They allow technicians to take action as they notify technicians the instant a problem happens. RTUs report not only on the status of the distributed controls, but also the communications network. They will also report on any external variables that can affect your systems, such as temperature and humidity. But, to choose between these devices, you need to take into consideration your unique scenario.
PLCs are simple devices , but they are quite customizable. This means that you need to either need to know how to program and set them up or have an employee that can do this task. This customization aspect can be beneficial to you if you plant operations that vary widely. They provide a similar level of information and automation at remote sites, but they come programmed by the manufacturer. They're also specialized for networking, communications, and transportation processes. RTUs and PLCs both have its pros and cons, but for whatever device you choose to implement in your monitoring system, you need to make sure your vendor puts its equipment through rigorous in-house testing.
Third-party testing is good, but if they are not the ones actually manufacturing your RTUs or PLCs, they can make mistakes easier simply because they are not the experts.
In-house testing allows for quick revision cycle to make sure you get a competent hardware. The in-house testing should apply for both temperature range and electromagnetic interference EMI. To test temperature, just an industrial temperature chamber is required. Testing EMI requires a larger anechoic chamber with carbon-construction cones.
Tests are important and they are extremely good indicators of quality and reliability. However, they will not completely replicate the conditions and stress your equipment will face in the real-world.
Proven design is the ultimate test and the greatest proof of quality your devices can have. When selecting your vendor, make sure to ask for testimonials and success stories from companies similar to yours. Find the perfect RTU for your spec, needs and budget. This way, if there's a problem your technicians will know what the issue is and what to do to fix it. When there is an alarm, the technicians are able to quickly make informed decisions about any required responses based on a comprehensive window.
It should also provide detailed information about any alarm when the network operator makes a request through the master station. By processing this data, your master will generate report logs that summarize historical trends to indicate possible future problems within your remote network. The graphic representations provided by these drawing programs can be very simple or extremely complex. A DCS system and a SCADA system have a lot in common because they both are known as controlled computer systems that receive and evaluate legitimate data to enable remote access monitoring and management.
DCS places a greater emphasis on process control and includes a supervisory control level. It also delivers the information to the operator as part of this process. SCADA, on the other hand, focuses on gathering process data and presenting it to the users and control center.
The DCS is most commonly seen in industries, where it is housed in a smaller space. It makes use of a high-speed communication channel, including a local area network LAN. DCS is process-oriented, seeing the controlled process as the center of the universe and one of its functions as data presentation to controllers. It could use a variety of communication tools, including radio and telephone.
A distributed control system DCS is an automated control system that comprises geographically dispersed control systems throughout a facility or control region. In an effort to leverage new digital technologies to meet these customer challenges and expectations, forward-looking process manufacturers are investing in DX. Amid DX, the automation pyramid is evolving.
With the integration of cloud technologies, process control systems are able to perform edge computing and serve as robust data sources for the IIoT. Cloud-based environments facilitate the convergence of data across multiple sources and improve data availability to support insightful decision-making and application interoperability. In order to take advantage of cloud technologies, the IIoT, and edge computing, process manufacturers need to modernize their aging automation systems.
On the whole, the drive toward DX has created a need for more open and secure system architecture and design. Increasingly open systems. Both initiatives describe vendor-neutral systems that allow the use of state-of-the-art equipment and functions at all times and the continued use of proprietary software applications in the future.
The requirements for the architecture currently being considered by OPAF are "interoperability," "modularity," "standard conformity," "compliance with security standards," "scalability," and "portability. Furthermore, data in the existing system is imported by OPC UA, and advanced control, analysis and diagnosis can be realized even in the field.
From the viewpoint of security measures, compatibility with zone design recommended by IEC is enhanced, and system design and maintenance can be easily performed. More problematic is a lack of continuous upgrades from some DCS vendors.
If their vendor ceases to provide upgrades, manufacturers are compelled to resort to a rip-and-replace approach, in which the old system is completely replaced by an entirely new one. In this scenario, the production loss and costs incurred while transitioning to the new system often far outweigh the system cost. By creating an open, interoperable specification, OPAF aims to foster the development of less-expensive and improved process control systems.
Increased security. DX has created a need for secure network architecture and design in addition to increased openness. Older RTUs often use insecure communication protocols. Increasingly, however, new technology trends are phasing RTUs in favor of Edge devices. Since exposing data to the Internet presents security risks, it is vital that process manufacturers keep their SCADA systems up-to-date using contemporary cybersecurity resources.
Since their data exchanges typically rely on radio or public communication infrastructure, SCADA systems are more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Meanwhile, a DCS is not completely secure from cyberattacks and requires comprehensive measures, particularly on entry points into LANs. Cybersecurity is a common denominator among all technologies. The cybersecurity strategy and implementation approach based on the Purdue model now extends throughout the enterprise.
A new standards-based approach has been designed to encompass IT and OT systems. Meanwhile, cyber security domain expertise is evolving to encompass the formerly disparate OT and IT domains. Generally speaking, two key, intertwined DX goals for process manufacturers are greater connectivity and flexibility.
These are driving demand for smart factories that leverage IIoT technology. Process manufacturers are seeking to optimize production, and systems are changing as a result. One example of this shift is taking place at a technical level in the efforts to implement smart manufacturing, which have spurred the adoption of fieldbuses.
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