SCADA
Although we manufacturers were operating in Industry 3.0 era with SCADA but now advent of Industry 4.0 has changed the way we manufacturers operate now.
Moreover it has completely transformed how SCADA systems work.
Further what businesses should expect from their SCADA system has also changed.
Those days are gone when we used to work with straightforward data capture.
Indeed it is not enough now.
Hence we need to devise our SCADA systems much more advanced to fulfill Industry 4.0 goals.
In fact Digitalization of our Industrial Facilities are first step towards achieving Industry 4.0 goals.
Moreover Data gathering plays a vital role in doing Digitalization.
Further, as our goals for doing Industry’s Digitalization become more ambitious similarly our expectations from facility data increases.
Accordingly we need to understand how it leads to betterment of technology for data capture and its analysis?
That means how is technology for data capture and analysis changing every day?
Let us try to come straight at main point.
SCADA, as we knew is no more alive.
It is gone.
The traditional automation pyramid has collapsed.
And IT/OT convergence is on the rise.
The next generation of solutions has arrived.
As well as it has taken us to the way for advanced manufacturing.
We are in the age of industrial Digitalization.
Moreover control and monitoring software has never been so omnipresent.
What is the purpose of SCADA in Industry 4.0 Projects?
Before we can understand the purpose of SCADA in Industry 4.0 journeys, we need to understand how the technology is changing.
Basically the technology has shifted from a tool for monitoring and data capture, to the technology shaping the smart factories of the future.
One of the crucial ways to achieve this is the use of software platforms with open system architecture.
Open system architecture
Open system architecture describes the elimination of vendor dependence.
In fact customers used to associate vendor dependence with early and proprietary SCADA systems as one of the main issue.
In practice, customers do not limit an open system to operating with one original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) products.
Or
They do not limit an open system to operating to a limited number of communication protocols.
This level of flexibility is key to give insurance that modern Automation systems are fit for the purpose of their use in modern factories.
Moreover, providers of future proof SCADA systems must be willing to continually adopt and embrace new standards.
So that they can keep up with the growing scale of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) device networks.
When specifying a software platform, guaranteed updates have become the necessity.
Moreover vendors also need to ensure Long-term support (LTS) for up to ten years to their esteemed customers.
IT and OT convergence
Another consideration which has become very important from the perspective of Industry 4.0 is the integration of
Information Technology (IT) with Operation technology (OT).
Further some modern software platforms are capable of integrating data sets
that were previously limited to the IT space.
For instance, seamlessly capturing data from Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
or
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
for consideration of business analysis alongside Operational Technology (OT) data from the factory floor.
Data collected by IT systems can be used to streamline
- Production processes,
- Fix critical issues faster and
- Make better informed decisions.
But only if it is
- Collected,
- Transmitted and
- Processed
Effectively and securely.
Generally the most effective systems will be able to operate across both of these technology spheres.
In addition, a software platform does not only gather data from different hardware and IT systems.
But it also does need to provide data in an open format
and
it does make it accessible for third parties, e.g. through a REST API.
What is REST API?
A REST API stands for Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface.
Also it is a set of rules and conventions for building
and
interacting with web services.
It is a widely used architectural style for designing networked applications and web services
that are scalable, stateless, and can be easily integrated with various platforms and technologies.
Key principles and characteristics of REST APIs:
- Statelessness:
Each request from a client to a server must contain all the information
which are needed to understand and process the request.
The server does not store any client state between requests.
This makes the API scalable and easy to maintain.
2. Resources:
Resources are the central abstractions in a RESTful API.
They can represent data objects, services, or entities,
and
they are identified by a unique URL.
For example, a REST API for a bookstore might have resources like /
books, / authors, and / orders.
3. HTTP Methods:
REST APIs typically use HTTP methods to perform actions on resources.
The most common HTTP methods used in RESTful APIs are
- GET (retrieve data),
- POST (create a new resource),
- PUT (update an existing resource), and
- DELETE (remove a resource).
These methods correspond to the CRUD (Create, Read, Update, and Delete) operations.
4. Representation:
Resources can have multiple representations, such as JSON or XML.
Clients can request the representation,
when they prefer using the “Accept” header in the HTTP request.
5. Stateless Communication:
REST APIs do not maintain session information on the server.
Each request from the client to the server must contain all necessary information.
If session-like behavior is required,
then it should be managed by the client, not the server.
6. Uniform Interface:
In fact a uniform and consistent interface simplifies interactions between
clients
and
servers.
This simplification enables clients to be more versatile and
it reduces the complexity of the server.
7. Layered System:
In a RESTful architecture, intermediary servers (proxies, load balancers, etc.) can be placed between clients and servers.
Clients are unaware of these intermediaries, which allows for a more flexible and scalable system
8. Client-Server Architecture:
The separation of the client and server allows for independent development of both, enabling them to evolve separately.
Applying SCADA for Industry 4.0
Now we understand the potential of modern SCADA systems.
How do engineers use this technology in their Digitalization journey?
As a result on its most basic level, a SCADA system lets an operator verify
that its machinery is operating correctly.
Moreover, modern Automation systems should also enable an operator to use SCADA data to determine,
how to make improvements
or
adjustments to equipment to maximize productivity or efficiency.
Also at the beginning of any Digitalization project,
a manufacturer should consider its data sets
and
use them to determine smart goals.
Is achieving better energy efficiency a key company goal?
The software platform should be capable of identifying areas of high energy usage.
And this is where that organization should start their process.
Is improved capacity to produce customized projects a goal?
In this case, data on equipment availability will be key.
For instance, in order for the company to make informed decisions on Digitalization,
having access to a full facility of data sets is key.
Generally without having clear visualization of all the data produced from a facility —
Whether this is related to Energy usage /
Or
It is related to Productivity /
Or
It is related to Downtime /
Or
It is related to something else.
Therefore it is impossible to embark on an informed Industry 4.0 journey.
In fact, proper investment in data collection technology should come
before any other smart factory investment including any hardware.
Challenges of SCADA upgrades
In particular engineers faced a common challenge while updating their SCADA system.
Basically it is nothing,
but it is setting up a new automation projects.
Because overhauling any aging SCADA systems can leave engineers
with a significant programming burden.
Moreover it appears a big challenge
because the industry continues to struggle with skills shortages.
However, good systems are capable of removing the need for
complex programming.
For example, the product philosophy of COPA-DATA’s zenon is to set parameters instead of doing programming.
In particular, this means an extensive library of pre-designed static /
and
dynamic elements /
and
symbols called Widgets.
This means that no prior knowledge of programming is needed
and
projects can be created via clicking instead of coding.
It helps in saving engineer’s time
and
effort having to write tens of thousands of lines of code.
Significantly this can result in less downtime for a manufacturer,
while switching its system from old Automation system
to new Automation system.
Further it offers a reduced need for investment /
recruitment /
and
training resources /
for the engineering team.
This ease-of-use is crucial for a next generation SCADA to be implemented in an Industry 4.0 project.
Frankly, the only good digital tools you will invest in, are the ones
you will actually use them.
SCADA for Industry 4.0
There is no doubt that Industry 4.0 is transforming the way manufacturers operate.
But it is also transforming how SCADA systems work.
As well as it is transforming what businesses should expect from them.
Long gone are the days when straightforward data capture is enough.
To fulfil Industry 4.0 goals, SCADA systems must be much more advanced.
What is COPA-DATA?
COPA-DATA is a software company.
Moreover it specializes in the development of industrial
and
energy automation solutions.
This company is known for its flagship product, zenon.
Further it is a software platform designed for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) /
human-machine interface (HMI) /
and
other industrial automation applications.
Also the zenon software platform had developed into a far more advanced tool for data capture /
visualization /
analysis /
and
reporting.
In fact for manufacturers with Industry 4.0 goals,
a platform with this level of comprehension is necessary.
In short zenon is used by various industries, including
- Manufacturing /
- Energy /
- Infrastructure / and more.
For example they use zenon to monitor /
and
to control industrial processes /
and
to control machines.
It provides real-time data visualization /
data logging /
and
analysis capabilities.
Also these capabilities make zenon an essential tool for optimizing
and managing complex industrial processes.
Take Away
In fact modern SCADA can operate like a data hub
or
as you could also name it,
as an OTIL (Operation Technology Integration Layer).
At COPA-DATA, they took the decision to move away from using heavily
the terminology SCADA for their solutions approximately five years ago.
For manufacturers with Industry 4.0 goals,
a platform with this level of comprehension is necessary.
