SCADAPack 474i
SCADAPack 474i is designed for remote and rugged environments, such as those found in the oil and gas industry. It is engineered to be resilient, enduring factors like fluctuating temperatures, moisture, and dust which can often compromise the functionality of other electronic devices.
SCADAPack 474i has the ability to support multiple communication protocols, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with various other systems and devices. The range of applications it serves is broad, spanning from data acquisition and logging to more intricate control tasks like wellhead automation.
The device comes with dedicated software tools that enhance user interaction, providing a platform for configuration, management, and diagnostics. The ease of use, combined with the flexibility offered, ensures that SCADAPack devices can be adapted to fit various industrial requirements.
SCADA: Learning the Basics
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are a combination of both hardware and software that allows monitoring of various devices that provide information about specific environments or processes. This information is transmitted through logic controllers, or other smart devices, and is sent to software interfaces known as an HMI, where the information is displayed in a way that individuals can read and interpret the data. SCADA is not only used for monitoring, it is also used for control. Through SCADA, it is possible to manipulate, move, or change the state of certain devices on the network. For example, it is possible to initiate a command through the HMI software that will energize or de-energize a solenoid valve, thus changing its state. In most scenarios, there are dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of points throughout a location or multiple locations that are being monitored and controlled through SCADA. SCADA systems can be found in many different industries such as telecommunications, water and wastewater, energy, oil and gas refining and transportation. These systems can be used to monitor and control only a few simple points, or can be used in massive energy plants where tens of thousands of data points are being interpreted and controlled every minute.
Hardware used in SCADA systems include:
- PLCs, which can act as a bridge between the hardware and software, as well as providing data transmission and network communications.
- Field monitoring and control devices, such as limit switches, temperature transmitters, pressure transmitters, solenoid valves, chemical monitoring devices and motor starters.
Software used in SCADA systems include:
- HMI or Human Machine Interface software receives data throughout the system and organizes it in a way that can be easily interpreted. It can also provide control based on the information it receives.