SCADA systems are crucial for a wide range of industrial organizations. These systems allow organizations to control assets of various sizes as well as entire plants. With a SCADA based on zenon, you can easily gain operational insights, control your processes and make data-driven business decisions.
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An extensive SCADA network
SCADA systems are important for organizations both large and small across a wide variety of industries, including:
For a vast range of sectors and organizations, SCADA systems play a central role in how companies control their operations and use their operational data to make better decisions.
A brief history of SCADA
SCADA enables organizations to control equipment, even over long distances, and gain data-powered insights into their operations.
Before SCADA was introduced, many industrial organizations relied on workers manually controlling and monitoring equipment using analog push buttons, dials and other controls and gauges.
As industrial sites began to expand in size and remote sites became more common, companies needed more efficient ways to control equipment. They began to use relays and timers to gain some level of control over long distances and without the need for manual interaction with each device.
Relays and timers added some automation capabilities but could also be difficult to reconfigure and troubleshoot. The control panels also had a large footprint. As industrial operations continue to grow larger, companies needed a more efficient method of control and monitoring that provided more comprehensive automation functionality.
With the introduction of computers into the industrial space, control and automation capabilities improved. Utilities and other industrial organizations began to use computers for supervisory control. Telemetry technology was also introduced, which enables the automatic measurement and transmission of data across distances. As microprocessors and PLCs became more common, these monitoring and control systems became more sophisticated, and the term SCADA came to be.
The integration of modern IT practices and technologies such as web-based applications, OPC and SQL into SCADA software has significantly increased its capabilities and enhanced its efficiency, reliability and security. Today, many SCADA applications have features that enable engineers to design applications quickly and easily even if they don't have extensive software development knowledge. This opens up the use of SCADA systems to more individuals and organizations.
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With zenon, you can control all of your equipment and processes using one unified platform. Reduce the operational complexity and make your life easier.
Modern SCADA systems provide users with real-time data about their facilities' operations, which they can access from anywhere in the world. The ability to record and replay events also enables users to review incidents to make changes to prevent problems from reoccurring in the future. This process recording feature can also be useful for employee training.
HMI and SCADA
SCADA and HMI are often discussed together and even used as interchangeable terms. However, they are not synonymous. They are, though, part of the same system.
An HMI is part of the larger SCADA system, along with PLCs, RTUs and other features. The HMI is the part of the system that operators use to interact with the SCADA, while the larger SCADA system does the work of collecting and storing SCADA data and controlling equipment. HMIs typically feature screens and, ideally, user-friendly dashboards and controls. They may use graphics and visualization to make data and features easier to use and understand.
An HMI is an essential element of a SCADA system since it's what you use to interact with and manage the system. Without an HMI, you could not take advantage of the many useful features of SCADA systems. The SCADA system, on the other hand, provides the actual functionality.
HMI and SCADA are often referenced together because they are part of the same larger system. The term SCADA refers to the larger systems and all of its functionality, while HMIs are the screens that workers use to interact with and control the SCADA system.
It is possible to use different HMI and SCADA systems. However, as connectivity becomes more important than ever in the Industry 4.0 era, businesses are increasingly looking for an integrated platform that can consolidate data pipelines for holistic, enterprise-wide management of their industrial equipment, processes and people.
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zenon collects and analyzes data for better business decisions, such as quality assurance, production optimization and energy management.
SCADA Solutions by zenon
All you need to know about the past and the future of SCADA automation