ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE COVER STORY SCADA-SYSTEM ALL-ROUNDER AND HUB It would be good using one and the
Ronald Dueker, strategic partner manager at Certec EDV, discusses the advantages of the atvise software product line in delivering HMI, SCADA and Cloud solutions
F
or decades SCADA systems have been languishing in the automation
pyramid between the control level and MES. This traditional space had been justified because of SCADA's limited scalability and flexibility as well as the visualisations being locked in a tight corset. This rigid structure however, has been increasingly dissolving, as demonstrated by Certec's pure web technology and OPC UA-based SCADA and visualisation software.
THEORY AND PRACTICE Theory and practice are often worlds apart: on the one hand, experts philosophise about Industry 4.0, and on the other, factory workers are still dealing on a daily basis with decades-old tools. This discrepancy is also reflected in meetings with customers; for example, when discussing a master control system for a critical infrastructure project, customers have asked for a KVM solution
(keyboard, video and mouse) with “manual” switching to make graphics accessible to several users.
DATA POINTS AND VISUALISATIONS This problem is diverse and begins with the number of data points and visualisations stemming from the mechanical and plant installations or in the production area of the corresponding automation projects. Often, technicians have come to terms with implementing projects with as few data points and visualisations as possible. Although it may seem impossible to connect several million data points to a SCADA system, it is quite feasible and even a necessity for today's amount of sensors and data - just think of IIoT. Furthermore, it should not be necessary to use different tools when creating individual graphic representations for different automation levels.
Fig 1: atvise offers solutions for the local HMI, SCADA, prioritised cascading control stations, and a multi- tenant access to the Cloud. All products can be parameterised or programmed using the same engineering tool
same engineering tool for parametrisation and programming of local HMIs, SCADA applications, cascaded control stations visualisations all the way up to multi-client access via the Cloud. In addition, the user device should pose no limitations to calling up the visualisation - as long as one has the rights. This simplifies the operation and serviceability of such a system. Also the use of standard web browsers (whereby no further client need be installed) should move an automation department to consider the replacement of old systems. The software installation could be done quickly and the transfer of, for example a SCADA project, should entail no more than just moving a file from one computer to the next.
RETHINKING TOPOLOGIES Gradually, automation architectures seem to be breaking down: more and more low-end-devices can be cascaded and used in the SCADA environment. These low-end-devices can be, for example Raspberry Pi’s or Panel PC's, based on Linux and ARM processors. This keeps costs down. Referring to SCADA and visualisation systems, the claim is once again valid: everything should be done through a single engineering tool. Another aspect: standards, such as OPC
Ronald Dueker, strategic partner manager at Certec EDV
UA, are replacing the rigid hierarchies of the automation pyramid and, among other things, enable the access and processing of alarms as well as historical data anywhere in the infrastructure. It does not matter where the historical data is located within the topology or if it is available for graphic display because fortunately it can be easily moved through a modern, standards-based SCADA system. Furthermore, it is also possible to partially or completely synchronise the data to, for example, aggregate it and ultimately present it as trends and charts. Additionally, OPC UA reduces
Fig 2: atvise products only require a standard browser: no installation is required, any end- device is suitable and the latest web technologies can be set- up for use
14 OCTOBER 2019 | PROCESS & CONTROL
engineering costs. A reduction of project planning work results from, among other things, an object-type concept that not only can be applied horizontally but can also claim to be viable vertically through the automation pyramid. This not only creates savings, but also makes multiple inputs obsolete thus reducing errors. Therefore, for example, alarm configurations, the parameters for archiving data, or graphic views of an object such as a power drive at the field level, are managed centrally. In addition, thousands of cases based on object-type can be created simultaneously and
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