SCADA

SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition. Data Acquisition is one of the fields MatDeck specializes in and MatDeck can be used to control, receive and send data to and from device units. SCADA is an important part of database data acquisition and is one of several codeless toolboxes that allows MatDeck users to utilize hardware and more without any experience.

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems are layered systems comprising of both software and hardware that work synchronously to control, monitor, analyse and manage industrial processes. The processes commonly applied with SCADA tend to be critical and time-sensitive causing SCADA systems to develop to be real-time applicable and display data and information analysis quickly. SCADA systems can be attached to both automated processes requiring no human interaction and in analytical capacities for remote/local data gathering. The key takeaway here is to take note of SCADA’s vast applicability to monitor real time data, interact with industrial devices or control entire industrial processes.

SCADA systems as mentioned above are made up of hardware and software components. A simple SCADA set up would comprise of PLCs/RTUs that would send and receive messages to machines, sensors, devices and HMIs. The data gathered from this communication is then processed by the SCADA software into a useable and readable display for users to interact and analyse. The example above is of a SCADA system being processed by MatDeck’s SCADA software.

SCADA Options

As the global economy and technology sector becomes more mechanised and directed by units and devices, software to control it becomes more necessary and prevalent every day. MD SCADA provides a simple visual interface to control systems as well as monitor and log data in Excel files or databases, without needing to start from scratch.

Some MD SCADA Features:

• Easy to use Drag and Drop No Code SCADA
• Advanced SCADA Options with coding in Python or MD Script
• Drag and Drop ready-made Instruments
• Functions for DSP, Data Acquisition, Signals, Vibration, PID and Wavelets
• No Code GUI Toolboxes for DAQ Configuration and Commutation, PID, FFT, DSP as well as Signal Generating and Curve Fitting GUI Toolboxes
• Array Fire GPU acceleration
• Various Advantech, ICP DAS and LabJack compatible devices
• Utilize Python code directly with MD SCADA
• AI Functions and Forms for modelling

SCADA Features and Components

Supervisory Controller

Supervisory Controllers, alternatively known as an MTU (Master Terminal Unit), take the form of the main interaction between the hardware and software working together in SCADA systems. Located in the control centre of the industrial process, MTUs manage and control the communication between HMIs and RTUs. Large SCADA systems will naturally have larger Supervisory Controllers made of several servers and dedicated maintenance teams. MatDeck can be both applied to larger scale systems as well as SCADA configurations on single computers.

HMI – Human Machine Interface

HMIs are the part of the SCADA system that are most interacted with and seen by users. HMIs refer to the actual visual representation made by the software for users to actualise the often-large scale works and allows them to monitor data and interact with RTUs and PLCs. HMIs need to be efficient and intuitive in the way they allow users to understand the system as time is a sensitive aspect in SCADA. Making sure users can quickly understand and process what’s occurring in the system is a theme that is achieved intuitively by MD SCADA. By having a diverse vault of graphical representations and diagrams, users can simply design and draw their industrial processes in MD SCADA and in a time sensitive environment be the first to understand what is occurring in their works.

Equipped with each various option for their diagram, each applicable widget has a deep level of customization available so even users working on single PCs can tailor their SCADA system for themselves. By taking advantage of the straightforward HMI present in MD SCADA panels, users with little experience can become up to date with their system extremely quickly.

RTUs and PLCs

While Remote Telemetry Units (RTU) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) serve similar purposes within the SCADA system, both have important and stark differences. One commonality is both can be interpreted and connected to MatDeck software solutions so information and data gathered by them can be processes and displayed synchronously. However, where RTUs and PLCs differ is in design and individual capability. RTUs are designed for remote use with static purposes and features meant to be reliable but hard to change. PLCs on the other hand, are designed for local use due to their more dynamic nature being able to be reprogrammed and utilizing wired connections instead of wireless compared to RTUs.

Both can be easily equipped with MatDeck SCADA and the user’s preference will often determine which one is better suited for their process/application. PLCs also tend to be smaller so naturally, with a lower number of I/O ports will be better suited for smaller applications.

Drag and drop no code SCADA

SCADA systems are made in MatDeck in the form of the MD SCADA. Our drag and drop configuration process uses a similar design to Virtument and is tailored for simple and easy use as MatDeck carries the load of the data sending, receiving, displaying and logging meaning that all you need to do is click a few buttons and create a professional SCADA in minutes.

As with most MatDeck features, our SCADA can be manipulated and used with other MatDeck features. This means SCADA and other features (Graphs, Math functions, Programming…) can be used together in the same MD documents.

Python SCADA

Python can be used to directly communicate with MD SCADA and this allows user to bring in hundreds of Python Libraries as well as years of pre-existing code. Python is known for its easy to use syntax and flexibility making it a perfect combination with MD SCADA which allows you to drag and drop ready-made and customisable Instruments without the need of any code.

Configuration forms and SCADA applications

SCADA applications can be broken down to two main components. One being the device used to send, control and receive data and the other being the software used to interpret and display that data. This means communication between the device unit and the SCADA application is essential.

Hundreds of devices can be connected to and configured using custom dedicated MatDeck configuration forms. Depending on the manufacturer, different configuration forms are available for different devices.

With the device configuration form, the SCADA configuration form is used.

This SCADA configuration form is used to connect specific SCADA elements to specific channels and data inputs/outputs. Various settings such as the min and max value as well as the sampling rate can be used on each individual SCADA element.

MatDeck maintains its universal framework even when dealing with SCADA applications. Both the unit device and SCADA configuration forms can be used and manipulated in the same document.

Single MatDeck documents can house all necessary functions and features of SCADA application so editing and maintenance is made as simple as possible. Not to mention, other MD features can be used and mixed with the SCADA eliminating the need for other software and complex procedures.

Dedicated SCADA Panels

While configuration forms are vital to set up your SCADA applications, SCADA applications wouldn’t exist without SCADA panels. Here, you can add, remove and edit various SCADA individual SCADA elements.

SCADA panels are similar to Virtument panels in MatDeck and use a simple window that contains the work area and various elements that can be deployed.

Each element has a high level of customisation and most have unique settings. Elements can be changed to fit the user’s ability and better represent data in their application.

Each element has its own properties which includes aesthetic features and data channel settings.

SCADA panels are composed of a work area with a sidebar menu which has 18 individual instruments and 30 plus elements that can be deployed in the work area via drag and drop.

Similar to the configuration forms, SCADA panels can be used and embedded within a MD document or as a standalone window.

When all SCADA elements are used and put together, they can be used to represent data from units accurately and cleverly. Below is an example of a SCADA application made in MatDeck.

SCADA Applications

SCADA applications are vast and different in many regards, but certain aspects remain similar or the same even. The key advantageous aspects of SCADA system such as control over industry or devices remotely and automatically, retrieve and represent complex data from sensors on HMIs such as MD SCADA, and reduce downtime and supervision costs should all be exploited as much as possible to maximise the utility of each industrial or small scale process. Processes that would be well equipped with MD SCADA to maximise the positive advantages of a SCADA system would tend to be manufacturing or large, spread-out processes where sensors and information may be far or inaccessible providing the need for a centralised hub of data management that is easy to understand and interact like a MD SCADA panel.

Examples of this include:

• Manufacturing and production – Here SCADA systems can perform round the clock monitoring of industrial automation and devices. Paired with this, it provides manufacturers a more full-proof method of controlling and recording data relevant to the process.
• Centralised control and monitoring of buildings – Buildings will tend to have various facets of device and access spread across numerous floors and rooms. SCADA systems provide a centralised solution where management can view and control entire building functions from one HMI.
• Traffic signals – Another example of an incredibly large and spread-out system where being able to monitor and control each node (Traffic Light) is crucial. Users can encode specific fail safes and controls in MatDeck to detect erroneous signals and correct them before larger aftereffects can occur.
• Telecommunications – This exemplifies SCADA system’s important ability to control and monitor remotely where having SCADA systems at each point within a system is simply not feasible and too expensive.

See SCADA Manual