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 PLC DCS
control industrial processes ICS
that exist in the physical
world.

Industrial Control Systems, like PLC (Programmable

Logic Controller), DCS (Distributed Control System) SCADA
and SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition) share many of the same features
 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

Programmable LabVIEW
Automation Industrial PID
Controller Controller
(PAC)
Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
PC based Control System/SCADA
System (Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition)
PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

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

? PAC

DCS
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 Control
OPC Server
Plant System

Datalogging Network (LAN)

System
(Data Engine) SQL
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 0-5V
Analog In Analog Out Controller (PID) and Lowpass Filter
Measurement(s) - + Control Signal Implementation
- +

I/O Module AD Converter C#

DA Converter USB
USB-6008
PC-based Control System
 DAQ – Data Acquisition
Your App created with
Sensors, etc.
LabVIEW, C#, etc.

A DAQ System consists of 4 parts:

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