficult with conventional programmable logic controllers), and that enable control of an entire system with one single device.
As the new OMRON controllers will be constantly updatable in tandem with the advances of Intel's MPU technology, customers will be not only able to enjoy world-leading performance without delay, it will be possible to transfer and accelerate all user programs, and it will also be possible to comprehensively elevate the performance of machines and devices. This will mean that users will no longer be forced to go through the burdensome learning process that has up till now been required when upgrading to new controllers, and they will be able to focus more on enhancing the functions and performance of their machines.
The new controllers conform with the international programming standard IEC 61131-3, meaning that users can select the programming language that most suits the functions of their machinery. The architecture fully supports the use of variables, thereby facilitating reuse of software, and helping users to dramatically enhance design work efficiency.
OMRON's new programming software, Sysmac Studio, employs the Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), and offers the latest user interface, integrated setting methods, and operability covering I/O device configurations.

"Intel welcomes OMRON's announcement of the new machine automation controller "NJ series." By utilizing the Intel® Atom™ processor OMRON is able to deliver a low power, high performance solution for factory automation systems," stated Joe Jensen, general manager, Low Power Embedded Products Division, Intel. "Intel looks forward to further innovative solutions based on Intel® architecture with OMRON."