Data acquisition
Move over SCADA
Traditionally, PC-based SCADA systems were the only tool in the instrumentation and control engineer’s toolbox for plant process visualisation and control applications. This led to many facilities implementing SCADA systems simply because there were no available alternatives. To make matters worse, many continue using these unnecessarily costly and complex systems, even as alternatives emerge, out of force of habit. Here Ian Loudon, international sales and marketing manager at remote monitoring specialist Omniflex, discusses why plant engineers should replace outdated SCADA systems with new operator interface terminal (OIT) and human machine interface (HMI) systems.
provide control room oversight of ongoing plant operations in small and medium sized plants. While these are functional systems, capable of performing the required operations, they are unnecessarily costly, with plant managers required to pay per I/O point, pay annual subscriptions, pay ongoing Windows operating system license fees, pay ongoing maintenance contracts and pay any specialist support fees. To make matters worse, they also involved surrendering control and maintenance of the SCADA PCs to IT departments who often do not appreciate plant operational requirements.
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istorically, PC- based SCADA systems were the go-to choice for visualising plant processes and
Despite the drawbacks of
SCADA, many engineers were hesitant to move away from the systems as alternatives became available because, if nothing else, SCADA systems got the job done reliably. However, as alternative technologies, such as OIT and HMI systems, evolve, the case for replacing SCADA systems becomes even more compelling.
OFFERING CHOICE FOR ENGINEERS
While process control systems provided OITs for HMIs dedicated to specific hardware, they were stand alone and tied to a specific PLC manufacturer. An unfortunate fact is that many applications have deployed PC-based SCADA systems simply because there was no other choice. However, the advent of vendor neutral OIT/HMI displays in a
September 2022 Instrumentation Monthly
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