Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition

Turkish Electricity Distribution A.Ş. (TEDAŞ) has collected bids at its international tender for supply and installation of SCADA/DMS systems in Ankara and Konya electricity grids within the scope of its Electricity Distribution Network Rehabilitation Project.
The project is partly financed by a EUR 325 million credit extended by the European Investment Bank.
EkoTürk correspondent reports that TEDAŞ found 4 of the 9 contenders applied for prequalification in the tender good enough to go on.
Prequalified contenders submitted their price bids by the deadline of January 31, 2007.
The list of contenders and their price bids is as follows:
(1)-TELVENT (Spain) (+) TELVENT (USA)
Bid price : 6,919,737 Euro
(2)-SIEMENS AG (+) SIEMENS AŞ
Bid price : 8,474,180 Euro
(3)-EFACEC S.A. (Portugal)
Bid price : 9,379,000 Euro
(4)-ABB (Switzerland)
Bid price : 11,363,036 Euro
PROJECT OUTLINE :
The scope of the project is covering installation and commissioning of two (2) SCADA/DMS facilities including SCADA Masters, communication systems, fault indication devices, IEDs with protection functions for operation, operation planning and management support covering the distribution networks in the cities of Ankara, Konya and their surrounding areas.
The project is divided into principally two contracts: one has been carried out by domestic contractors covered station modifications, the supply of interface facilities. The second Contract subject of this Specification will be of a Turnkey nature covers the supply, installation and commissioning of the SCADA/DMS facilities and installation of fault locating devices and IEDs.

Source and more info: thenewanatolian

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) protocols are used in some of the most critical areas of computer automation, and spotting potential vulnerabilities is imperative for IT personnel in charge of network security for these systems. Some examples of embedded systems that make use of SCADA protocols (such as DNP3, ICCP, and Modbus) would be distribution systems for electricity and water utilities, manufacturing processes, and transportation networks.

Often, due to the lack of impetus for upgrades, these embedded systems can be in the field for years, running outdated operating systems and application software. Tenable Network Security’s Nessus 3 Vulnerability Scanner provides a means of bringing weaknesses to light without disrupting the functionality of these automated control systems, and the new SCADA plug-ins cover an important set of protocols. They were developed through a partnership with Digital Bond (www.digitalbond.com).

Source and more info: processor

Over the two day conference a myriad of local and international presenters will discuss the latest technologies, trends and challenges in the area of scada and industrial automation. Attention will be focused on the integration of communications protocols, standards, and scada systems into your everyday business processes. Now more than ever before, industry and utilities rely on their control systems to improve their quality, reliability, efficiency and of course their bottom line.

In order to have a competitive advantage in 2007 and beyond you need to be armed with up-to-date, practical and competent advice to make informed and profitable decisions. Proven tactics far outweigh theoretical decisions and the key to success when working with scada and industrial automation systems is taking advantage of the latest concepts and approaches. To avoid the minefield of disastrous projects and products you need to be prepared when handling new systems. You require the latest know how to defend your systems and prevent vulnerability to security breaches and attacks.

Source and more info: instrumentation

In the past, engineers developing industrial systems had to learn different software tools to program embedded controllers and HMI/scada applications even when buying everything from the same vendor.

With National Instruments LabVIEW graphical system design software, you now can program your human machine interface (HMI) and logic in the same environment, minimising development cost, training time, and maximum skill re-use. Specifically, you can use the new LabVIEW Touch Panel Module for Windows CE touch displays as a local operator interface or the LabVIEW datalogging and supervisory control (DSC) module to develop a full-fledged HMI/scada application.

Source and more info: instrumentation

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c50212) has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan’s new report: “Automation and Control Solutions in the European Power Generation Sector” to their offering.

This research service titled “Automation and Control Solutions in the European Power Generation Sector” provides an overview of the growing automation and control solutions across major countries in Europe. The study focuses on the current challenges in the market, crucial factors driving market growth and the overall pricing trends. In this research, Frost & Sullivan’s expert analysts thoroughly examine the following automation and control solutions: distributed control system (DCS), supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA), manufacturing execution system (MES), programmable logic controllers (PLC), industrial asset management (IAM) and human machine interface (HMI).

Source and more info: businesswire

ICONICS, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner provider of Web-enabled, OPC-based, HMI/SCADA Visualization and Manufacturing Intelligence software for Microsoft Windows operating systems, announces our participation in Microsoft’s “Ready for a New Day Launch Tour 2007” held in major cities across the United States.

ICONICS is exhibiting in the Partner Pavilion during Microsoft’s promotion of its latest operating system, Windows Vista, and office suite, the 2007 Microsoft Office System. Among the major cities where ICONICS will attend are Boston, Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago and more. ICONICS has also been invited to present our collaborative abilities within Microsoft Windows Vista and the 2007 Office system during the event’s general sessions.

Windows Vista increases productivity and drives business success by improving security and compliance, optimizing desktop infrastructure, finding and making better use of information and enabling the mobile workforce. ICONICS software solutions work in unison with Microsoft technologies to provide further industrial automation benefits.

“Not since the introduction of 32-bit microprocessors and Windows 95 have so many forces converged to create a true technological revolution,” said Russ Agrusa, President and CEO of ICONICS. “This innovation will be rapidly available for manufacturing, automation and building control solutions.”

Source and more info: automation

A Vancouver Police computer crime investigator has warned the city that plans for a citywide wireless Internet system put the city at risk of terrorist attack during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The combination of anonymous, mobile Internet access and the potential presence of transit systems, traffic signals and gas and electric utility systems as tenants on a city-wide wireless network will make Vancouver a prime target for a paralysing attack by hackers, said Vancouver Police Det. Mark Fenton.

The city is seeking a private partner to develop a wireless network that could provide free or low-cost wireless Internet access in Vancouver. The network would be accessible to anyone with a laptop computer and wireless Internet WiFi card. The plan calls for much of the city’s infrastructure, from traffic signals and TransLink systems to BC Hydro generators and Terasen gas meters, to use the wireless platform for communications and remote operations. TransLink has already experimented with wireless traffic signal operation to speed bus service.

“Putting those vital links on the same network, you are opening yourself up to terrorist attack, to hackers bringing those systems down,” said Fenton, who attended meetings last fall with city staff and city councillors on the development of municipal WiFi.

“It’s not just conceivable, it has happened,” said Fenton, who works for the computer investigative support unit of the financial crimes section.

Source and more info: canada

Wonderware, a business unit of Invensys, has announced that Control magazine readers have awarded Wonderware first place in the HMI Software category. Wonderware also tied for first in the SCADA Software category. This is the 12th year that Wonderware has received ‘Readers’ Choice Awards’ from Control magazine in these two categories.

In the annual reader survey, Wonderware’s InTouch HMI software product was selected as the most popular application for industrial automation, process control and supervisory monitoring.

InTouch software is in worldwide use in a variety of industries including food processing, oil and gas, automotive, chemical, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, transportation and power utilities.

Wonderware software is used in over 100,000 plants with over 400,000 active software licenses.

‘The Control ‘Readers’ Choice Award’ ranks the opinions of process control professionals assessing the industry’s best technology offerings,’ said Walt Boyes, editor-in-chief of Control magazine.

‘The magazine’s readers are asked to select those technologies that have best met their needs in manufacturing and industrial process industries’.

Source and more info: manufacturingtalk