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What is SCADA?
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Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA)
is not a full control system but focuses on the supervisory aspect.
As such it is a software package that is positioned above the
hardware to which it interfaces. Usually SCADA systems
interface to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC's) or similar commercial
process control modules.
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SCADA systems are not limited to industrial processes such as,
power generation (conventional and nuclear), making steel and aluminium,
rolling mills and so on, but also extend to experimental processes like
nuclear fusion.
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SCADA systems can scale and evolve rapidly to meet demand and as such
can be employed in situations where there are literally several hundred
thousand (700,000) Input/Output (I/O) channels. Currently all the vendors
of SCADA packages have moved to Microsoft Windows based platforms, the most
typical being Windows 2000.
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SCADA systems can support multiple screens incorporating text and
synoptic diagrams representing functions whilst visually replicating
the machinery. Likewise, graphs can be viewed in real-time along with
live data from the control hardware. The main functions of SCADA packages
are listed below:
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Visual interface to represent the real-time data from the control hardware.
This can include animations, buttons, graphics and text that
are all interactive.
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Trending to show mulitple parameters over a variety of variables. Trends
can be both real-time and historical.
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Alarm handling allows the system to detect and respond to alarms. Alarms
can be set on values such as over and under normal operating conditions
as well based on arithmetic and logical expressions.
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Logging/Archiving can be used to review the users and the hardwares operation
and events over time. Logging can be set for certain periods and or events.
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Report generation can be achieved via Structured Query Language (SQL) links
to databases over Open Database Connectivity (ODBC). This data can be accessed
in many typical office applications without the need for custom applications
or re-training of staff.
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Automation - SCADA systems provide a scripting language, which acts as
a powerful method for integrating the SCADA into operating system functions
and other applications. For example, on an alarm the system can notify
the relevant operators/engineers via Short Message Service (SMS) or email
directly to their mobile phone or computer.
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Recipes and database connectivity allow for processes to be automised and
data downloadable directly to the hardware. Imagine the scenario where
engineers/managment devise or revise an existing process in the offices.
This new process is then imediately availble to download on the SCADA on the
shop floor at the click of a button, the data informs the operator of the
process and automatically presets the machinery for the operation.
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For more information on how SCADA can be utilised in your business
please
contact
Control Systems Services
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