Scada For Dummies

The above figure shows the typical SCADA based substation control system. Various input/output (I/O) modules connected to the substation equipment gathers the field parameters data, including status of switches, circuit breakers, transformers, capacitors and batteries, voltage and current magnitudes, etc. RTUs collect I/O data and transfers to remote master unit via network interface modules.
7 Siemens PLCs Siemens makes several PLC product lines in the SIMATIC® S7 family. They are: S7-200, S7-300, and S7-400. S7-200 The S7-200 is referred to as a micro PLC because of its small size. The S7-200 has a brick design which means that the power supply and I/O are on-board.

Welcome to the introduction on how to monitor, manage, and control your facilities with SCADA architecture. You'll learn how to stay on time and on budget to achieve increased profits. This article will serve as an easy SCADA tutorial for beginners.

SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition. It is an industrial control system where a computer system monitoring and controlling a process. Another term is there, Distributed Control System (DCS). Usually there is a confusion between the concept of these two.

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01

Basics of SCADA

02

SCADA Functionality

03

SCADA Deployment

What Is SCADA, and What Can It Do for You?

SCADA is not a specific technology, but a type of supervisory system. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), is any device that gets data about a system in order to control that system and process data.

A SCADA application has two elements:

1. The process/system/machine you want to monitor and control. This can be a large scale power plant, a water system, communication infrastructures, a network, oil and gas industries, an automated system, a system of traffic lights, or anything else.

2. A network of intelligent devices. Interfaces with the first system through sensors, control outputs, and communications protocols. This network, which is the SCADA system, gives you the ability to measure and control specific elements of the first system.

You can build a SCADA system using several different kinds of technologies and protocols. We will help you evaluate your options and decide what kind of SCADA design is best for your needs.

Where Is SCADA Used?

You can use SCADA to manage any kind of equipment. Typically, systems are used to automate complex industrial processes where human control is impractical. Where there are more control factors, and more fast-moving control factors than human beings can comfortably manage.

Around the world, these kinds of systems find use in a wide variety of applications. Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution is an example.

Electric utilities use SCADA systems to detect current flow and line voltage and to monitor the operation of circuit breakers. Also to take sections of the power grid online or offline. Another is the water and sewage industry.

State and municipalwater utilities use SCADA to monitor and regulate water flow, reservoir levels, pipe pressure and other factors. Buildings, facilities, and environments where specific temperature and humidity considerations are important is another application.

Facility managers use SCADA to control HVAC, refrigeration units, lighting and entry systems. The manufacturing industry uses SCADA systems to manage parts inventories for just-in-time manufacturing, regulate industrial automation and robots, and monitor process and quality control.

Mass Transit authorities use SCADA to regulate electricity to subways, trams, and trolleybuses; to automate traffic signals for rail systems; to track and locate trains and buses, and to control railroad crossing gates. And even your local city traffic department utilizes SCADA to regulate traffic lights, control traffic flow and detect out-of-order signals.

As I'm sure you can imagine, this very short list barely hints at all the potential applications for SCADA systems. It is used in nearly every industry and public infrastructure project - anywhere where automation increases efficiency.

What's more, these examples don't show how deep and complex SCADA data can be. In every industry, managers need to control multiple factors and the interactions between those factors. SCADA systems provide the sensing capabilities and the computational power to track everything that's relevant to your operations.

What's the Value of SCADA to You?

Maybe you work in one of the fields I listed; maybe you don't. But think about your operations and all the parameters that affect your bottom-line results.

Does your equipment need an uninterrupted power supply and/or a controlled temperature and humidity environment? Do you need to know - in real-time - the status of many different components and field devices in a large complex system, such as alarm points? How about the need to measure how changing inputs affect the output of your operations?

What equipment do you need to control, in real-time, from a distance? Where are you lacking accurate, real-time data about key processes that affect your operations? These are questions that proper monitoring and visibility can help answer. The bottom line value depends on the proper application of the right solution to these questions.

Real-Time Monitoring and Process Control Increases Efficiency and Maximizes Profits

Ask yourself as many questions as you can. In time, you'll see where a SCADA system implementation can be applied in your operations. But I'm equally sure you're asking 'So what?' What you really want to know is what kind of real-world results you can expect if you do.

Properly planned systems allow you to access quantitative measurements of important processes, both immediately and over time. They detect and correct problems as soon as they begin. Also, they measure trends over time, discover and eliminate bottlenecks and inefficiencies and control larger and more complex processes with a smaller, less specialized staff.

A properly planned SCADA system gives you the power to fine-tune your knowledge of your systems. You can place sensors and controls at every important point in your critical infrastructure (and as technology improves, you can put sensors in more and more remote locations). Remote terminal units (RTUs) and an HMI (human-machine interface) will be responsible for bringing all the information to you.

As you monitor more things, you have a more detailed view of your operations in real-time. So even for very complex manufacturing processes, large electrical plants, etc., you can have an eagle-eye view of every event while it's happening. And that means you have a knowledge base from which to correct errors and improve efficiency. You can do more, at less cost, providing a direct increase in profits.

What Are the Capabilities of SCADA?

Here are few of the things you can do with the information and control capabilities you get from a SCADA system:

Access quantitative measurements of important processes, both immediately and over time
Detect and correct problems as soon as they begin
Measure trends over time
Discover and eliminate bottlenecks and inefficiencies
Control larger and more complex processes with a smaller, less specialized staff.

A SCADA communication system gives you the power to fine-tune your knowledge of your systems. You can place sensors and controls at every critical point in your managed process (and as SCADA technology improves, you can put sensors in more and more places). As you monitor more things, you have a more detailed view of your operations in real-time.

So, even for very complex manufacturing processes, large electrical plants, etc., you can have an eagle-eye view of every event while it's happening. You'll have a knowledge base from which to correct errors and improve efficiency. With SCADA, you can do more, at less cost, providing a direct increase in profits.

Think about your operations and all the parameters that affect your bottom-line results:

Does the equipment at your remote sites need an uninterrupted power supply and/ or a controlled temperature and humidity environment?
Do you need to know - in real-time - the status of many different components and devices in a large complex system?
Do you need to measure how changing inputs affect the output of your operations?
What gear must you control, in real-time, from a distance?
Where are you lacking accurate, real-time data about key processes that affect your operations?

Learn SCADA the Easy Way: Attend DPS Telecom Factory Training

Scada System Tutorial

One of the best ways to learn SCADA is with an in-depth, totally practical, hands-on class. The DPS Telecom Factory Training Event shows participants how to make alarm monitoring easier and more effective. They learn basic SCADA functionality, Derived Alarms and Controls, and how to configure automatic email and pager notifications.

DPS training is the easiest way to learn SCADA. It's taught by technicians who have installed hundreds of successful monitoring and control deployments.

For dates and registration information, call 1-800-693-0351 today or check out our factory training information.

SCADA tutorial | SCADA Basics | tutorials

This SCADA tutorial covers SCADA basics, applications, working of SCADA system etc.The SCADA tutorial also covers various scada system equipment categories and manufacturers.

Scada Programming For Dummies

What is SCADA?

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition is the full form of SCADA.Remember SCADA is not specific technology but SCADA system vary based on different applications such as electrical, sewage, building, telecom, rail & roadways,energy etc.SCADA protocols depend on these applications as there are different parameters to be managed. Let us examine the same below.

SCADA Applications

SCADA has following major applications of use.
Electric Utilities- Manage Current,voltage,circuit breaker,power grid.
Water and Sewage - Monitor and control water level, water flow and water pipe pressure.
Building - Control heating,ventilation,air conditioning,visualization,lighting and building access systems.
Mass Transit - regulation of electricity, track and locate buses,trams,trains
Railways/Roadways - Control traffic signal lights

Working of SCADA System

Following basic functions are performed by SCADA in general irrespective to applications. Data Acquisition, Data Communication, Data Presentation in various formats, Data Control based on various parameters.All these functions are done by following equipment categories.

SCADA equipment basic categories

Sensors - There are analog and digital type of sensors. With digital type discrete level of monitoring is taken care. With analog type precise measurement of value is performed.There are sensors for temperature,humidity,current,motion, water applications. For data acquision sensors are attached with RTUs to take measurements.
SCADA Remote Telemetry Units(RTUs)- These units are interfaced with sensors as well as with SCADA master using communication network.They provide deliver various parameters to central station(SCADA master) to be managed by them.
SCADA Master - Composed of programmable controls, multiprotocol support and provides human interface. It takes inputs from sensors via RTUs and regulate various applications.Provides various display formats in graphs, tabular and other forms. It will have various LEDs/Alarms for various functions. It also provides email/paging based on certain conditions.
Communication medium/network -These are various interfaces to connect SCADA master with SCADA RTUs.