Industrial data management and

control
Automation (ancient Greek: = self dictated), use of
robots or industrial automation or numerical control
is the use of control systems such as computers to
control industrial machinery and processes,
replacing human operators.
The most commonly used automation systems are :
• DCS - Distributed Control System
• PLC - Programmable Logic Controller
•SCADA–Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition System

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Distributed control system (DCS) refers to a control system
usually of a manufacturing system, process or any kind of
dynamic system, in which the controller elements are not
central in location (like the brain) but are distributed
throughout the system with each component sub-system
controlled by one or more controllers.

The entire system of controllers are connected by a

network for communication and monitoring.

• DCS is a very broad term used in a variety of industries,

to monitor and control distributed equipment.

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 •A DCS typically uses computers (usually custom designed
processors) as controllers and uses both proprietary
interconnections and protocols for communication.

•Input & output modules form component parts of the DCS.

•The processor receives information from input modules and

sends information to output modules.

•The input modules receive information from input instruments

in the process (a.k.a. field) and output modules transmit
instructions to the output instruments in the field.
•Computer buses or electrical buses connect the processor and
modules through multiplexers/demultiplexers.
Buses also connect the distributed controllers with the central
controller and finally to the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) or
control consoles.
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 PLC consists of the following components:
• Microprocessor – This is the brain of PLC. It reads input
signals, executes control program and communicates
results (decisions) of control program as action signals to
the outputs.
• Memory – It stores control program that is to be
executed at a prescribed rate.
• Power Supply – This component is used to convert the
mains AC voltage to the low DC voltage (e.g. from 240V
AC to 5V DC). This unit powers the processor and the
circuits in the input and output modules.

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 Input Module – This component receives information from external
devices (sensors).

It contains circuitry that provides electrical isolation and signal

conditioning functionalities. Input module can be analogue input (AI)
or discrete input (DI) module.

AI- module receives continuously changing signal whose amplitude is

proportional to the current value of the measured process variable.

DI- module receives discrete/digital (ON/OFF) information from

discrete sensors, for example push button (ON if button is pressed,
OFF if button is not pressed). Note that DI is much more frequently
used than AI.

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 • Output Module–This module communicates
control actions to external devices (actuators). It
contains circuitry required to interface PLC with
actuators (e.g. digital-to- analogue converter and
power amplifier). Like input module, output module
can be analogue output (AO) or discrete output (DO)
module depending on the type of actuator used.

• Communication Module – This component allows

PLC to communicate with external devices using
sophisticated multiple-bit digital communication
protocols (e.g. Ethernet).

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 Introduction
 SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) has been
around as long as there have been control systems.
 The first ‘SCADA’ systems utilized data acquisition by means
of panels of meters, lights and strip chart recorders.
 The operator manually operated various control knobs to
exercise supervisory control.
 These devices were and still are used to do supervisory
control and data acquisition on plants, factories and power
generating facilities.

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 Introduction

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 Advantages of sensor to panel type
 It is simple, no CPUs, RAM, ROM or software programming
needed.
 The sensors are connected directly to the meters, switches
and lights on the panel.
 It could be (in most circumstances) easy and cheap to add a
simple device like a switch or indicator.

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 Disadvantages of a direct panel to
sensor system
 The amount of wire becomes unmanageable after the
installation of hundreds of sensors.
 The quantity and type of data are minimal and rudimentary.
 Installation of additional sensors becomes progressively
harder as the system grows.
 Re-configuration of the system becomes extremely difficult.
 Simulation using real data is not possible.
 Storage of data is minimal and difficult to manage.
 No off-site monitoring of data or alarms.
 Someone has to watch the dials and meters 24 hours a day.

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 PLC / DCS SCADA
 In modern manufacturing and industrial processes, telemetry
is often needed to connect equipment and systems separated
by large distances.
 Telemetry is used to send commands, programs and receives
monitoring information from these remote locations.
 SCADA in this case refers to the combination of telemetry
and data acquisition.
 SCADA encompasses the collecting of the information,
transferring it back to the central site, carrying out any
necessary analysis and control and then displaying that
information on a number of operator screens or displays.

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 PLC / DCS SCADA

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 Advantages of the PLC / DCS SCADA
system
 The computer can record and store a very large amount of
data.
 The data can be displayed in any way the user requires.
 Thousands of sensors over a wide area can be connected to
the system.
 The operator can incorporate real data simulations into the
system.
 Many types of data can be collected from the RTUs.
 The data can be viewed from anywhere, not just on site.

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 Disadvantages of the PLC / DCS
SCADA system
 The system is more complicated than the sensor to panel
type
 Different operating skills are required, such as system
analysts and programmer
 With thousands of sensors there is still a lot of wire to deal
with.
 The operator can see only as far as the PLC.

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 PC to IED Fieldbus System
 As the requirement for smaller and smarter systems grew, sensors
were designed with the intelligence of PLCs and DCSs. These
devices are known as IEDs (intelligent electronic devices).
 The IEDs are connected on a fieldbus, such as Profibus, Devicenet
or Foundation Fieldbus to the PC. They include enough
intelligence to acquire data, communicate to other devices, and
hold their part of the overall program.
 Each of these super smart sensors can have more than one sensor
on-board.
 Typically, an IED could combine an analog input sensor, analog
output, PID control, communication system and program
memory in one device.

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 PC to IED Fieldbus System

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 PC to IED Fieldbus System

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 Advantages of the PC to IED fieldbus
system
 Minimal wiring is needed
 The operator can see down to the sensor level
 The data received from the device can include information
such as serial numbers, model numbers, when it was
installed and by whom
 All devices are plug and play, so installation and replacement
is easy
 Smaller devices means less physical space for the data
acquisition system

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 Disadvantages of a PC to IED system
 More sophisticated system requires better trained employees.
 Sensor prices are higher (but this is offset somewhat by the
lack of PLCs).
 The IEDs rely more on the communication system.

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 SCADA hardware
 A SCADA system consists of a number of remote terminal
units (RTUs) collecting field data and sending that data back
to a master station, via a communication system.
 On a complex SCADA system there are essentially five levels
or hierarchies:
1. Field level instrumentation and control devices
2. Marshalling terminals and RTUs
3. Communications system
4. The master station(s)
5. The commercial data processing department computer
system

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 SCADA hardware
 The RTU provides an interface to the field analog and digital
sensors situated at each remote site.
 The communications system provides the pathway for
communication between the master station and the remote
sites. This communication system can be wire, fiber optic,
radio, telephone line, microwave and possibly even satellite.
 The master station (or sub-masters) gather data from the
various RTUs and generally provide an operator interface for
display of information and control of the remote sites.

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 SCADA hardware

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 SCADA Software
 Two types:
 Proprietary: Developed by companies to communicate to
their hardware. Its problem is too much reliance on the
supplier of the system.
 Open: Open software systems have gained popularity
because of the interoperability they bring to the system.
Interoperability is the ability to mix different manufacturers’
equipment on the same system.

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 SCADA Software
Key Features of SCADA Key Features of SCADA
software software
 User interface  Access to data
 Graphics displays  Database
 Alarms  Networking
 Trends  Fault tolerance and
 RTU (and PLC) interface redundancy
 Scalability  Client/server distributed
processing

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 Landlines for SCADA
 Even with the reduced amount of wire when using a PC to
IED system, there is usually a lot of wire in the typical
SCADA system.
 Interference and noise are important factors to consider
when designing and installing a data communication system,
with particular considerations required to avoid electrical
interference.
 The use of twisted pair shielded cat5 wire is a requirement
on most systems.
 Fiber optic cable is increasingly used because of its noise
immunity.

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 Telemetry
 Telemetry refers to the transfer of remote measurement data
to a central control station over a communications link.
 This measurement data is normally collected in real-time
(but not necessarily transferred in real-time).
 The terms SCADA, DCS, PLC and smart instrument are all
applications of the telemetry concept.

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