An Introduction To SCADA For Electrical Engineers
Control and Supervision
It is impossible to keep control and supervision on all industrial activities manually. Some automated tool is required which can control, supervise, collect data, analyses data and generate reports. A unique solution is introduced to meet all this demand is SCADA system.
SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition. It is an industrial control system where a computer system monitoring and controlling a process.
Another term is there, Distributed Control System (DCS). Usually there is a confusion between the concept of these two.
A SCADA system usually refers to a system that coordinates, but does not control processes in real time, but DCS do that. SCADA systems often have Distributed Control System (DCS) components.
Components of SCADA
1. Human Machine Interface (HMI)
It is an interface which presents process data to a human operator, and through this, the human operator monitors and controls the process.
2. Supervisory (computer) system
It gathers data on the process and sending commands (or control) to the process.
3. Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)
It connect to sensors in the process, converting sensor signals to digital data and sending digital data to the supervisory system.
4. Programmable Logic Controller (PLCs)
It is used as field devices because they are more economical, versatile, flexible, and configurable than special-purpose RTUs.
5. Communication infrastructure
It provides connectivity to the supervisory system to the Remote Terminal Units.
source: electrical-engineering-portal.com