Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition

The NS series are Omron’s intelligent operator interfaces, which have proved to be very popular in the market.

They support internetworking (including Ethernet), USB ports (both type A and B) and dual serial ports, which can communicate directly to serial devices, such as a Temperature Controller or Bar Code Reader. Four different resolution screens are available, but all HMIs perform identical functions.

The new NS-V2 units (including the new monochrome and TFT models in the NS5 range) have been updated with two additional features.

Firstly, their internal memory capacity has been tripled, meaning far greater screen data can be stored in the HMI.

Secondly, the screen for all models has been improved, so they now all support a wider viewing angle. While LCD display panels provide good visibility at reasonable cost, the relatively poor viewing angle has been a long-standing complaint. This has been addressed.

Source and more info: Reed

Building on the company’s extensive experience in data acquisition and signal processing in military sonar systems, ICS – part of Radstone Embedded Computing – today announced the unique ICS-8145 16-channel data acquisition card. The ICS-8145 is the only data acquisition card currently available that combines rear I/O with onboard signal conditioning circuitry in a rugged, single slot package. Designed for harsh environment, confined space high frequency sonar, wet end of towed arrays, torpedoes, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) applications, the ICS-8145 is a complete, self-contained solution that eliminates the need for auxiliary equipment that characterizes other offerings.

Source and more info: Embedded Computing Design

A small and compact addition to the comprehensive and powerful range of graphic touch screen terminals, the Magelis XBT-GT 1000 Series HMI terminal is just 3.8 inches wide, yet powerful enough to support high-end HMI applications. This monochrome graphic terminal is programmed with Vijeo Designer™ configuration software, one of the most user-friendly programming software products on the market today.

Developed under Schneider Electric’s Transparent Ready® banner, this newest entry integrates Ethernet and can be simultaneously connected on Uni-Telway/Modbus® and Modbus TCP/IP.

The Magelis XBT-GT terminal, available with one serial line (XBT-GT 1100) or with one serial line and one Ethernet port (XBT-GT 1130), offers a large set of features:

Features and benefits:

Easy to operate – users can easily and quickly select the features needed for an application:
-Multiple languages and font sizes
-Trends and recipes for high level integration
-A buzzer acknowledges operator commands
-Embedded FTP server for easier diagnostics
-Quick mounting with our renowned Magelis spring clips

User friendly – this terminal offers the best quality image for ease of use and visual comfort:
-High visibility screen with 320 X 240 pixel QVGA resolution and eight level adjustable gray scale
-Amber-colored images and the option to choose red to better display faults and alarms

Cost savings and reliability – you can depend on its’ outstanding processing power to do the job:
-Six function keys reduce implementation costs and time
-Alarm function with fault logging for better traceability
-Long Life LED back light reduces maintenance costs of your screens

More information: Schneider Electric

Service management solutions provider, TUSC today announced it had won a major contract worth approximately A$3 million with SCADA service provider Agility.

Agility has selected TUSC as the prime contractor for its multi-million dollar Enterprise SCADA project, which will provide Agility with a 24 x 7 supervisory, control and emergency response service to offer its clients.

TUSC will deliver the operational management and control platform for Agility’s Enterprise SCADA managed service, based on the GEN4 SCADA system from SNC Lavalin.

Source and more info: ITWire

PROSOFT Technology’s Modbus Communication Modules are a fast and easy way to connect Modbus networks to the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix System.

When the power of the ControlLogix processor is combined with the flexibility of Modbus Communication Modules, users see tri-fold benefits in time-savings and simple start-ups.

ProSoft Technology’s Modbus Communication Modules module is ideal for SCADA and field devices supporting Modbus such as transmitters, drives, flow meters and CCS connectivity.

Modbus Communication Modules have independently configured Modbus ports that operate as Master and/or Slave with multi-drop support. Two active serial ports each support RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485.

Source and more info: Ferret

Wonderware, a business unit of Invensys Systems Inc., today announced the release of a new, enhanced version of its enterprise integration offering designed to reduce the complexity and costs of business-to-manufacturing integration. The Wonderware Enterprise Integration Application 2.0 enables manufacturers to improve operational performance by integrating diverse sets of manufacturing systems and business applications to achieve greater levels of business productivity.

Built on Invensys’ innovative ArchestrA software architecture, the Enterprise Integration Application bridges the gap between the real-time domain of the plant floor and the transactional domain of business systems. By openly sitting on top of existing multi-vendor, plant-floor applications such as human-machine interfaces (HMIs), historians or manufacturing execution systems (MES), the Enterprise Integration Application aligns business and manufacturing processes. This is achieved by using powerful workflow functionality and transformation mappings configured in a non-programmatic environment to define reusable and maintainable integration solutions.

Source and more info: Wonderware

GE Fanuc Automation, Inc, a unit of GE Industrial, has announced it is working with CH2M HILL, a multinational engineering firm and designer of Singapore’s Deep Tunnel Sewerage System, on one of the largest integrated SCADA systems in the world. One of the project’s first centralized water reclamation facilities, the Changi plant, is configured with approximately 500,000 tags across an architecture of 50 nodes running the newly-announced Proficy™ iFIX 4.0.

CH2M HILL was retained in 1998 to complete a feasibility study and preliminary design for the plant. The company provided all detailed designs and tendering services including all structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and control facilities. This design took full advantage of advances in technology over the duration of design development.

Source and more info: Automation

The ProLinx Modbus TCP/IP to BOSCH Packaging Machinery Gateway provides a powerful connection between devices on a Modbus TCP/IP network and the state-of-the-art BOSCH packaging machinery. The Modbus TCP/IP driver supports server functionality using the reserved Modbus TCP/IP service port 502, as well as service port 2000 to support the TCP/IP encapsulated Modbus protocol. This allows client applications such as HMI software packages and Quantum processors to read from and write to the module’s database.

The Serial port in the gateway is user-configurable to support the full-duplex mode of the BOSCH Master protocol.

Source and more info: Automation

GE Fanuc Automation, Inc., a unit of GE Industrial, announces the availability of Proficy HMI/SCADA - iFIX 4.0, a premier industry solution for the comprehensive monitoring, control and distribution of plant-wide data. A key component of the Proficy automation software platform, this release of iFIX 4.0 delivers enhanced functionality, including third-party PLC integration, productivity enhancements, and the ability to handle one of the world’s largest SCADA systems.

iFIX 4.0’s extendable architecture is capable of discovering PLC information, delivering new levels of developer productivity, efficiency, and error proofing. The iFIX 4.0 release features innovative device discovery and automated configuration capabilities supporting the Siemens S7 PLC immediately, with support for Rockwell (Allen-Bradley) PLC networks and other OPC sources to be announced in the near future.

Source: ARCWire

Verano, Inc., the leading provider of security and SCADA solutions for mission- critical industries, and Counterpane Internet Security, a leading managed security company and authority on enterprise security systems, today announced a strategic alliance to deliver a cybersecurity monitoring service to protect against vulnerabilities in the control environment.

“We understand how crucial it is for utility operations to run efficiently and without interruption at every level. Integrating Verano’s Industrial Defender into our security operations center provides customers with a proactive and consistent monitoring and reporting solution necessary in today’s real-time control environments,” said Paul Stich, president and CEO of Counterpane Internet Security. “By adopting this comprehensive offering, utilities can also effectively comply with recent security standards implemented by NERC CIP.”

Recent advancements to Verano’s Industrial Defender, such as enhanced security agents, customizable reporting and increased scalability, combined with Counterpane’s unmatched expertise in data monitoring, enable customers to achieve safe control systems and networks without compromising performance. Industrial Defender is the only security appliance to provide this high standard of protection, without impacting availability or reliability of critical SCADA and DCS assets.

Source and more info: Verano