What exactly is the new Phase Manager feature of RsLogix 5000 version 15

Here, sounds Greek to me.

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/465582

Yes, still pretty much greek to me too

It is most relevant to RSBatch, or RSBizware Batch as they call it now.
If you ever have to work with that product (poor you), then the phase manager will make it somewhat easier. It implements the state machine required for the batch control software.

If you're short of things to do, look up ISA's S88 standard for batch control.

Some how I knew this wasn't going to be an easy question.

Guess first thing I need to do is going to find out what RsBizware Batch is exactly

This was supposively such a big new feature of RsLogix version 15 and I asked a Rockwell guy and he didn't even know what is was.

You would think they would have documented it a little better. Is anyone actually using it?

Its another sales gimmick.

I have done the same sort of thing for years, I have blocks of code that I re-use, it appears to be effectively a function block system, http://www.batchcontrol.com/s88/selling/oems.shtml

I find function blocks are great (sometimes) eg in the water industry where one pump set is pretty similar to the next, however one of my clients (a large utility company) had sanctioned function blocks for allsorts of things, trouble was they wanted them to be used unchanged, yet every project had its own subtle requirements that couldn't be catered for with these fixed function blocks.

This new standard seems to be what many people have done for years, just wrapped up in some new gobbledy gook terms to make it appear cool and leading edge.

Ok, I thought it was some new type power monitoring(single phase, three phase)

But you are right, it is nothing new, just a new name/standard for it

I guess it's like NetLinx. A new buzz word for something that has been done for several years (Devicenet, Controlnet, and Ethernet/Ip)

Some reading material:

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/i...um008_-en-p.pdf

there's a chapter in this manual:

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/i...um001_-en-p.pdf

Try reading this one first:

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/i...um001_-en-p.pdf