SCADA

Systems
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

Industrial Control Systems (ICS)

SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) is a type of
Industrial Control System (ICS)
Industrial Control Systems
(ICS) are computer controlled
systems that monitor and
control industrial processes
that exist in the physical
world.
Industrial Control Systems, like PLC (Programmable
Logic Controller), DCS (Distributed Control System)
and SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition) share many of the same features

PLC
ICS

DCS

SCADA

Industrial Control Systems (ICS)

Industrial Control Systems are computer controlled systems that monitor and control industrial
processes that exist in the physical world

I/O Module

cRIO
LabVIEW

Programmable
Automation
Controller
(PAC)

Industrial PID
Controller

Distributed Control Systems (DCS)

Controller

PC based Control System/SCADA

System (Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition)
PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

I/O Modules

DeltaV

Siemens PLC

Control Systems

PLC - Programmable Logic Controller

DCS - Distributed Control Systems
SCADA Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition
PAC Programmable Automation Controller
RTU Remote Terminal Unit
PC Personal Computer (PC-based Control System)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_control_system

Control Systems
Process
PLC

SCADA

?
DCS

PAC

RTU

Typically, you have one or more of these systems working

together. In general we can have many different
combinations how these systems work together

Sensors and Actuators

Control
Systems
Comparison

http://www.opto22.com/site/pacsvsothertech.aspx

PLC
PLC - Programmable Logic Controller
A Digital Computer used for Automation and
Control Applications
PLCs are suitable for Local Area Control (plants,
production lines, etc.)
Example: Siemens PLC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_logic_controller

PAC
PAC Programmable Automation Controller
A Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) is a compact controller that
combines the features and capabilities of a PC-based control system with
that of a typical PLC.

cRIO from National Instruments

PAC Example:

http://www.ni.com/compactrio

RTU

RTU Remote Terminal Unit

A remote terminal unit (RTU) is a microprocessor-controlled
electronic device that interfaces objects in the physical world to a
distributed control system or SCADA (supervisory control and data
acquisition) system
A RTU is a device installed at a remote location that collects data,
codes the data into a format that is transmittable and transmits the
data back to a central station, or master, e.g. a SCADA system
A RTU typically have Analog and Digital Inputs/Outputs
You could say that a RTU is nothing more than an advanced I/O
device with Communication possibilities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_terminal_unit

DCS
DCS - Distributed Control Systems
Distributed Control and I/O
DCS Example:

DeltaV from Emerson Process Management

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributed_control_system

SCADA
SCADA - Supervisory Control
And Data Acquisition

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCADA

SCADA Architectures
1. Generation: Early SCADA system computing was done by
large minicomputers.
Common network services did not exist at the time SCADA was
developed.
Thus SCADA systems were independent systems with no
connectivity to other systems

2. Generation: Distributed Systems

The system was distributed across multiple stations which were

connected through a LAN.

3. Generation: Networked Systems

4. Generation: Internet of Things (IoT)

SCADA System
The SCADA system typically contains different modules,
such as:
1. OPC Server
2. A Database that stores all the necessary data
3. Control System
4. Datalogging System
5. Alarm System
These Modules are typically separate Modules because
they should be able to run on different computers in a
network (distributed).

SCADA System Overview

Process
Plant

Control
System

OPC Server

Network (LAN)
Datalogging
System
SQL
(Data Engine)
Database
Alarm
System
Typically, the different Modules that the SCADA system consists of are
distributed physically in a Network (local network or over Internet)

PC-based Control System

Industrial PID Controller

PID Control using PC and I/O Module

PC

I/O Module
Embedded system with built-in
PID algorithm, etc.

PC-based Control System Example

Process

0-5V/1-5V
Analog In
Measurement(s) - +
I/O Module
USB-6008

0-5V
Analog Out
Control Signal
- +

Controller (PID) and Lowpass Filter

Implementation
C#

AD Converter
DA Converter

USB

PC-based Control System

DAQ Data Acquisition

Your App created with
Sensors, etc.

LabVIEW, C#, etc.

A DAQ System consists of 4 parts:

NI USB 6008 DAQ Device
1. Physical input/output signals
2. DAQ device/hardware
3. Driver software
4. Your software application (Application software)

NI DAQmx Driver
or similiar

Implementing a Control System

While the real process is continuous, normally the
Controller and the Filter is implemented in a computer.

Recommended Litterature

Tutorial: Introduction to Visual Studio and C#

http://home.hit.no/~hansha/?tutorial=csharp
Tutorial: Data Acquisition in C#
http://home.hit.no/~hansha/?tutorial=csharp_daq
Structured Query Language
http://home.hit.no/~hansha/?tutorial=sql
Database Communication in Visual Studio/C#
http://home.hit.no/~hansha/documents/database/database_visual_studio.htm

Developing an OPC Client Application Using Visual Basic

http://www.ni.com/white-paper/3259/en/

Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

University College of Southeast Norway
www.usn.no
E-mail: hans.p.halvorsen@hit.no
Blog: http://home.hit.no/~hansha/