1657028001407e-Book Vtscada

SCADA
& HMI
SPR ING ED I TI ON
Contents
3 — How to best design an HMI system
13 — JSmart Harsh Realities EXOR USA
14 — An HMI for Harsh Realities
26 — Five improvements made by incorporating situational awareness
in an HMI
32 — SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort Panel
33 — WinCC Unified: Defining the future of HMIs for greater usability,
flexibility and scalability
43 — Four steps to HMI screen design
47 — How the IIoT Can Liberate Valuable Stranded Data
57 — SCADA addresses oil and gas field challenges
65 — SCADA Redundancy Vs. Resiliency
66 — Evaluating SCADA - Seeing Beyond the Checkbox
77 — Four reasons why manufacturers should upgrade their
SCADA systems
2
How to best design an HMI system How to best design an
HMI system
A proper interface between a machine and its human operator greatly JSmart Harsh Realities
impacts efficiency and ease of use and should promote a harmonized EXOR USA
connection between the two. This tutorial provides guidance on how to best An HMI for Harsh Realities
build that connection though a human-machine interface (HMI). Five improvements made
by incorporating situational
H uman-machine interface (HMI) systems provide the controls by which a user oper- awareness in an HMI
ates a machine, system, or instrument. Sophisticated HMI systems enable reliable SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
operations of technology in every application, including high-speed trains, CNC ma- Panel
chining centers, semiconductor production equipment, as well as medical diagnostic WinCC Unified: Defining the
future of HMIs for greater
and laboratory equipment. HMI systems encompass all the elements a person will usability, flexibility and
touch, see, hear, or use to perform control functions and receive feedback on those scalability
actions. Four steps to HMI screen
design
How to design an HMI system? How the IIoT Can Liberate

Valuable Stranded Data
A highly reliable HMI system that delivers safe, cost-effective, consistent, and intuitive
performance relies on the application of engineering best practices throughout design, SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
panel layout, production, testing, and quality assurance processes. Just as critical, in-
depth knowledge of and compliance with all relevant ergonomic, safety, and industry SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
standards must inform each step of the design and manufacturing cycle. Clear defini-
Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
tions of the functional requirements, the operator’s level of expertise, and any commu- Beyond the Checkbox
nications/interactions with other systems provide the starting point in the knowledge-in-
Four reasons why
tensive design process. manufacturers should upgrade
their SCADA systems
Defining the operational/functional requirements

The tools needed for effective operator control of the equipment as well as the require-
ments of the overall application determine the selection of interface functions. 3
How to best design an HMI system
How to best design an
HMI system
General functionality
How many functions will be controlled by this interface? Where one function might be JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
served by pushbutton, keylock, and rotary switches, multiple functions could require sev-
An HMI for Harsh Realities
eral screen displays to cover operator functions and options. What kind of visual, audito-
ry, or tactile feedback will best serve the operator in performing the defined functions? Five improvements made
awareness in an HMI
Degree of input complexity
SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Input can be as simple as an on/off switch or a touchscreen display. Touchscreen HMI Panel
systems are increasingly popular in public transaction applications, because they can
WinCC Unified: Defining the
simplify complex operations and tolerate a moderate degree of rough use. Defining future of HMIs for greater
usability, flexibility and
input requirements will help decide which control technology is best suited for a specific
scalability
application.
Four steps to HMI screen
design
Operator feedback
How the IIoT Can Liberate
Feedback is critical to operator effectiveness and efficiency. Feedback can be visual, Valuable Stranded Data
auditory, tactile, or any combination of these that is necessary for the application. Feed-
SCADA addresses oil and gas
back is essential in systems that have no mechanical travel, such as a touchscreen or a field challenges
capacitive device that when triggered has no moving parts. In some cases feedback pro- SCADA Redundancy Vs.
vides confirmation of an action, while in others it adds to the functionality. Resiliency

Interface/Interconnection with other systems Beyond the Checkbox
HMI systems must be able to interface/interconnect with the system under control as Four reasons why
manufacturers should upgrade
well as other related systems. For example, in an industrial setting the HMI might con-
their SCADA systems
nect via hardwire or a serial bus to input/output (I/O) points that provide machine status.
Additionally, it might be networked into a manufacturing execution system and a supply
logistics/inventory system.
4
HMI system
Environmental considerations
The application environment—encompassing both physical location and vertical indus- JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
try environment-determines HMI system durability requirements. Environmental stresses
include exposure to moisture and the elements, temperature extremes, wear and tear,
vandalism, and general rough use characteristic of harsh environments, such as an indus- Five improvements made
trial production floor. awareness in an HMI

Lifecycle durability Panel
The HMI system should be rugged enough to withstand the elements and heavy use, but
it also should last for the duration of the equipment lifecycle. For example, a magnetic future of HMIs for greater
resonance imaging (MRI) HMI system interface should last at least 10 years.
scalability

Regulatory/standards considerations design
A thorough knowledge of technical ergonomic, design, and manufacturing standards is
fundamental to HMI system design. These include engineering standards, such as MIL- Valuable Stranded Data
STD-1472F, which establishes human engineering design criteria for military systems,
sub-systems, equipment, and facilities; Federal standards set by the Americans with field challenges
Disabilities Act; and industry guidelines, such as those from SEMI S2-93, the global semi- SCADA Redundancy Vs.
conductor industry association, covering HMI for semiconductor manufacturing equip- Resiliency
ment. Additional HMI specifications are defined by ANSI, IEEE, International Organiza- Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
tion for Standardization (ISO), and others. Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

Define the operator their SCADA systems
The key to a successful HMI system implementation requires a well-grounded definition
and understanding of the operators. Will the operator be a passive/intuitive user? If so,
commands/functions should be simple with an easy-to-comprehend interface. For this
5
HMI system
type of user, repeatability is also important—information and actions should appear con-
sistently from use to use. For an expert user, where more sophisticated control is desir- JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
able, there may be multiple layers or levels for interfacing with equipment.
For any user along the range from intuitive to expert, interface ergonomic considerations Five improvements made
should include: panel layout, HMI component selection, information presentation, feed- awareness in an HMI
back, and safety considerations.
Panel
Panel layout
The panel layout should be designed to provide the operator functional groups of relat- future of HMIs for greater
ed information in a predictable and consistent manner. In addition, the system must re-
scalability
quire an operator to initiate action and keep the operator informed by providing timely
feedback on those actions. The layout should be organized so that the operator is clearly design
prompted in advance when the next operator action is required.
HMI component selection
HMI designers can simplify their search for the appropriate switch or HMI component by field challenges
carefully analyzing their application requirements then determining the following: SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
• Electrical ratings Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
• Actuation preferences (momentary, maintained, rotary, etc.) Four reasons why

their SCADA systems
• Physical configuration and mounting needs
• Special requirements such as illumination, marking, environmental sealing, etc.

6
HMI system
Color scheme
The key to effective use of color is simplicity. Avoid too many colors or flashing alarms. JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
Stick with the “traffic light” model for key actions:
• Red for stop/failure/fault Five improvements made

awareness in an HMI
• Yellow for warning
Panel
• Green for OK/start/go/pass.
User feedback
scalability
Feedback is critical to ergonomic industrial design. Make sure the results of pressing a
control button, toggling a switch, or entering a command are absolutely clear. Determine design
if operator feedback is visual, auditory, tactile, or a combination of multiple techniques.
Cursor control (Trackball, joystick, keypad, touchpad, etc.)
The selection between different control technologies is primarily determined by the field challenges
resolution of control that is required by the application. A trackball or joystick enables SCADA Redundancy Vs.
granular, pixel-by-pixel control, a far higher resolution than possible with a typical PC Resiliency
point-and-click controller. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
Switches (Pushbutton, rocker, slide, keylock, rotary, etc.) Four reasons why
Pushbutton switches allow the option of illumination to indicate open/close switch status
their SCADA systems
when a quick visual indication is desired. They are also useful in machinery and machine
tools, electronic production, rail and bus transportation, medical treatment and diagnos-
tics, or other environments for easier manipulation when gloves are worn.
7
HMI system
Short travel technologies (Conductive rubber, membrane, keyboard, keypad, etc.)
Short travel technologies have been developed for industries where ease of cleaning or JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
disinfecting is mandatory. Short travel technology can include cost-effective, conductive
rubber keys in a typical keyboard, dome keys under an overlay, or a multilayer membrane.
Five improvements made
Touch and switching technologies (Capacitive, Piezo, high frequency, etc.) awareness in an HMI
Applications operating in aggressive environments such as public access or, for exam-
ple, soda dispensing, where the syrupy liquid tends to get into crevices and gum up Panel
the machinery-require a rugged, completely sealed surface. Piezo, capacitive, and high
frequency technologies all offer rugged switch technology with long life cycles and low future of HMIs for greater
maintenance costs.
scalability

Display technologies (LCD, active matrix, OLED, FED, plasma, etc.) design
The basic function of displays in HMI applications is to provide an information
source-operators interact to obtain information or to prompt for the next screen. Dis- Valuable Stranded Data
play technology choices are dictated by the HMI system environment and its degree of
ambient illumination, as well as by color requirements. Active matrix LCD technologies field challenges
are commonly used for color functionality, while legacy LCD technology is used in ap- SCADA Redundancy Vs.
plications where monochromatic feedback is sufficient. Organic light-emitting diodes Resiliency
(OLEDS) (carbon-based) can currently support smaller displays. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
Interactive displays, touchscreen Four reasons why

Touchscreen technologies offer a range of functionalities and characteristics that govern
their SCADA systems
HMI systems choice according to application and environment. It is important to deter-
mine which touch technology will be used in the early stages of the design cycle as the
different options offer quite unique electrical and mechanical requirements.
8
HMI system
Surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch technology
SAW touch technology sends acoustic waves across a glass surface from one transducer JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
to another positioned on an X/Y grid. The receiving transducer detects whether a wave
has been disrupted by touch and identifies its coordinates for conversion to an electrical
signal. SAW serves well in outdoor and harsh environments because it can be activated Five improvements made
by a heavy stylus or gloved fingers. awareness in an HMI

Motion control Panel
Motion control most often employs joystick technology for applications requiring macro
control, such as controlling the bucket on a payloader, a robotic arm, or directional con- future of HMIs for greater
trol for a piece of materials handling equipment or pull mechanisms.
scalability

Connecting/communicating with an HMI system design
Once you have established how an HMI will look, feel, and operate, consider how the
HMI will connect to and communicate with the core equipment or system under control. Valuable Stranded Data
Typically, communication can be achieved through several approaches: hard-wired con- SCADA addresses oil and gas
nection, serial bus connection, or wireless connection. field challenges
SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Hard-wired connections Resiliency
Conventional, hard-wired systems are still used in many transportation and industrial Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
legacy systems. Hard-wired systems require no special tools and are simple, visible, and
easy to understand, especially where the HMI interface controls one machine. Four reasons why
their SCADA systems
There are many drawbacks, including difficulty integrating changes or new features-new fea-
tures require new wiring. Conventional wiring also requires more space due to the number of
wires and the actual size of the wires and larger connectors due to higher pin counts.
9
HMI system
Serial bus systems
As equipment and con- JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
trol systems became more
complex and data hun-
gry, transmission of data Five improvements made
became a critical issue. awareness in an HMI
To facilitate faster data
transmission rates, devic- Panel
es incorporated serial bus
connections-especially in future of HMIs for greater
electronics, semiconductor,
scalability
machining, industrial, pro-
cess, and transportation. A design
serial bus approach elim-
inated data transmission Valuable Stranded Data
slowdowns due to cable
length and delivered reli- field challenges
The future of visualization able, real-time operations SCADA Redundancy Vs.
starts now! and work-in-process feed- Resiliency
SIMATIC WinCC Unified is a new visualization system to overcome back. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
the challenges of digitalization in mechanical engineering and plant Beyond the Checkbox
construction. It offers proven engineering in the TIA Portal and the latest
web technology, so you can implement ideas any way you imagine them.
Bus systems provide many Four reasons why
Take a tour and learn how to turn visualization of the future into reality. manufacturers should upgrade
usa.siemens.com/visualize-the-future
advantages over hard-
their SCADA systems
wired connections, includ-
ing easy addition of new
functionality—typically
10
HMI system
through software—without adding or replacing hardware. Wiring is much simpler and
more flexible with smaller cables and connectors allowing for more compact design and JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
easier hardware updating and relocation.
Fieldbus protocols evolved for interconnecting industrial drives, motors, actuators, and Five improvements made
controllers. Fieldbuses include: Profibus, DeviceNet, ControlNet, CAN/CANOpen, Inter- awareness in an HMI
bus, and Foundation Fieldbus.
Panel
Higher level networks connect with fieldbus protocols primarily across variations of Eth-
ernet. These include: Profinet, EtherNet/IP, Ethernet Powerlink, EtherCAT, Modbus-TCP, future of HMIs for greater
and SERCOS III.
scalability

Wireless connections/communications design
Industrial applications have employed wireless technologies over the past 20 or so years,
primarily to take advantage of real-time data transmission, application mobility, and re- Valuable Stranded Data
mote management capabilities. Interference, reliability, and security continue to present
difficulties for wireless connections in the HMI universe. field challenges

Safety considerations Resiliency
For HMI systems design, safety considerations are a critical part of the system. Human Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
error is a contributing factor in most accidents in high-risk environments. Clear presenta-
tion of alarms as well as the ability to report errors are crucial elements in any HMI. Four reasons why
their SCADA systems
In addition, emergency stop switches, generally referred to as E-Stops, ensure the safety
of persons and machinery and provide consistent, predictable, failsafe control response.
A wide range of electrical machinery must have these specialized switch controls for
11
HMI system
emergency shutdown to meet workplace safety and established international and do-
mestic regulatory requirements. JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA

International and U.S. standards for HMI systems
Key to the entire HMI system design cycle is a thorough knowledge of federal, industry, Five improvements made
ergonomic, safety, and design standards. These include Human Engineering standards, awareness in an HMI
such as MILSTD-1472F, which establishes human engineering design criteria for military
systems, subsystems, equipment, and facilities; federal standards like those set by the Panel
Americans with Disabilities Act; and industry guidelines such as those from SEMI, the WinCC Unified: Defining the
global semiconductor industry association, covering HMI for semiconductor manufactur- future of HMIs for greater
ing equipment. scalability

Additional HMI specifications are furnished by ANSI, IEEE, ISO, and others. design

The European Union (EU) provides specifications in the EU Machinery Directive for any Valuable Stranded Data
equipment in domestic, commercial, or industrial applications that have parts actuated SCADA addresses oil and gas
by a power source other than manual effort. Meeting this directive earns the equipment field challenges
a CE mark. SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
Depending on the ultimate product application, observing appropriate standards as- Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
sures that a product will meet industry criteria. This includes placement of components,
legend size and color, emergency stop switch configuration and guards, and other ergo- Four reasons why
nomic factors that improve usability, efficiency, and safety. their SCADA systems
John J. Pannone
John J. Pannone is vice president for HMI systems sales for EAO.
12
JSmart Harsh Realities EXOR USA
HMI system
JSmart Harsh Realities

EXOR USA

awareness in an HMI

Panel


scalability

design


field challenges
JSmart Harsh Realities EXOR USA SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
JSmart comes with single cable Power over Ethernet (PoE) for a
reliable and simplified connection. Built-in WIFI also enables the Beyond the Checkbox
display to participate in an existing wireless network, or to serve as
Four reasons why
a WIFI access point, reducing both your equipment footprint and manufacturers should upgrade
your total cost of ownership. their SCADA systems
13
An HMI for
Harsh Realities
Overcoming the Limitations of Human-Machine

Interfaces
Executive Summary
Human-machine interface (HMI) displays have long suffered
from a variety of design limitations, from bulky, immobile
enclosures to tangled cables and connectivity challenges.
Yet despite the frustration and inefficiencies these restric-
tions cause every day, they’ve traditionally been accepted as
necessary evils by equipment manufacturers and end users.
Many of these limitations were once matters of necessi-

ty because HMI displays have always needed to function
HMI system
in demanding environments. Depending on the application, they must be capable of
enduring extreme temperatures, functioning outdoors, responding to input from users EXOR USA
wearing protective gloves, or resisting exposure to dust, debris, gases, vapors, or liq-
An HMI for Harsh
uids (some of which may be explosive or flammable). Even when not deployed in harsh
Realities
conditions, HMIs must still be durable enough to provide years of reliable, round-the-
clock use in industrial settings. by incorporating situational
awareness in an HMI
While these challenges have never gone away, a variety of cost-effective innovations SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
now make it possible for HMI displays to overcome them in ways that would save con- Panel
siderable time, cost, and frustration for OEMs and end users alike. Yet most HMI dis- WinCC Unified: Defining the
plays available on the market have changed little over the years, leading to a resigned future of HMIs for greater
acceptance of long-standing limitations. scalability

This report will argue that traditional HMI limitations can and should be consigned to design
the past, review the design and functional benefits of modernizing HMI design, and How the IIoT Can Liberate
consider cost-effective alternatives that are Valuable Stranded Data
available today. SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
Traditional HMI Limitations SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
Enclosures
The conventional strategy for protecting an Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
HMI display from virtually any threat is to
Four reasons why
surround it with a miniature fortress — an manufacturers should upgrade
immovable enclosure bolted onto or built their SCADA systems
into the machine. Even if the front of the
display is tough enough to withstand its en-
15
HMI system
vironment, the back typically isn’t, requiring the additional protection of an enclosure.
While enclosures can provide significant protection from moisture, dust, debris, and EXOR USA
more, they come with several significant drawbacks. To begin with, enclosures are
An HMI for Harsh
bulky, taking up more space than the display itself would otherwise require.
Realities
In addition, enclosures must still permit access for the cables that provide power and by incorporating situational
data. It’s not unusual for HMI displays to have multiple ethernet ports, a power port, awareness in an HMI
and possibly other connectors like USB ports. Finding room for these ports and a place SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
for all those cables to go, without compromising the protection required for the dis- Panel
play, frequently results in a lot of extra design work. WinCC Unified: Defining the
These limitations often mean that the enclosure must be mounted where it’s most scalability
convenient for space, weight, or wiring considerations, which may or may not be where Four steps to HMI screen
you want it. For example, the HMI might design
be inconveniently placed at one end of How the IIoT Can Liberate
a machine when it would be more effi- Valuable Stranded Data
cient to have it at the other, requiring SCADA addresses oil and gas
the operator to waste time walking back field challenges
and forth. Likewise, an operator who SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
might benefit by controlling the system
from different areas of the equipment Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
at different times either doesn’t have
the option or would require redundant Four reasons why
displays — with one or more additional their SCADA systems
enclosures — to do so.
16
HMI system
Finally, the inflexibility of panels restricted by enclosures is creating increasing
frustration as a result of an ongoing trend toward smaller, less complex control EXOR USA
cabinets.
An HMI for Harsh
Realities
Connectivity Restrictions
Although Wi-Fi technology has become almost universal in every part of the globe by incorporating situational
since the late 1990s, it still hasn’t been incorporated into most HMI displays. The need awareness in an HMI
to access the inside of the enclosure or make some other kind of manual connection SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
to the system often causes unnecessary downtime or other delays. This can be particu- Panel
larly annoying if a user needs to download a program, update firmware, or export data WinCC Unified: Defining the
from the HMI. future of HMIs for greater
scalability
Additional frustrations come into play if HMI input is required while maintenance or Four steps to HMI screen
upgrades are being performed out of reach of the display — on the other side of the design
machine for example. Most screens designed for maintenance or startup personnel How the IIoT Can Liberate
can only be controlled on the display itself. As a result, either the technician must Valuable Stranded Data
continually move back and forth, or two people will be required to complete a job that SCADA addresses oil and gas
one tech equipped with Wi-Fi could do. field challenges

Resiliency
Non-Capacitive Displays
Modern smartphones, tablets, and other devices feature touchscreens that can rec- Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
ognize the electrical properties of the human body and convert them to input. Known
as “capacitive” displays, panels like these enable multi-touch features like pinching, Four reasons why
zooming, and swiping that most users now take for granted — and intuitively expect to their SCADA systems
be available on any touchscreen.
17
HMI system
The challenge of incorpo-
rating these features into EXOR USA
HMIs, however, is that many
An HMI for Harsh
users also need to wear
Realities
protective gloves, such
as the thick cotton work by incorporating situational
gloves worn in freezers and awareness in an HMI
other cold environments; SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
the vinyl, latex, or nitrile Panel
gloves used in chemical WinCC Unified: Defining the
and pharmaceutical manu- future of HMIs for greater
facturing; leather welding scalability
gloves; and everything in Four steps to HMI screen
between. Apart from a few varieties designed specifically to work with HMIs, usually by design
adding special finger pads, most types of gloves reduce or completely block the elec- How the IIoT Can Liberate
trical connection that enables standard capacitive screens to function. Valuable Stranded Data

As a result, most HMI displays available today continue to use analog “resistive” field challenges
touchscreens, which use two flexible sheets separated by air or microdots to respond SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
to pressure. While this enables the panel to be used with any type of glove, the reli-
ance on pressure means resistive displays typically don’t offer the broader range of Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
modern gesture controls common in capacitive displays and are less responsive to
multi-touch input when they do. In addition, the thin sheets required to make resistive Four reasons why
HMIs function are more prone to scratches, shattering, and chemical damage than the their SCADA systems
more durable surfaces of capacitive panels.
18
HMI system

EXOR USA
An HMI for Harsh

Realities
awareness in an HMI

Panel

scalability

design
Acceptance of the Status Quo How the IIoT Can Liberate

The most significant limitation of HMIs today is that everyone has lived with these
limitations for so long — willingly or not — that they are simply accepted. No one SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
in the HMI manufacturing space seems to be thinking about how these challenges
might be handled differently. As a result, alternatives to these limitations haven’t
Resiliency
been available, and engineers have typically been forced to design around the re-
strictions they impose. Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

But what if you weren’t limited by the constraints that have held HMIs back for decades? manufacturers should upgrade
What if the capabilities you’ve wanted — and which you’ve come to expect in most other their SCADA systems
types of electronics — were available in HMI displays?
19
HMI system
Let’s see what a truly modern HMI could look like, simply by incorporating a few capa-
bilities that already exist today. EXOR USA
An HMI for Harsh

Thinking Outside the Enclosure Realities
Imagine the design and operational freedom that could be provided by a standalone
HMI that requires no enclosure. As a result, the position of the display is no longer by incorporating situational
restricted, enabling you to place operator terminals in the most convenient locations. awareness in an HMI
Freedom from the enclosure also offers you significantly more mounting flexibility. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Instead of sitting inside a bulky metal box, the HMI could be mounted on a tube, sup- Panel
port arm, gooseneck, table stand, or wall bracket. WinCC Unified: Defining the
To escape the enclosure, such a display should offer the option of moisture and dust scalability
protection — not just on the front but on the back as well. While the know-how to do Four steps to HMI screen
this already exists, most HMI designs only incorporate IP67 standards into the front of design
the panel because they assume it must be housed in an enclosure. The display would How the IIoT Can Liberate
also need to be durable enough to function in extremes of heat and cold, from oil and Valuable Stranded Data
gas operations in the deserts of the Middle East to industrial freezers. SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
Next, let’s take full advantage of the most up-to-date advances in projected capacitive SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
touch (PCT) technology. This innovation combines a full set of motion and environment
sensors with a simple form of artificial intelligence. As a result, PCT displays can detect Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
touches accurately with significantly less electrical feedback, which makes them com-
Four reasons why
patible with most types of off-the-shelf gloves. This enables modern gestures like the manufacturers should upgrade
pinch, zoom, and swipe that we’ve all become accustomed to, with no special conduc- their SCADA systems
tive “e-gloves” required.
20
HMI system
Connectivity frustrations can be overcome with two simple improvements:
EXOR USA
1. By replacing the power and ethernet ports with a single power over Ethernet
An HMI for Harsh
(PoE) connection, all essential physical connections can be managed by a sin-
Realities
gle cable. Eliminating the extra ports reduces the footprint of the device, dis-
pels any confusion about which wire goes where, and gives you more options by incorporating situational
when it comes to positioning the display. Need a USB port? An optional version awareness in an HMI
of the PoE cable comes with a splitter that can handle both Ethernet and USB SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
inputs. Panel

2. Adding Wi-Fi capability to the HMI dramatically increases your flexibility, not only future of HMIs for greater
by removing the need for additional Ethernet ports, but by enabling operators and scalability
maintenance techs to interact with the unit via mobile devices like smartphones Four steps to HMI screen
and tablets. Ideally, a remote connection to the HMI could be established using design
any web browser, enabling a wide variety of devices to interact with the display. How the IIoT Can Liberate
Wireless connectivity also means data exports, software and firmware upgrades, Valuable Stranded Data
maintenance tasks, and even day-to-day operation can all be significantly simpli- SCADA addresses oil and gas
fied. Wi-Fi capability could be configured as either an access point or a hotspot field challenges
depending on the end user’s needs. SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
Here’s the best part about the HMI we’ve described here — it’s not hypothetical. It Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
already exists.
Four reasons why
Introducing JSmart by EXOR their SCADA systems
The JSmart PoE HMI Series was specifically designed to eliminate all the traditional
limitations and frustrations detailed above. The goal was to enable you to design and
21
HMI system
use equipment the way you want by making it easy to move beyond the constraints the
industry has taken for granted until now. EXOR USA
An HMI for Harsh

Created for real-world environments, the JSmart is a multitouch display available in six
Realities
sizes ranging from 5” to 21.5”. The unit features robust processing power, a durable
glass front panel, and a full set of motion and environment sensors. The 7” model and by incorporating situational
larger provide unmatched connectivity with built-in Wi-Fi. In addition, the 7” model is awareness in an HMI
also available with a near-field communication (NFC) option that’s fully compliant with SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
NFC ISO/IEC 14443A Part A (tag types 1 and 2). Panel

scalability

design


field challenges

Resiliency

Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

their SCADA systems
22
HMI system

EXOR USA
An HMI for Harsh

Realities
awareness in an HMI

Panel

scalability

design


field challenges

Resiliency

Beyond the Checkbox
JSmart displays are fully enclosed panels that provide full front and back IP67 environ-
Four reasons why
mental protection with Class I, Div 2 certification. They’re also certified for use in tem-
peratures ranging from -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F). A variety of dedicated mounting their SCADA systems
systems enable flexible positioning and use wherever the unit is needed, indoors or
out, without the need for a cabinet. In addition, every size uses the same standard
23
HMI system
22mm mount, enabling fast panel on/panel off changes if you need a larger or smaller
display as your needs change. EXOR USA
An HMI for Harsh

In short, it’s no longer necessary for you to settle for the limitations of traditional HMI
Realities
displays, even if you operate in harsh or demanding environments. By eliminating the
need for bulky enclosures, simplifying physical connections, and enabling Wi-Fi con- by incorporating situational
nectivity, the robust and reliable JSmart series offer decisive advantages, bringing awareness in an HMI
modern capabilities to HMI displays while reducing both your equipment footprint and SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
your total cost of ownership. Panel

About the author usability, flexibility and
With more than three decades of hands-on development expertise in the field, Ken scalability
Kamlowsky began his career as a controls design engineer at a machine builder in the Four steps to HMI screen
1990s. He later worked as an application engineer at an industrial automation compa- design
ny, then transitioned to a sales role at an HMI manufacturer. Since 2017 he has served How the IIoT Can Liberate
as General Manager of EXOR America, an innovative technology company that has Valuable Stranded Data
been designing, developing, and manufacturing solutions in HMI, industrial gateways, SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
and control for nearly half a century.
Resiliency

Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

their SCADA systems
24
Five improvements made by How to best design an
HMI system
incorporating situational awareness JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
in an HMI An HMI for Harsh Realities
Five improvements
With the ISA-101 standard aimed at addressing operator effectiveness,
made by incorporating
there has been an added focus on bringing practical HMI design concepts to situational awareness
plants. Five improvements are highlighted. in an HMI
I n a plant, there are likely a variety of efforts and systems in place to increase process
uptime and improve product quality. However, the human-machine interface (HMI),
is often overlooked in continuous improvement efforts, even though it provides the
Panel

critical window into the process upon which operators rely to make decisions on a scalability
daily basis. Too often organizations treat HMIs as if they are set in stone and cannot be
changed without a major, and costly, system overhaul. design

In fact, in many system modernizations, the scope is often limited to an upgrade in- Valuable Stranded Data
place or a reproduction of what the operator had before. Over time, this stagnant SCADA addresses oil and gas
mindset for HMIs can lead to several inefficiencies such as slow responses to alarms (or field challenges
missing one altogether), difficulties identifying the root cause of issues or performing SCADA Redundancy Vs.
maintenance or calibration tasks, and long training times for new operators to learn all Resiliency
the tricks of using the HMI from seasoned operators. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
With the ISA-101 standard aimed at addressing operator effectiveness, there has been Four reasons why
an added focus on bringing practical HMI design concepts to plants, including a push their SCADA systems
to develop graphics that promote situational awareness and design structure that
makes use of a four-level organizational method as shown below.
26
Five improvements made by incorporating situational awareness in an HMI
HMI system
Below are five reasons to con-
sider the implementation of EXOR USA
situational awareness concepts
into your plant’s HMI.
Five improvements
IMPROVEMENT 1: situational awareness
Faster reaction time in an HMI
for abnormal situa- SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
tions Panel
Imagine you are an operator WinCC Unified: Defining the

sitting in the control room. On
which of the two HMIs below scalability
in Figure 1 can you identify the Four steps to HMI screen
potential error most quickly? design
(Hint, it is a low-low level.) How the IIoT Can Liberate
The first HMI graphic is very SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
typical of those developed at
the time and would have in- SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
cluded animations that rotate
and change color, however, Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Figure 1: The top HMI is a graphic Beyond the Checkbox
it is hard to quickly identify the abnormal situation.
that was likely designed in the late
Four reasons why
Conversely, the Level 3 graphic on the bottom may 90s or early 2000s while the HMI on manufacturers should upgrade
not look as exciting, but it clearly depicts the low-low the bottom is a more recent Level 3 their SCADA systems
graphic optimized to clearly display key
level alert since color is strategically (and sparingly) information and alarm states. Courtesy:
used to identify the abnormality rather than through- Applied Control Engineering
27
HMI system
out the graphic. By using this type of grayscale graphic to provide a low-contrast de-
piction of conditions abnormal situations can be identified and dealt with more quickly. EXOR USA
It is likely that investing in Level 3 graphics for your HMI that clearly convey abnor-
malities such as this one can pay for itself rather quickly if a batch is saved, an issue is
predicted or prevented that would have led to an unplanned shutdown, or production Five improvements
quality is increased.
situational awareness
in an HMI
IMPROVEMENT 2: Identifying the root cause of issues SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
more quickly Panel
Continuing to look at the example screens in Figure 1, the tank is visually represent- WinCC Unified: Defining the
ed, but the only information conveyed about the state of the tank and its contents is future of HMIs for greater
that the level is low. Conversely, a situationally aware graphic clearly shows through scalability
the trend that the tank levels have been decreasing over time. This contextual in-
formation is helpful in identifying what may be causing the low low-level issue. For design
example, if this graphic is showing a tank for a process that has a 12-hour resonance How the IIoT Can Liberate
time for a reaction, nothing should change regarding the tank level during that time. Valuable Stranded Data
But, if the tank level is slowly decreasing, a good place to start when looking into SCADA addresses oil and gas
the root cause of the low low-level would be to check all the valves to see if one is field challenges
cracked open or leaking. SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
IMPROVEMENT 3: Simplifying routine maintenance Evaluating SCADA - Seeing

Beyond the Checkbox
and calibration
Four reasons why
To continue building off improvement 2, graphics that implement concepts from ISA- manufacturers should upgrade
101 will also assist maintenance staff in diagnosing and addressing instrumentation their SCADA systems
and hardware issues faster. Any time there is an issue with a piece of equipment, main-
tenance and calibration staff need to look at the engineering workstation for trouble-
28
HMI system
shooting. If instead, Level 4 graphics are implemented, maintenance and calibration
staff can more easily diagnose a problem if the right information is available, such as: EXOR USA

• Vendor skid detail graphics
Five improvements
• Interlock status for a process
in an HMI
• I/O card diagnostics
Panel
• Variable frequency drive diagnostics.
A Level 4 graphic can be particularly useful for solving an issue related to interlocks or usability, flexibility and
scalability
permissives. For example, if a pump is not starting, it could be because a valve may
need to be open for the pump to start. An operator may look and physically see that design
the valve is open, leading to complications with troubleshooting. But, if the control sys-
tem does not know the valve is open because it did not receive the proper feedback Valuable Stranded Data
signal from the limit switch, the pump will not run. This is a process safety feature and
means there is usually an electrical or mechanical problem with limit switch. If this type field challenges
of information can be identified on a Level 4 graphic, this can significantly reduce the SCADA Redundancy Vs.
amount of troubleshooting time needed. Resiliency

IMPROVEMENT 4: Streamlining operator training Beyond the Checkbox
When it comes to HMIs that have been around for decades, there are usually seasoned Four reasons why
veterans in the organization that understand all the tricks and workarounds in place to their SCADA systems
operate the process and find the information they need in the HMI system. For example,
over time many operators have created custom trend reports to monitor certain condi-
29
HMI system

EXOR USA
Five improvements
in an HMI
Panel

scalability

tions. While second nature to those operators, these Figure 2: An example of a Level 2 design
graphic that shows the status of a
practices will complicate operator training and pose the How the IIoT Can Liberate
reactor. Courtesy: Applied Control
risk of knowledge gaps for new operators as more sea- Valuable Stranded Data
Engineering
soned operators begin to retire. A well-designed HMI SCADA addresses oil and gas
that leverages the concepts of situational awareness and consists of multiple levels of field challenges
screens can help greatly simplify operator training. Instead of needing to remember to SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
monitor a custom trend report that was created as a work around for a newer subsystem
or key performance indicator (KPI), an indicator with all the pertinent information the Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
operator needs can easily be built into a Level 2 or Level 3 graphic.
Four reasons why
IMPROVEMENT 5: Driving process improvements through their SCADA systems
better information, automation
In many plants, operators are using an HMI that has all the information, but it may not 30
HMI system
be organized in the most efficient way. A number of years ago, I installed a system at a
hydroelectric plant. When I sat down in front of the HMI, I noticed the operator always EXOR USA
had a custom trend with just two parameters loaded as pens, level values for the ca-
nal. It turns out this information provided these values and were the key indicators for
this facility. The operator watched this trend to know if the plant was operating well. If Five improvements
it was not, then he would navigate to one of the P&ID-based graphics we provided to
put the plant back on track. I added the operator’s custom trend as a main navigation in an HMI
item so that it was always a click away.
Panel
This example predates ISA-101, but it is a great illustration of the need for a Level 2
graphic such as the one shown in Figure 2. In short, the Level 2 graphic should display future of HMIs for greater
all the key information of a process on one graphic and allow an operator to take re- usability, flexibility and
scalability
quired actions without navigating to other displays.
design
Continuous HMI information improvement How the IIoT Can Liberate
As you begin conversations with management about incorporating situational aware- Valuable Stranded Data
ness and other concepts from ISA-101 into your plant, it is also important to convey SCADA addresses oil and gas
that, like any other continuous improvement project, you do not need to take on all field challenges
your changes at once. Developing a phased approach to optimizing your HMI can SCADA Redundancy Vs.
coincide and support other continuous improvement efforts in your plant and offer a Resiliency
low-cost method, where new software or hardware are not always needed, for improv- Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
ing operator efficiency. Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

Mike Lennon their SCADA systems
Mike Lennon, operations manager, Applied Control Engineering, Inc.
31
SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort Panel
HMI system
JSmart Harsh Realities EXOR

USA

awareness in an HMI
SIMATIC HMI Unified

Comfort Panel

scalability

design


field challenges
SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort Panel SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
The SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort Panels allow you to
implement innovative operating concepts, both now and Beyond the Checkbox
in the future. Four reasons why
their SCADA systems
32
WinCC Unified: As more data, systems and interactions take
place between humans and machines, a more
sophisticated and responsive HMI is required for
Defining the communications. Siemens SIMATIC WinCC Unified
is the next generation of HMI systems designed
future of HMIs for in response to digitalization and the increasing
demands in functionality and operability by both
greater usability, machine builders and plant operators.
flexibility and T he Internet of Things (IoT) is quickly transforming the

relationship between humans and machines to open
new opportunities for innovation in discrete manufacturing
scalability and process industries. As Industrie 4.0 unfolds, more and

more devices and systems are becoming interconnected, so
their operators can leverage the benefits of new technolog-
ical advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual
reality, and augmented reality. And that’s not to mention
enabling operators to extract new operational insights from
the wealth of data produced by such technologies.
But these trends are driving new demands on the func-

tionality and usability of human machine interfaces (HMIs).
They must deliver the right data at the right time to the
right person or system. That can exceed what a lot of leg-
acy HMI systems can deliver. In fact, with production data
estimated to increase to 175 zettabytes by 20251, it is clear
WinCC Unified: Defining the future of HMIs for greater usability, flexibility
HMI system
that data management and visualization are quickly becoming critical to production
optimization and overall performance. Digitalization is no longer a competitive advan- EXOR USA
tage in the workplace but rather a competitive imperative for profitability and longevity
in a market dependent on fast-changing consumer trends.
Next-generation HMI technology takes human-machine inter- awareness in an HMI
actions to new levels of sophistication SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort

Panel
To do this, operators need a system designed with the future in mind. The Siemens
SIMATIC WinCC Unified System enriches the current Siemens SIMATIC portfolio by WinCC Unified: Defining
providing operators with much more flexibility in its applications and capabilities on the future of HMIs
the shop floor. Programmable through the SIMATIC Totally Integrated Portal (TIA for greater usability,
Portal), a fully integrated engineering and programming automation framework that
provides unrestricted access to all of Siemens digitalized automation services, WinCC Four steps to HMI screen
design
Unified enables the continuous deployment of software updates while offering manu-
facturers a single integration platform. It provides four core benefits to plant operators Valuable Stranded Data
and OEMs:
field challenges
• Greater operating visibility
• More hardware connectivity options Resiliency
• Faster time-to-market Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
• Easy scalability of operating systems to foster innovation and incorporate emerg- Beyond the Checkbox
ing technologies Four reasons why
their SCADA systems
Designed with openness in mind
WinCC Unified uses an open-source runtime engine that supports full native web tech-
nologies, such as HTML 5, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), and Javascript to be used
34
HMI system
within TIA Portal. This provides engineers with the ability to customize and animate
HMIs, such as the Siemens SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort Panels, for greater data EXOR USA
visualization via Dynamic SVG or custom web controls.

awareness in an HMI

Panel
WinCC Unified: Defining

the future of HMIs
for greater usability,
design


field challenges

Resiliency
With JavaScript as the primary scripting language for all Unified Comfort Panels and
Siemens SIMATIC industrial PC (IPC) systems, application developers now have full use Beyond the Checkbox
of the entire object-oriented JavaScript scope for handling data, objects, classes, and
Four reasons why
inheritance to maximize portability in both commissioning and execution environments. manufacturers should upgrade
their SCADA systems
What’s more, the Openness API in the TIA Portal saves valuable engineering time by
allowing code blocks and components to be used across all WinCC Unified Platforms.
35
HMI system
This reduces commissioning time through easy-to-run comparison reports and debug-
ging traces that can catch errors early – before they manifest later, potentially costing EXOR USA
more engineering time to fix.

The dramatic increase in production data generated by technologies supporting IoT by incorporating situational
connectivity and cloud-based services require enhancements in analytics and visual- awareness in an HMI
ization to realize its benefits. Application openness delivers the necessary visibility and SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
accessibility without compromising operations on the shop floor. Panel

SIMATIC WinCC Unified Comfort Panels come preinstalled with web and system ap- the future of HMIs
plications that offer users the ability to work in documents, view instruction videos for greater usability,
through built-in media players, and get instant access to web-based systems. Synchro- flexibility and scalability
nous remote access mirrors panel to app, keeping teams connected with access to the Four steps to HMI screen
design
WinCC Unified System from any modern web browser, including mobile devices, with-
out the need to install extra plugins. How the IIoT Can Liberate

field challenges
Future-Ready SIMATIC WinCC Unified, the newest addition
to the WinCC portfolio … Resiliency
The new Siemens SIMATIC WinCC Unified System
is programmable in the TIA Portal V16, as are WinCC Advanced Beyond the Checkbox
and WinCC Professional. It provides major future-ready enhancements
Four reasons why
over its legacy WinCC counterparts. WinCC V7 remains available manufacturers should upgrade
as does WinCC OA, the latter for extremely large-scale requirements. their SCADA systems
36
HMI system

EXOR USA

Case Study Snapshot awareness in an HMI
Heizomat, a German manufacturer of fully automatic wood SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
chip heaters, required an efficient solution that could keep up with Panel
its customers’ growing demands for greater functionality and usability. WinCC Unified: Defining
Their latest generation of heaters deliver powerful performance, the future of HMIs
greater flexibility, and an improved visualization system to their for greater usability,
heating systems with 7-inch SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort flexibility and scalability
Panels powered by SIMATIC WinCC Unified. The openness of Four steps to HMI screen
design
the system also allows Heizomat to import their own software
and applications into the devices for maintenance operations. How the IIoT Can Liberate

field challenges
Support for extending industrial edge applications
and capabilities Resiliency
WinCC Unified’s functionality is extended further via Edge Apps, available through the Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Open Pipe Interface. Device-managed Edge Apps are installed locally with diagnostic Beyond the Checkbox
information available remotely via webserver or Control Panel. Four reasons why
their SCADA systems
Centrally-managed Edge Apps provide additional flexibility in user management and
version control. These Edge Apps can be managed on-premise or remotely through
the Industrial Edge Management System or other third-party cloud platforms for
37
HMI system
easier deployment of device-related updates and implementation of security patches.
The WinCC Unified System leverages this connectivity to enable a new level of com- EXOR USA
munication between machines. Screens, tags, archives, alarms and other machine data
are all fluidly exchanged between machines during runtime, allowing production data
from several machines to be combined for advanced analytics and greater insight into by incorporating situational
performance. awareness in an HMI

Remote engagement is possible through data visualization and connectivity apps. For Panel
example, the MQTT App connects automation equipment to cloud-based systems like WinCC Unified: Defining
Siemens MindSphere, the IoT open operating system for applications and data, while the future of HMIs
the SIMATIC Flow Creator defines data workflows and rules that will trigger action if for greater usability,
thresholdn values are exceeded or a special event occurs. flexibility and scalability
design
SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort Panels can even be connected to smart devices via the
SIMATIC Notifier App, issuing system alarms and messages directly to the smart- How the IIoT Can Liberate
phones or smartwatches of plant operators and technicians. Additionally, these intel-
ligent displays are compatible with external hardware, such as printers or bar code SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
scanners, for additional field-level connectivity or can be connected.
Resiliency
One integration platform to scale SCADA efficiently across Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
multiple machines Beyond the Checkbox
As manufacturers navigate their digital transformations, they must weigh if emerging Four reasons why
technologies warrant the significant resource and cost investments with what their manufacturers should upgrade
their SCADA systems
current system can support. For many, the path to digitalization – and the potential
gains in efficiency and productivity – are inhibited by a lack of flexibility in their current
processes. Furthermore, older control systems do not have the extensibility or scalabil-
38
HMI system
ity necessary to integrate the innovative technologies of Industrie 4.0. such as AI, aug-
mented reality or edge technologies. EXOR USA

One integration platform not only makes it easier to understand what to scale but how to
scale. While the WinCC Unified system supports current controls, IPCs, and other technol- by incorporating situational
ogies used in HMIs and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems today, awareness in an HMI
its openness provides the flexibility to connect all kinds of new devices in the future. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
By supporting multiple components and third-party tools like cameras, 3D viewers, WinCC Unified: Defining
sensors or GPS trackers, WinCC Unified provides the foundation for OEMs and their the future of HMIs
customers in the manufacturing and process industries to move nimbly from automat- for greater usability,
ed to autonomous processes with fewer friction points along the way. flexibility and scalability
design
Applications pre-installed on the
Siemens SIMATIC WinCC Unified System How the IIoT Can Liberate
• Google Chrome Browser SCADA addresses oil and gas

field challenges
• VLC Media Player
• Okular PDF Viewer Resiliency
• Libre Office
Beyond the Checkbox
One modern software platform for all runtime environments and one engineering envi-
Four reasons why
ronment within TIA Portal provides greater reliability and usability, whether its scaling manufacturers should upgrade
to a complex SCADA solution or adding new requirements to runtime. Machine config- their SCADA systems
uration is streamlined to be built with the .NET programming language that allows for
individual project configurations to be created within seconds.
39
HMI system
Easy device changes, reusable components and consistent user interfaces deliver an
intuitive user experience whether that person is a programmer or operator. Program- EXOR USA
mer or operator.

With emerging technologies on the horizon, WinCC Unified offers many ways to in- by incorporating situational
tegrate third-party tools for improved changes, reusable components and consistent awareness in an HMI
user interfaces deliver an intuitive user experience whether that person is a program- SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
mer or operator. Panel

With emerging technologies on the horizon, WinCC Unified offers many ways to inte- the future of HMIs
grate third-party tools for improved collaboration and communication between devic- for greater usability,
es. One way of connecting, for example, is through custom web controls that are used flexibility and scalability
during runtime by the operator. These controls are connected through a cloud-based Four steps to HMI screen
design
platform and externally created in the WinCC engineering environment before being
imported into the user interface. How the IIoT Can Liberate
Another way to integrate devices and support their collaboration is via the WinCC SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
Unified Open Pipe interface. It connects a third-party application to runtime through
a connection code that can be written in any programming language supporting pipe Resiliency
technology.
Beyond the Checkbox
Lastly, Open Data Kit (ODK) software enables offline data collection that submits data
Four reasons why
to an on-premise server during runtime. This runtime openness allows for large data manufacturers should upgrade
exchanges with database systems as well as the sharing of screens, tags, archives and their SCADA systems
alarms for greater visibility and flexibility in use cases involving multiple machine su-
pervision.
40
HMI system
A modern user interface for enhanced communications and JSmart Harsh Realities
performance EXOR USA
Siemens SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort Panels brilliantly display the next level of com- An HMI for Harsh Realities
munications from PC-based systems, edge, and cloud environments. With capacitive Five improvements made
multitouch technology on all frame sizes, from 7- to 22-inch diagonals, the panels offer by incorporating situational
awareness in an HMI
great readability with bright colors and vector-based graphics, even in full daylight.
With a significant increase of performance and system limits compared to previous SI- SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
MATIC Comfort Panels as seen in Figure 1, the new Unified Comfort Panels come fully
configured for larger appli- WinCC Unified: Defining
cations and system limits, the future of HMIs
for greater usability,
regardless of panel size.
An intuitive interface brings
design
the smartphone user ex-
perience to industrial ap- Valuable Stranded Data
plications with improved
multitouch gestures such field challenges
as zooming and panning
in web controls and docu- Resiliency
Figure 1
ment viewers, screen change swipes, and scrolling in list. What’s Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
more, the hardened, anti-reflective glass front has been tested Beyond the Checkbox
with a variety of commercial work gloves to ensure usability, plus the interface’s high Four reasons why
electromagnetic compatibility safeguards operability in any environment. Moving from manufacturers should upgrade
their SCADA systems
pixel-based to vector-based graphics also greatly improves the design and usability of
the panels.
41
HMI system
In the future, the HMI and SCADA portfolio in the TIA Portal will be based on the Sie-
mens SIMATIC WinCC Unified System to take advantage of the virtually limitless pos- EXOR USA
sibilities that its openness and integration provide. As consumer demands drive inno-
vation even beyond today’s most advanced technologies, the convergence of OT and
IT will become increasingly more prevalent in industrial automation while connectivity, by incorporating situational
security and data optimization become critical to operations. awareness in an HMI

As such, industrial automation will depend more on operating systems that can scale Panel
to optimize production performance and availability and still support the continuous WinCC Unified: Defining
digital transformation necessary to remain competitive. While the path to digitalization the future of HMIs
looks different for every manufacturer and industry, one thing is clear: it requires flex- for greater usability,
ibility in technology application and greater interoperability to stay competitive and flexibility and scalability
embrace the next generation of automation as well as autonomous manufacturing. Four steps to HMI screen
design
To learn more about the Siemens SIMATIC WinCC Unified System and SIMATIC HMI How the IIoT Can Liberate
Unified Comfort Panels, readers are invited to visit siemens.com/wincc-unified-sys-
tem. They can also register there to join the SIMATIC WinCC Unified community and SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
gain access to on-demand video clips, user forums and additional information on how
to get started with this innovative technology and putting it to work laying the founda- Resiliency
tion for their own next-generation machines and industrial facilities.
Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

their SCADA systems
42
Four steps to HMI screen design How to best design an
HMI system
The task may sound intimidating, but designing a human-machine interface JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
(HMI) screen actually isn’t too different from creating a word document or
presentation. An HMI for Harsh Realities
T he task may sound intimidating, but designing a human-machine interface (HMI)

screen actually isn’t too different from creating a word document or presentation.
Just follow some basic rules:
awareness in an HMI

Panel
• Remember your audience WinCC Unified: Defining the

• Stick to the point (task-oriented displays) scalability
Four steps to HMI

• Avoid unknown jargon (If advanced control is not understood, use simple terms) screen design
• Use a template (keep your information/ functions in consistent locations). Valuable Stranded Data

Designing HMI screens doesn’t mean copying a piping and instrumentation design field challenges
(P&ID) onto a graphic. It means simplifying the process so an operator can easily see SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
what’s going on in a particular area. Before developing a screen, talk to your users!
Console operators are the best source of information for designing an HMI screen. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
Here are four basic steps to follow to achieve effective HMI screen design: Four reasons why
their SCADA systems
1. Create, define standards
Take into account operators’ physical environments, such as control room lighting, how
many screens they monitor, and how close they sit to the screens. These factors help
43
Four steps to HMI screen design
HMI system
determine standards, such as font sizes, symbols, and colors. A shape or picture library
will help ensure consistency in the desired images. Consider these tips: EXOR USA

• Make wise use of colors. Make primary data (process values) stand out with high
contrast. Secondary or support data (text descriptors) should be smaller and/or by incorporating situational
blended with the background. Alarm data must be easily recognizable with bright awareness in an HMI
colors. Dedicated colors should be chosen for each alarm priority. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
• Make sure process lines flow left to right. Avoid line bends and crossings when WinCC Unified: Defining the
possible. future of HMIs for greater
scalability
• Be consistent. Maintain absolute consistency in detail, layout, symbols, and abbre-
Four steps to HMI
viations. screen design
• Indicate major process flows with wider lines (from feed to principal products). This Valuable Stranded Data
approach helps differentiate between major product/process flows and utility lines.
field challenges
2. Gather, review data SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Data sources may be any combination of P&IDs, existing displays, procedures, incident Resiliency
or near-miss analyses, and operator interviews. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing

Beyond the Checkbox
A P&ID might seem the most complicated element. But remember that while all compo- Four reasons why
nents outlined in a P&ID are vital to that process, they’re not all vital for an HMI display. their SCADA systems
Sometimes the most basic of tools—a box of colored pencils—is the most helpful. When
studying a P&ID, use pencils to determine instrumentation and flows. Don’t worry about
lines that don’t have instrumentation connected to the DCS; color in the ones that do.
44
Four steps to HMI screen design
HMI system
3. Create a first draft JSmart Harsh Realities
The first draft can be a markup of existing displays, a Microsoft Visio or a CAD drawing, EXOR USA
or even a paper sketch. An HMI for Harsh Realities

When beginning with a paper sketch, draw the diagram lines you’ve marked on the by incorporating situational
P&ID, straightening and uncrossing lines as you go. The result should yield a complete awareness in an HMI
picture of everything that needs to be included on the HMI screen. And you’ll minimize SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
room for error by eliminating unnecessary lines and data.
Base equipment representation on importance or value, not on physical size. Give ob- usability, flexibility and
jects the prominence they deserve. The largest object isn’t always the most important. scalability
Four steps to HMI

4. Refine, approve screen design
Cluster, but don’t clutter, information/functions. Make sure related information is visu- How the IIoT Can Liberate
ally positioned in easily understandable groups. Evenly distributing information and Valuable Stranded Data
drawings across the screen will reduce clutter. Finally, graphics and flow charts are SCADA addresses oil and gas
usually easier to read if the core task/function is in the center. Apply this logic to your field challenges
display screen. SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
In the end, all these suggestions are based on the principles that an operator should Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
be able to easily understand an HMI display, prioritize tasks, and focus on required in-
formation. Clear, organized, and uncluttered information help an operator respond to Four reasons why
an alarm more quickly and better understand a process. their SCADA systems
Rebecca Haley and Scott Kuehl

Rebecca Haley, project specialist, and Scott Kuehl, senior project engineer, Honeywell Inc.
45
How the IIoT Can Silvia Gonzalez from Emerson identifies
common reasons for stranded data produced
by automation systems and how access to
Liberate Valuable this valuable information can be simplified by
an edge-to-cloud industrial internet of things
Stranded Data (IIoT) solution.
A utomation systems generate vast amounts of data

which can be used to improve business outcomes,
but only if it can be accessed, managed and analyzed ef-
fectively. Unfortunately, this valuable data often remains in-
accessible due to a range of technical and commercial rea-
sons. Newer architectures are changing this predicament
by combining flexible and capable edge computing with
a cloud computing model, making it not only feasible, but
practical to analyze this data, gain new insights and make
the results available to stakeholders. This article identifies
some of the most common reasons organizations struggle
with stranded data, and how a modern edge-to-cloud IIoT
solution makes it easy to access and use this data.
How existing infrastructure causes

stranded data
Until recently, most manufacturing data was sourced from
PLCs, HMIs, SCADA and historian systems running in the
operations technology (OT) domain. These systems have
How the IIoT Can Liberate Valuable Stranded Data
HMI system
been focused on providing
control and visibility to max- EXOR USA
imize operational efficiency
and uptime. As such, access-
ing and analyzing associated by incorporating situational
data beyond immediate pro- awareness in an HMI
duction goals is a secondary SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
concern. Panel

The OT infrastructure has been designed and scaled according to Courtesy: Emerson future of HMIs for greater
operational needs, leading to choices such as: scalability
Four steps to HMI

• Selecting proprietary communication protocols that meet performance require- screen design
ments, but without supporting flexibility and cross-vendor interoperability
How the IIoT Can
Liberate Valuable
• Minimizing control and sensor data collection to maximize system reliability and Stranded Data
simplicity SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
• Implementing localized on-premises architectures to minimize cybersecurity threats SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
• Vendor lockout schemes to protect intellectual property and promote reliable ma- Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
chine operation, often at the expense of connectivity
Four reasons why
The resulting systems perform admirably in the context of their operational goals, but their SCADA systems
they suffer from data ‘blind spots’ and do not benefit from the analysis of all potentially
accessible data.
48
HMI system
Within the OT environment, data sources appear to be open, but in reality, they are
quite difficult to access for applications outside the OT environment, where the data EXOR USA
can be more easily analyzed. In addition, many potentially valuable sources of data
– such as environmental conditions, condition-monitoring information and utility con-
sumption – are not needed for production or equipment control and are therefore not by incorporating situational
collected by the automation systems. Big data analytics capabilities continue to ex- awareness in an HMI
pand, but the constrained access to stranded data continues to limit their potential. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
Types of stranded data WinCC Unified: Defining the

Stranded data exists in many forms, originating from machines, the factory floor and usability, flexibility and
other systems throughout a scalability
facility, often as part of the OT Four steps to HMI
but also associated with other screen design
support and utility systems. This How the IIoT Can
data can be as granular as a sin- Liberate Valuable
gle temperature reading, or as Stranded Data
extensive as a historical data log SCADA addresses oil and gas
identifying the number of times field challenges
an operator acknowledged an SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Courtesy: Emerson Resiliency
alarm. Typical types of stranded data include:
Beyond the Checkbox
Isolated – assets within a facility with no network access to any OT or IT system. This
is the most straightforward case, but not necessarily the easiest to solve. Consider a Four reasons why
standalone temperature transmitter with 4-20mA connectivity or even Modbus ca- their SCADA systems
pability. It needs to connect with some type of edge device – PLC, edge controller,
gateway or other – to make this data stream accessible. In many cases, the data is
49
HMI system
not critical to machine control, so it is not available through traditional legacy PLC/
SCADA data sources. Pulling the data in through the nearest machine PLC risks void- EXOR USA
ing OEM warranties due to required changes in the programming logic.

Ignored – assets connected with OT systems and generating data, but the data by incorporating situational
is not being consumed. Many intelligent edge devices provide basic and extend- awareness in an HMI
ed data. A smart power monitor can provide basic information like volts, amps, SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
kilowatts, kilowatt-hours and more using hardwired or industrial communication Panel
protocols. But deeper data sets, such as total harmonic distortion (THD) may not WinCC Unified: Defining the
be transmitted due to lack of application requirements, low bandwidth commu- future of HMIs for greater
nications or limited system data storage capacity. The data is there, just never scalability
accessed. Four steps to HMI
screen design
Under-sampled – assets generating data but sampled at an insufficient data rate.
How the IIoT Can
Even when a smart device is supplying data to supervisory systems via some type Liberate Valuable
of communication bus, the sampling rate may be too low, or the latency too great, Stranded Data
or the data set is so large that the results are not obtained in a usable fashion. SCADA addresses oil and gas
Sometimes, the data may be summarized before it gets published resulting in a field challenges
loss of fidelity. SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
Inaccessible – assets generating data (often non-process, yet still important for Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
things like diagnostics) but in a generally inaccessible format or not available
via traditional industrial systems. Some smart devices have on-board data, like Four reasons why
error logs, which may not be communicated via standard communication proto- their SCADA systems
cols, but nonetheless would be very useful when analyzing events that resulted in
downtime.
50
HMI system
Non-digitalized – personnel generating data manually on paper, clipboards and
whiteboards, which misses the opportunity to capture this information digitally. For EXOR USA
many operating companies, workers complete test and inspection forms and other
similar quality documents in a physical paper format, without any provisions for inte-
grating this information with digital records. A more modern approach uses digital by incorporating situational
methods to gather this data, leading to a ‘paperless plant.’ awareness in an HMI

Gaining value from edge-sourced data in the cloud Panel
Stranded data is of significant interest to organizations looking to analyze operational WinCC Unified: Defining the
performance across an entire production facility or multiple facilities. They are looking usability, flexibility and
to find solutions to transmit scalability
stranded data from the field Four steps to HMI
to the cloud for logging, screen design
visualization, processing and How the IIoT Can
deeper analysis. This connec- Liberate Valuable
tivity, especially to high-level Stranded Data
on-site and cloud-based en- SCADA addresses oil and gas
terprise IT systems, is needed field challenges
so that the many types of SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
edge data can be historized Courtesy: Emerson
and analyzed to achieve deeper and longer-term analytical results, Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
far beyond what is typically performed for near-term production-oriented goals.
Four reasons why
When an end user or OEM can liberate stranded data from traditional data sources their SCADA systems
and transmit this to cloud-hosted applications and services, this creates many opportu-
nities including:
51
HMI system
• Remote monitoring
EXOR USA
• Predictive diagnostics and root cause analysis

• Planning across machines, plants and facilities by incorporating situational
awareness in an HMI
• Long-term data analytics SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
• Like-for-like asset analysis within and across multiple plants WinCC Unified: Defining the
• Fleet management scalability
Four steps to HMI

• Cross-domain data anal- screen design
ysis and analytics (deep
How the IIoT Can
learning) Liberate Valuable
Stranded Data
• Insights into production SCADA addresses oil and gas
bottlenecks field challenges

Courtesy: Emerson Resiliency
• Identifying where process defects are originating, even if they
are not detected until further in the production process Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
Creating an edge solution Four reasons why

The purpose of IIoT initiatives is to solve the challenges of stranded data and effec- their SCADA systems
tively connect edge data to the cloud, where it can be analyzed. IIoT solutions in-
corporate hardware technologies in the field, software running at both the edge and
52
HMI system
the cloud, and communication protocols, all effectively integrated and architected to
securely and efficiently transmit data for analysis and other uses. EXOR USA

Edge solutions can be an integral part of automation systems or installed in parallel
to monitor data not needed by the automation systems. Many users prefer the lat- by incorporating situational
ter approach, because they can obtain the necessary data without impacting existing awareness in an HMI
production systems. However, the key is that these new digital capabilities can connect SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
with all previously identified forms of stranded data. Panel

Edge connectivity solutions take many forms, including: future of HMIs for greater
scalability
• Compact or large PLCs ready to connect with industrial PCs (IPCs) running SCADA Four steps to HMI
or edge software suites screen design
How the IIoT Can

• Edge controllers that are ‘edge-enabled’ and running SCADA or edge software suites Liberate Valuable
Stranded Data
• IPCs running SCADA or edge software suites SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
Hardware deployed at the edge may need wired I/O and/or industrial communication SCADA Redundancy Vs.
protocol capabilities to interact with all sources of edge data. Once the data is ob- Resiliency
tained, it may need to be pre-processed or at least organized by adding context. Main- Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
taining context is particularly important in manufacturing environments where there
are hundreds or thousands of discrete sensors monitoring and driving mechanical and Four reasons why
physical machinery actions. Modern automation software systems help preserve the their SCADA systems
relative relationships and context.
53
HMI system
Finally, the data must be transmitted to higher-level systems, using protocols like
MQTT or OPC UA. Today’s OT/IT standards are developing in a way that ensures the EXOR USA
consistency and future flexibility of data and communications. It is important for any
solution to be flexible yet standard-compliant – as opposed to custom setups that will
be impossible to maintain long term. Once an edge solution is in place and can get by incorporating situational
the data, the next step is to make it accessible to higher-level IT systems, with seam- awareness in an HMI
less communications to cloud-hosted software. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
Connecting the edge to the cloud WinCC Unified: Defining the

Hosting software in the cloud offers a range of benefits, these include reduced costs, usability, flexibility and
with the user paying scalability
only for what they use Four steps to HMI
and avoiding invest- screen design
ment in purchasing and How the IIoT Can
managing IT infrastruc- Liberate Valuable
tures. Cloud computing Stranded Data
is often referred to as SCADA addresses oil and gas
an ‘elastic computing’ field challenges
environment because if SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
more computing or data Courtesy: Emerson
resources are needed, they can be added in real time as required. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
The cloud also relieves the user from the problems of configuring IT hardware and Four reasons why
software systems, along with deployment, management, performance, security and up- their SCADA systems
dates of the same. Resources can be focused on pursuing their core business-related
objectives.
54
HMI system
Critically, the cloud provides the ability to process big data sets efficiently with CPU
processing power scaling based on the needs of the analytics. Greater accessibility is EXOR USA
possible, with data ac-
cessible from wherever
and whenever using by incorporating situational
any device capable of awareness in an HMI
hosting a web browser. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
Data security can be WinCC Unified: Defining the

enhanced using differ- future of HMIs for greater
ent servers for storage, scalability
with backup and disas- Four steps to HMI
ter recovery options. screen design
Quicker development
How the IIoT Can
is possible, with platforms immediately operative, and only an in- Courtesy: Emerson Liberate Valuable
ternet connection and access credentials needed. Stranded Data
A cloud architecture fits particularly well with the needs of organizations when imple- field challenges
menting IIoT data projects. The cloud is the enabling infrastructure of many IIoT proj- SCADA Redundancy Vs.
ects and the combination of these two technologies enables innovative interactions Resiliency
among humans, objects and machines, giving birth to new business models based on Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
intelligent products and services.
Four reasons why
Conclusion their SCADA systems
Stranded data is an all-too-common reality at manufacturing sites and production
facilities everywhere. It is the unfortunate result of legacy technologies incapable of
55
HMI system
handling the data, and traditional design philosophies focusing on basic functionality
at the expense of data connectivity. Only recently has the importance and value of big EXOR USA
data analytics become mainstream, so end users are working to build this capability
into new systems and add it to existing operations.
Edge-to-cloud data connectivity delivers value in many forms of visualization, logging, awareness in an HMI
processing and deeper analysis. Any IIoT solution for bridging data between OT and SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
IT relies on digital capabilities that can interface with traditional automation elements Panel
like PLCs or can connect directly to the data sources in parallel to any existing systems. WinCC Unified: Defining the
These edge resources must be able to pre-process the data to a degree and add con- future of HMIs for greater
text, and then transmit it up to cloud systems for further analysis. scalability
Four steps to HMI

Silvia Gonzalez screen design
Silvia Gonzalez is global product management director for Emerson’s machine auto-
How the IIoT Can
mation solutions product portfolio. More information can be found at Emerson.com/ Liberate Valuable
PACSystems. Stranded Data
field challenges

Resiliency

Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

their SCADA systems
56
SCADA addresses oil and gas How to best design an
HMI system
field challenges JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
IT-based automation’s role in coordinating for complex operations within the An HMI for Harsh Realities
oil and gas industry. Five improvements made
T
awareness in an HMI
he term supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) implies a highly configu-
rable set of industrial-software applications that can be so construed as to support SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
management of almost any form of process production.
SCADA is widely applied in the upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas sec- usability, flexibility and
tors. In the upstream sector, its role often is stereotyped as being largely in support of scalability
remote data transmission. There are reasons to believe this will change. One reason to Four steps to HMI
screen design
believe so is the wide and varied use of SCADA in other industrial sectors. In addition,
owners and operators are recognizing how IT-based automation can productively ad- How the IIoT Can Liberate
dress even the unique challenges of the upstream oil and gas sector.
SCADA addresses oil
SCADA technology for the oil and gas industry and gas field challenges
“SCADA’s ability to collect data at remote oil and gas sites reduces personnel visits SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
and leads to route and dispatch optimization. But the profile of SCADA is changing in
oil and gas. Today, as is already seen in other process industries, SCADA is a platform Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
technology used to control and supervise many types of industrial processes but also
Four reasons why
to optimize complex coordination of operations among multiple business partners,”
said Darren Schultz, director, SCADA, oil, gas, and chemical, ABB, Inc. their SCADA systems
Advances in the scope and scale of oil and gas SCADA implementations are seen in
upstream environments, including fast-paced shale fields. These SCADA instances face
57
SCADA addresses oil and gas field challenges
HMI system
industrial processes while also intersecting with business operations. In other words,
besides being a medium for process control, SCADA supports the vital operations-co- EXOR USA
ordination role. It does so by being an accessible, single-source of truth.

Petroleum industry software provider, Technical Toolboxes, said in a statement that the by incorporating situational
goal of the “digital oilfield” is to transform operations data into effective and timely awareness in an HMI
field-management decisions by combining the latest technology advances with science SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
and engineering fundamentals. Panel

The execution of deep-water offshore exploration, drilling, and production is at the future of HMIs for greater
very apex of high-tech industrial success, including automation use. Better and more scalability
extensive use of IT-based automation will support fast expansion of oil and gas pro- Four steps to HMI
duction in continental North America and elsewhere. screen design

Compared to other process industries, oil and gas executive management is reputed Valuable Stranded Data
to have some ambivalence when it comes to IT and automation initiatives. Moreover, SCADA addresses oil
the industry retains a pronounced tendency to embrace custom software solutions and gas field challenges
development. Packaged SCADA with industry-specific applications is almost invariably SCADA Redundancy Vs.
considered the reasoned choice in other industries today. Resiliency

Making the case for automation in the oil and gas industry Beyond the Checkbox
“The investment climate in the oil and gas industry the last two years has been chal- Four reasons why
lenging. But a focus on integration and automation continues to be relevant,” said their SCADA systems
Doug Rauenzahn, global product line director at Weatherford International. “A pause
in rapid expansion has given engineers a chance to plan. In low-price markets, produc-
tivity gain from automation has greater impact on the bottom line.”
58
HMI system

EXOR USA

awareness in an HMI

Panel

scalability
Four steps to HMI

screen design

SCADA addresses oil

and gas field challenges
Resiliency

Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

Currently, the United States produces about 10 million SCADA has grown from a manufacturers should upgrade
boxed application for engineers their SCADA systems
barrels per day (bpd) of oil, up from an average of 5 million
fiddling with a PC to become
bpd from 2005 to 2010, according to Vikram Rao, author a paradigm for distributed
of Shale Oil and Gas: The Promise and the Peril, RTI Press, industrial control. Courtesy:
second edition, 2015.

Schneider Electric
59
HMI system
Last summer in 2015, natural gas production in the U.S. was about 70 billion cubic feet
(Bcf) per day. U.S. natural gas production has risen 46% in the last decade, according EXOR USA
to the American Petroleum Institute (API).

In shale fields, “production companies can often complete two or three wells per by incorporating situational
week. Progressive companies have adopted a standardized ‘cookie cutter’ automation awareness in an HMI
approach for these wells,” said Mark Sen Gupta, an automation strategist at ARC Ad- SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
visory Group. The fact is, “the technology stack in oil and gas has grown tremendously Panel
over the last 6 or 7 years,” said Rauenzahn. WinCC Unified: Defining the
Using SCADA to streamline operations scalability
SCADA’s best-known upstream function is wireless communication with remote teleme- Four steps to HMI
try units (RTUs) that monitor widely scattered wells or well pads. screen design

Automation and service companies and small entrepreneurial suppliers are betting that Valuable Stranded Data
in the future, SCADA will be a powerful platform solution for streamlined operations at SCADA addresses oil
many different points in the oil and gas supply chain. Better control and coordination and gas field challenges
of complex site operations means lower costs to produce oil or gas. SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
Industrial software suppliers and oil and gas services companies are assembling soft- Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
ware application suites that make use of common services to manage core oil and gas Beyond the Checkbox
operations; for example, downhole and site oil and gas drilling and production, gas Four reasons why
and liquids transmission, equipment and water management, and other functions im- their SCADA systems
portant in the upstream sector.
In addition, issues of connectivity and security, mobility, and the Industrial Internet of
60
HMI system
Things (IIoT) are addressed using the latest underlying infrastructure technologies,
many first forged in mass consumer markets. EXOR USA

The oil and gas industry has a grudging attitude toward using IT-based automation,
primarily because of its complex return-on-investment (ROI) calculation. In other words, by incorporating situational
projected benefits are not so neatly quantified as in those industries managing closed- awareness in an HMI
loop processes. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
Regardless of this fact, there is increased demand for automation within the oil and WinCC Unified: Defining the
gas industry. SCADA technology, on the other hand, has been under constant develop- future of HMIs for greater
ment for about the last 30 years. During this time, the SCADA concept footprint grew scalability
from being a boxed application for engineers fiddling with a PC, to become—when Four steps to HMI
used in conjunction with PLCs , devices, and device drivers—a paradigm for distribut- screen design
ed industrial control. How the IIoT Can Liberate
In downstream oil and gas, SCADA use resembles that found in chemicals, plastics, or SCADA addresses oil
other type process industry plants. Typically, what’s “supervised” is a control-system and gas field challenges
taxonomy that includes PLCs that act as a focal point for system inputs and outputs SCADA Redundancy Vs.
and control logic-as well as the actual sensors, actuators, and other types of “edge” Resiliency
devices and instruments used. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
Using SCADA for oil and gas applications Four reasons why
Schultz notes that basic functions performed at key points in upstream operations their SCADA systems
benefit from SCADA-based coordination based on superior insight into process condi-
tions, including the following:
61
HMI system
When an oilfield is first breached, the raw, crude oil can come out the ground at pres-
sures of more than 23,000 psi. Once about 10% of the reservoir is extracted, the field EXOR USA
is “lifted” by pumping oil or gas into it, and enhanced recovery methods are needed.
Challenges include preventing blow-outs, verifying that pumping is safe, and that well-
bore integrity is maintained, according to Schultz. by incorporating situational
awareness in an HMI
Gathering systems take raw material just emerged from the ground and convey it to SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
holding tanks and processing plants. Schultz points out that in this staged process, Panel
each specialized team works with its own data stores. The teams also need to collabo- WinCC Unified: Defining the
rate with each other. future of HMIs for greater
scalability
At a production site, what actually comes out of the ground is often a mixture of gas, Four steps to HMI
oil, sand, and water. The water is isolated and re-injected, and the gas and oil is sep- screen design
arated into different streams. This is often done by spinning the crude oil in hydro-cy- How the IIoT Can Liberate
clones. “These machines must be safe and efficient, and machine control is something Valuable Stranded Data
SCADA does well in many industries,” said Schultz. SCADA addresses oil
and gas field challenges
The purpose of many SCADA implementations is better collaboration among expert SCADA Redundancy Vs.
role players. Stan DeVries, senior director solutions architecture at Schneider Electric, Resiliency
said, “tiered SCADA installations are increasingly common.” In his experience, in Aus- Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
tralia, five SCADA instances were tiered, each with its own “constituency.” Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

Constraints within the oil and gas industry their SCADA systems
As the oil and gas industry continues to grow in capacity and infrastructure, it’s also
highly constrained by continuing low prices.
62
HMI system
In the U.S., between July 2014 and December 2015, 35 oil and gas exploration com-
panies filed for bankruptcy protection, according to an opinion piece on “the oil price EXOR USA
crash” by Joe Bannister, a partner with Hogan Lovells that recently appeared in The Oil
& Gas Financial Journal. In contrast to the era of easy credit and high prices, around
35%, or about 175, of publicly listed exploration and production companies owe ap- by incorporating situational
proximately $150 billion of debt and face financial distress. awareness in an HMI

“While new automation technologies can enable quantum gains in upstream produc- Panel
tivity, the industry has been conservative in their deployments, preferring what it con- WinCC Unified: Defining the
siders time-tested production methods and technologies,” said Michael Day, oil and future of HMIs for greater
gas market development manager at Siemens Industry Inc., in a posted industry white- scalability
paper “Drill Bit to Boardroom.” Four steps to HMI
screen design
Oil and gas exploration and production companies must increase productivity via in- How the IIoT Can Liberate
tegrated operations. Going forward, “rigorous management of new projects and day- Valuable Stranded Data
to-day operations are likely to be critical components … development of infrastructure SCADA addresses oil
needed for a field or region will be streamlined and less bespoke. Lower returns in all and gas field challenges
sectors of the market will place a premium on integration, scale achieved by technolo- SCADA Redundancy Vs.
gy,” said Bannister. Resiliency

“SCADA effects a significant transformation in when, where, how, and by whom work gets Beyond the Checkbox
done,” said DeVries. “When workers are at a premium or are highly valued specialists, a Four reasons why
SCADA solution is part of any reorganization meant to make them more productive.” manufacturers should upgrade
their SCADA systems
Kevin Parker
Kevin Parker is content contributor, Oil & Gas Engineering.
63
SCADA Redundancy Vs. Resiliency
HMI system
JSmart Harsh Realities EXOR

USA

awareness in an HMI

Panel


scalability

design


field challenges
SCADA Redundancy Vs. Resiliency SCADA Redundancy

While it’s impossible to create a completely foolproof industrial Vs. Resiliency
SCADA process, you can prioritize uptime by designing concepts Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
like redundancy and resiliency into the system from the beginning,
rather than adding them as an afterthought. Four reasons why
their SCADA systems
65
Evaluating
SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the I just want a coffee...
Checkbox When it comes to evaluating anything, whether at home or
at work, we often compare options based on a perceived
“levelling of the playing field”. For instance, if we were go-
ing out to purchase a new coffee maker, we would make a
list of the features that are important to us (single cup op-
tion, timer, reusable filter, etc.) and then we’d look up each
coffee maker and make a shortlist of the ones that checked
all our boxes. Only then, would we look at the prices and
possibly read the online reviews in the hope that they are
not overly biased, positively or negatively. Despite all our
due diligence, we may still end up being very disappoint-
ed the next morning because checkboxes don’t tell the
whole story. You must drink the coffee.
Software, specifically SCADA software, falls into the same

category. You are heavily dependent on others to level
that playing field for you, as what is under the hood can
be quite complex. It is only when you begin using it and
comparing it directly, feature by feature, with other SCADA
Evaluating SCADA - Seeing Beyond the Checkbox
HMI system
software that you have used, that you may realize the positives and negatives of the
purchase you have made. You may realize all too late that you need to buy additional EXOR USA
software, licenses, or databases just to get the system to run.

awareness in an HMI

Panel

Based on these results, you might think that future of HMIs for greater
Not all Checkboxes are Equal Product A and B are at the forefront, appearing usability, flexibility and
scalability
to be almost the same, with Product B the clear
So, where to start? As discussed above, we
winner. Product C does not seem to meet the
Four steps to HMI
often evaluate SCADA at a high level using a spec at all according to the checkboxes. screen design
checklist. The features that make that list and
drive the final decision can be heavily biased by the software we have already used. Valuable Stranded Data
That can be good if it helps you estimate the time it takes to complete a project. The
downside is that you may be overlooking a better field challenges
workflow that could dramatically improve your expe- As you can see, this process would
eliminate something special that you
rience. Look at this example of a very simple speci- Resiliency
had never considered.
Evaluating SCADA -
Seeing Beyond the
Checkbox
Four reasons why manufacturers
should upgrade their SCADA
systems
67
HMI system
fication for an imaginary transportation system. Imagine that you sent it out to some
vendors, and this is what you got back. EXOR USA

Evaluating the Known and the Unknown Fairly
So, if checkboxes don’t tell the full story, how do you make a fair and legitimate com- by incorporating situational
parison? Well, that depends on where you are in the process. awareness in an HMI

Engineering Consultants - An important part of their job is to be seeking out new Panel
ideas and cutting-edge technologies so they can make the most informed recommen- WinCC Unified: Defining the
dations to their clients. Since this is very time consuming, it can be tempting to stick usability, flexibility and
with familiar products and practices that result in predictable billable hours. Who wants scalability
to risk their reputations and bottom line on workflows and methodology with which Four steps to HMI
they have less experience? While understandable, this discourages innovation and may screen design
prevent clients from finding the best solution. Not that new ideas should be taken at How the IIoT Can Liberate
face value. It is also a consultant’s responsibility to challenge these companies to prove Valuable Stranded Data
what they say. SCADA addresses oil and gas

field challenges
System Integrators and End Users - The responsibility to evaluate SCADA software SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
may rest squarely on your shoulders. That can be a little scary. These five simple ques-
tions will help you compare different SCADA software more accurately than simply Evaluating SCADA -
adding up checkboxes. Seeing Beyond the
Checkbox
5 Questions to Help You Move Past Checkboxes should upgrade their SCADA
1) Does unlimited really mean unlimited? systems
OK, another coffee metaphor. The sign at the coffee shop may say, “unlimited refills,”
but what good is that if the cups are the size of thimbles? Similarly, there may be a
68
HMI system
check next to “unlimited I/O tags” on your spec but that can be significantly limited by
the software’s architecture. EXOR USA

Historian Limitations - For applications large enough to require “unlimited” tags, will
you need to separately purchase and configure a third-party Enterprise Historian prod- by incorporating situational
uct? Will you need to set up a separate redundancy strategy for that database? The awareness in an HMI
cost of this alone can be on par with the SCADA software itself. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
Server Performance - Can your chosen server hardware handle unlimited tags just WinCC Unified: Defining the
because you selected this licensing option? More realistically, is the SCADA software future of HMIs for greater
efficient enough to run a 200K tags system on a single computer? If not, you may be scalability
faced with buying more “unlimited” licenses to run on other servers. Can the perfor- Four steps to HMI
mance of a massive system be optimized over more than two servers? screen design

Communication drivers - Many SCADA products only include a limited number of Valuable Stranded Data
communication drivers (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Modbus TCP, Siemens). To connect with SCADA addresses oil and gas
additional PLC and RTU, you will need to purchase additional direct drivers or, more field challenges
likely, license and configure a third-party OPC Server license. SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
2) What else are you going to need? Evaluating SCADA -

Are all the checked items on your feature list native to the SCADA software itself? The Seeing Beyond the
following are examples of important SCADA features that typically need to be added Checkbox
to an unlimited license in order to achieve the base functionality you need. Four reasons why manufacturers
systems
• Enterprise Historian.
69
HMI system
• Application version control.
EXOR USA
• Alarm notifications for high-level alarms (SMS, email, text-to-speech callout).

• HTTP Internet server platform for remote thin client connections (e.g., Apache, ISS). by incorporating situational
awareness in an HMI
• Graphics libraries for customized HMI displays. SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
• Site mapping. WinCC Unified: Defining the

• Master PLC for polling. scalability
Four steps to HMI

• OPC server. screen design

• Reporting. Valuable Stranded Data

If critical features are not developed and maintained by the SCADA manufacturer, who field challenges
will you turn to if there is an issue with that component? For that matter, how many End SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
User Licence Agreements will you need to accept? Read the fine print.
Evaluating SCADA -
Forward Compatibility - One of the biggest dangers of building your mission-critical Seeing Beyond the
system around third-party products is the possibility that a manufacturer may discontinue Checkbox
one of them at any time. Recently, a major database manufacturer did just that forcing Four reasons why manufacturers
hundreds of SCADA users to scramble for a replacement. Many systems are still being systems
developed using a common scripting language that has been deprecated for years.
70
HMI system
A more common danger is that, with every new software version and firmware update,
the SCADA system and its third-party components work together less and less effec- EXOR USA
tively, if at all. This is a common issue with separately configured alarm dialer products.

Built-in is Better - When all features are intrinsic to the SCADA solution, they will be by incorporating situational
fully compatible with every new version. Better yet, there is no need to freeze your awareness in an HMI
computer at a specific OS version or disable security updates for fear of upsetting the SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
delicate connection between your SCADA and its non-native components. Panel

3) What does “must be scalable” mean? future of HMIs for greater
Will you outgrow your starter SCADA? - Some platforms offer one software prod- scalability
uct for smaller systems and another entirely for larger ones. Transitioning from one to Four steps to HMI
the other can be expensive and time consuming. Similarly, the system may ship with a screen design
starter Historian but require you to separately license an Enterprise product once you How the IIoT Can Liberate
reach a certain size. In some cases, you may even suffer data loss, as you attempt to Valuable Stranded Data
transition from one system to another, as the historians may not be compatible. SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
Will your SCADA outgrow you? - No doubt you have heard this story. A company or SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
municipality spends tens of thousands of dollars to develop a new SCADA application.
It works fine but a few years later they learn that the software manufacturer has depre- Evaluating SCADA -
cated this version and will no longer support it. The good news is that you can rebuild Seeing Beyond the
your application in their brand-new version X. Some companies provide ways to make Checkbox
this less onerous, others don’t. Be sure to ask each vendor about their approach to Four reasons why manufacturers
project/software obsolescence. Better yet, look for a product that offers a continuous systems
migration plan.
71
HMI system
How big can it get? - Can you start with a modest system, say a few hundred I/O on a
single computer, and organically grow that application to include millions of tags and EXOR USA
dozens of distributed servers? Can you do it without needing to periodically start over
on a new software platform? For this to work, the manufacturer would need to support
the software for decades, constantly adding features and integrating the latest tech- by incorporating situational
nologies and best practices. awareness in an HMI

4) Does it do redundancy? Check! moving on… Panel
Wait! What exactly does that involve? If a server goes offline, what happens? Does an- WinCC Unified: Defining the
other server take over automatically or do you need to do something? What happens future of HMIs for greater
if the second server also fails? What if they are in the same room and that building is scalability
flooded? What happens when the primary server is restored? Does it take over auto- Four steps to HMI
matically? Can process data coming in during this failover process be lost resulting in screen design
permanent gaps in your history? How the IIoT Can Liberate
Levels of Redundancy - If you are responsible for a mission-critical system, you will SCADA addresses oil and gas
want to have more than one level of redundancy across more than one location. Better field challenges
yet, you may also want to extend your redundancy to cloud-based hosting options now SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
available like AWS and Azure. The more levels of seamless automatic failover, the less
likely your process will experience downtime. Make sure you ask the vendor how many Evaluating SCADA -
levels of redundancy their SCADA platform supports. Seeing Beyond the
Checkbox
Synchronization - When it comes to redundancy, server failover is only part of the Four reasons why manufacturers
story. Historical data is the life blood of a SCADA system. How is that protected? As systems
mentioned earlier, many SCADA products require you to backup your historian sepa-
rately from the rest of your SCADA system. How many levels of redundancy does that
include? Is all your historical data at one site? 72
HMI system
When the primary server is restored after being offline for a period, how does it ac-
quire the process data it missed from one of the backup servers? If the network goes EXOR USA
down, can geographically separated servers continue to log and serve their own local
I/O. Can they all sync with each other when connectivity is restored?
5) How easy is it to work with? awareness in an HMI
For standard day-to-day monitoring and control duties, prebuilt trends and reports SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
might be all that is needed. However, when tracking down a pesky anomalous read- Panel
ing or racing to avoid an overflow, operators can’t wait for an integrator to travel to WinCC Unified: Defining the
site and build the tools they need as they need them. They need to be able to easily future of HMIs for greater
generate their own customized trend groups on the fly and run ad-hoc reports without scalability
needing to write code or understand SQL. Be sure to ask what options are available to Four steps to HMI
operators to turn their raw process data into actionable information. screen design

We are VTScada by Trihedral Valuable Stranded Data
By now, you may have figured out we are a software company that produces SCADA SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
software. For thirty years our focus has been on one product: VTScada. So, yes, we
have a horse in this race. Our goal, as set out by our founder, president and chief soft- SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
ware architect, Glenn Wadden, was to, “create the world’s best SCADA software. Ev-
erything we do is with that in mind.” Evaluating SCADA -
Seeing Beyond the
Checkbox
Thirty-three years ago, Glenn looked at the software that was available in the controls
industry and realized that no programming language was powerful enough to deal with Four reasons why manufacturers
all the decisions and complex processing that would be required for critical infrastruc- systems
ture. As a result, he personally developed an innovative scripting language and archi-
tecture, the methodology of which has essentially been adopted in recent years by the
73
HMI system
software giants of the world for handling complex calculations and algorithms. This is
now known as Reactive Programming. It is a powerful event-based architecture that, EXOR USA
when implemented correctly, can allow unlimited scalability of a software system.

The key to this is its holistic approach, where every dependency and peripheral appli- by incorporating situational
cation is integrated with the same mindset. Some companies implement elements of awareness in an HMI
this, but as elements only, leading to significant bottlenecks and points of failure in the SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
system. Their software is totally dependent on a multitude of other third-party software Panel
modules “made by others”. Even their license agreements (EULA) state this in certain WinCC Unified: Defining the
cases, in an attempt to exonerate them from any catastrophic failure due to someone future of HMIs for greater
else’s software piece changing the ground rules. In one case, a vendor’s license agree- scalability
ment had over seven hundred such sub-license component agreements that their users Four steps to HMI
must agree to as a condition of use. This methodology was, and still is, completely screen design
against Glenn’s mindset and vision. How the IIoT Can Liberate
What You Need to Know About VTScada SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
Powerful - Our systems power the smallest to some of the largest systems in the
world, whether that’s 2 to 2 Million+ I/O. The same software. VTScada is used in mas- SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
sive applications such as the digital television broadcasting system that monitors over
1.2 million tags at transmitters across the UK. VTScada was recently chosen as the sole Evaluating SCADA -
SCADA software for the City of Houston’s 400 MGD Water Purification Plant Expansion, Seeing Beyond the
Checkbox
one of the largest infrastructure projects in North America.
(https://www.vtscada.com/houston) Four reasons why manufacturers
systems
Easy to Install and Use - There is only one product to install. It contains everything
you need: drivers, historian, reports, alarm, alarm notification mapping and more. We
74
HMI system
strive to make every part of VTScada instantly intuitive, from our easy-to-navigate op-
erator interface to the drag-and-drop screen development to our simple configuration EXOR USA
for Thin Clients and redundancy.
(https://www.vtscada.com)
Forward Compatible for Life - No need to worry about built-in obsolescence. We awareness in an HMI
develop and support every part of VTScada ourselves. We always provide a forward SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
migration path. Upgrading applications based on standard features means simply run- Panel
ning the installer for the latest version. All features work seamlessly with every new ver- WinCC Unified: Defining the
sion. Best of all, our transparent pricing means you will know to the dollar how much future of HMIs for greater
your renewals will cost decades from now. No surprises. scalability
(https://www.vtscada.com/scada-software-pricing) Four steps to HMI
screen design
Eliminate Mistakes - Our extremely powerful Application Version Control takes care How the IIoT Can Liberate
of you automatically. No scripting required. Roll back single or multiple changes. Easi- Valuable Stranded Data
ly merge changes when multiple people are working on the same project at the same SCADA addresses oil and gas
time. Your reversed changes are not lost and can themselves be reversed. This complete field challenges
change history is automatically distributed across all synchronized SCADA servers. SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
(https://www.vtscada.com/application-version-control)
Evaluating SCADA -
We Trend Everything - When you think of something else you need to trend it’s there Seeing Beyond the
right from the beginning. This is unique in the industry. Usually with other systems, Checkbox
trended items need to be chosen beforehand and then added to a trend database. Four reasons why manufacturers
This often involves restarting the system. With VTScada, operators can just click values systems
on their screens to create their own detailed reusable trend groups. That’s the power
of being built around an Enterprise Historian.
(https://www.vtscada.com/scada-trend-viewer) 75
HMI system
Don’t Take Our Word for It JSmart Harsh Realities
Do your own investigation and evaluation. No matter who you are, you should ask lots EXOR USA
of questions instead of just scanning Checkboxes. An HMI for Harsh Realities

Get Lots of References - Talk to real users who can describe firsthand the true per- by incorporating situational
formance, user satisfaction, scalability and excellent technical support they receive. awareness in an HMI
This should bring confidence that you are making an informed decision. A simple but SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
powerful question to ask any of these end users, is “would you put this system in a mis-
sion-critical application”? If they say no, you may need to look elsewhere. WinCC Unified: Defining the
Make Us Show You - Amazingly, a LIVE demo speaks volumes about how powerful and scalability
yet easy a system is to implement. Some companies aren’t able to do that without get- Four steps to HMI
ting an entire team involved which is a good clue as to how complex their solution is to screen design
implement. They may resort to PowerPoint slides to “demonstrate”. Every member of How the IIoT Can Liberate
our sales team is comfortable demonstrating VTScada software in person and online.
field challenges
Join Us for a Cup of Coffee (or Your Beverage of Choice)
As we discussed off the top, checking all the boxes will not guarantee that you choose Resiliency
a product that makes good coffee. You have to try it for yourself.
Evaluating SCADA -
Seeing Beyond the
• Contact us to schedule a live demonstration on a real live SCADA application.
Checkbox
• Write to us with your tough questions. Make us show our work! should upgrade their SCADA
systems
• Try it for yourself. - https://www.vtscada.com/free-scada-software
76
Four reasons why manufacturers How to best design an
HMI system
should upgrade their SCADA systems JSmart Harsh Realities
EXOR USA
Engineers should take another look at their supervisory control and data An HMI for Harsh Realities
acquisition (SCADA) system to see how much more modern systems are able Five improvements made
to help organizations achieve their Industry 4.0 goals. by incorporating situational
awareness in an HMI
M ost supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems have histories SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
dating back decades. It probably took years to install and master the system, and
many more years to implement the required improvements and upgrades. Today, how- WinCC Unified: Defining the
ever, organizations are realizing their traditional SCADA systems are becoming cum- usability, flexibility and
bersome, problematic and difficult to maintain and support. They deserve modern and scalability
intelligent software platforms that can handle the many requirements on-premise, on Four steps to HMI
screen design
the edge and the cloud. In recent years, SCADA has changed radically, and now really
is a good time for engineers to re-evaluate their systems. How the IIoT Can Liberate
Older SCADA systems were designed and built for a very different world. They simply SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
were not architected or designed for the challenges end users face today. Additional-
ly, many existing SCADA systems are difficult to configure, maintain, and support and Resiliency
have inherent limitations like their inability to address both intentional and uninten-
tional breaches of security; to effectively deal with outbound communication from the Beyond the Checkbox
operational technology (OT) world into the information technology (IT) world; to sup-
Four reasons why
port the innovations the cloud technology provides in terms of data storage and ap-
manufacturers should
plications running on the cloud; to be easily scalable to new cloud-based architectures upgrade their SCADA
which means the inability to be configured to support highly distributed systems or systems
add supplementary devices on the fly; and to support open standards such as OPC UA
for connectivity to automation devices.
77
Four reasons why manufacturers should upgrade their SCADA systems
HMI system
Modern SCADA systems now exist and provide many advantages for manufacturers.
Consider these four arguments while re-evaluating the original SCADA system. EXOR USA

ARGUMENT 1: Modern SCADA systems provide substantial
advantages. by incorporating situational
Modern SCADA systems support industry standards and specifically data structuring awareness in an HMI
and information modeling inclusive of multiple vendor interoperability and device in- SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
Panel
dependence. Most importantly, it is possible to swap devices from different vendors
when all support the same device standards. New systems have increased life since WinCC Unified: Defining the
these have both hardware and software devices that have a greater ability to gather usability, flexibility and
real-time information for assessing performance and maintenance information. scalability
Four steps to HMI

Since today’s SCADA systems also capture more data intelligence, there is significant screen design
improvement of systems maintenance. These new systems also support best-of-breed How the IIoT Can Liberate
choices made by end users rather than being tied into existing proprietary systems and
have the ability for remote operations and remote monitoring. SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges

ARGUMENT 2: Modern SCADA systems provide IoT Resiliency
fundamentals. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Modern SCADA systems provide IoT fundamentals including: Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

Compatibility – These systems have the connectivity to existing controls and provide manufacturers should
support for standards like OPC UA and new technologies such as cloud, virtualization, upgrade their SCADA
mobile and advanced analytics. systems
78
HMI system
Security – These systems have security built into the architecture and provide role-
based and user-based security, multi-factor authentication (MFA), operating system EXOR USA
security, cyber security, and patch management.

Foundational technologies – These systems have software upgrades and patch sup- by incorporating situational
port, a regular version release frequency, compatibility with current and future operat- awareness in an HMI
ing systems and reasonable support for past operating systems. Many SCADA systems SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
now deliver 64-bit implementation. Panel

Advanced levels of functionality – these systems provide enhanced user functional- future of HMIs for greater
ity, administration functionality, audit trails, vertical market functionality, and integra- scalability
tion with business, engineering, supply chain, CPM/MES, plant equipment, and auto- Four steps to HMI
mation systems. screen design

Company stability – These systems have a local and global presence and are de- Valuable Stranded Data
signed for suppliers’ long-term visions for market longevity. SCADA addresses oil and gas
field challenges
Value proposition for both integrators and end users – These systems are scalable, SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
extensible, flexible, and cost effective. When system integrators can install a system
and support it cost effectively, when their efforts in one application can be reused in Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
the next application, and when they can train operators to handle the day-to-day ad-
ministration and upkeep, then they have found a quality reliable solution that works Four reasons why
for them and end users. manufacturers should
upgrade their SCADA
systems
ARGUMENT 3: Specific areas of change positively differenti-
ate modern SCADA systems.
79
HMI system
With specific areas of change, modern SCADA systems are positively differentiated
from older original systems such as: EXOR USA

Support for standards – As markets mature, technologies become more settled, and
standards will continue to proliferate. A modern SCADA supports most current and by incorporating situational
newly emerging standards. awareness in an HMI

OPC Classic and OPC UA support – While most SCADA support OPC for data ac- Panel
cess, a modern scada offers far greater support for opc standards including historic WinCC Unified: Defining the
data access, alarm and events, and others. future of HMIs for greater
scalability
MQTT and Sparkplug-B protocol – As two widely used protocols in the IoT and smart Four steps to HMI
factories, a modern system supports MQTT with Sparkplug-B protocols. In addition, screen design
such a system offers connectivity to numerous other devices and protocols such as How the IIoT Can Liberate
61850, 660870, ModBUS, EthernetIP, BACnet, and many others. Valuable Stranded Data

ISA 18.2 Alarm standard for rationalization and management – A modern SCA- field challenges
DA offers ISA 18.2 support for its own alarms and has the capability to generate SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
alarms with other products and to acquire these through database of OPC A&E
connectivity. Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
ISA/IEC 62443 cybersecurity standards – As a supporter of visualization on “any Four reasons why
glass,” modern SCADA is designed with built-in cyber security and access manage- manufacturers should
upgrade their SCADA
ment especially for remote access.
systems
Visualization – Modern SCADA systems are database and information model driven,
capable of automatically generating displays on the fly using display templates and 80
HMI system
tag structures thus leading the way with innovative visualization technologies. These
include Sankey diagrams, 3D visualization, progressive detail, GeoTagging, tool EXOR USA
tips, and drilldown links. Additionally, modern displays are responsive, automatically
scaling and re-arranging objects to fit mobile phones, tablets, and SCADA displays.
Modern SCADA graphics also support progressive disclosure and high-performance by incorporating situational
graphic schemes such as those outlined in ISA101 Guidelines. All of these capabili- awareness in an HMI
ties lead to greater operational performance, reduced development time, and con- SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
figuration error. Panel

Historization – A modern SCADA, coupled with a modern historian, supports a variety future of HMIs for greater
of data sources, and manual sources such as Excel Spreadsheets, USB, or Flash Chips. scalability
Modern historians allow for crucial data archiving and retrieving especially with new Four steps to HMI
industry 4.0 capabilities. The modern historian is an on-premise, high-performance re- screen design
pository that delivers the innovations of IOT with seamless solutions for interoperability How the IIoT Can Liberate
from the OT world to the IT world. Valuable Stranded Data

field challenges
ARGUMENT 4: Modern SCADA are easy to use & provide ad-
vanced functionality and vertical market support. SCADA Redundancy Vs.
Resiliency
A new SCADA system lets operators on the floor and in the field do their jobs easier,
faster, and better. Here’s how: Beyond the Checkbox
Ease of use from the operator perspective: Modern SCADA systems are becoming
Four reasons why
more autonomous with the ability to support powerful notification scenarios and work-
upgrade their SCADA
flows for event management. These systems provide visualizations that are dynamic, systems
moving from glass to glass, from a control room display to a mobile display that can be
carried around the process.
81
HMI system
Ease of use from the developer perspective: Configuration in a modern SCADA is
minimized and largely benefits from data structures and templates that can be created EXOR USA
once and used repeatedly. Configuration changes and upgrades can be performed re-
motely and while a SCADA is in operation. Symbol libraries can marry with data struc-
tures to deliver hundreds or thousands of operator interfaces, which can be generated by incorporating situational
on the fly or as needed. awareness in an HMI

Ease of use from the administrative perspective: Modern SCADA brings adminis- Panel
tration front and center by maximizing reliability and easing regular tasks such as disk WinCC Unified: Defining the
management, security management, and equipment health monitoring. Additionally, future of HMIs for greater
audit trails are kept for change management and anomaly detection. scalability
Four steps to HMI

Advanced functionality: Modern SCADA can display data on maps and automatical- screen design
ly create displays for objects or sets of objects based on filter criteria. These systems How the IIoT Can Liberate
also offer advanced integrations with other business critical systems such as work order Valuable Stranded Data
systems and asset management systems from leading vendors in the market and sup- SCADA addresses oil and gas
port custom integrations through toolkits, so integration questions are never met with field challenges
a negative answer. SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Resiliency
Vertical market support: Modern SCADA systems deliver vertical market support Evaluating SCADA - Seeing
Beyond the Checkbox
such as building management, energy management functionality, and solutions for
field workers and remote user management without the need for customization. These Four reasons why
modern systems also deliver canned functionality for industry trends such as carbon manufacturers should
upgrade their SCADA
monitoring and sustainability, downtime monitoring, energy analytics, and other com-
systems
mon KPIs.
82
HMI system
In the early days, SCADA was about technologies – scripting, VBA, and ActiveX. Later,
it became about low-cost and internet-ready. Few vendors made all the right architec- EXOR USA
ture and technology choices when designing their original SCADA systems which led
to substantially varied solutions. However, technology and standards have rapidly de-
veloped, resulting in some extremely advanced and improved SCADA solutions being by incorporating situational
available today. When choosing a modern SCADA system, know there are significant- awareness in an HMI
ly differentiated solutions on the market which are not all created equal. It is always SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort
worthwhile taking a look under the hood to see what’s really powering the SCADA Panel
solution. WinCC Unified: Defining the

Thomas Burke scalability
Thomas Burke, global strategic advisor, CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA). Four steps to HMI
screen design


field challenges

Resiliency

Beyond the Checkbox
Four reasons why

upgrade their SCADA
systems
83
SCADA & HMI
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2021 Fall Edition
in this eBook, please contact CFE Media at
customerservice@cfemedia.com
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SCADA

How to design an HMI system? How the IIoT Can Liberate

Defining the operational/functional requirements

Evaluating SCADA - Seeing

SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort

Four steps to HMI screen

Four reasons why

• Actuation preferences (momentary, maintained, rotary, etc.) Four reasons why

• Special requirements such as illumination, marking, environmental sealing, etc.

• Red for stop/failure/fault Five improvements made

Four steps to HMI screen

Interactive displays, touchscreen Four reasons why

SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort

Four steps to HMI screen

SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Four steps to HMI screen

SCADA Redundancy Vs.

An HMI for Harsh Realities

Four steps to HMI screen

How the IIoT Can Liberate

JSmart Harsh Realities

Five improvements made

SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort

WinCC Unified: Defining the

Four steps to HMI screen

How the IIoT Can Liberate

SCADA addresses oil and gas

JSmart Harsh Realities EXOR USA SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Overcoming the Limitations of Human-Machine

Many of these limitations were once matters of necessi-

Four steps to HMI screen

Traditional HMI Limitations SCADA Redundancy Vs.

and forth. Likewise, an operator who SCADA Redundancy Vs.

SCADA Redundancy Vs.

SCADA addresses oil and gas

JSmart Harsh Realities

An HMI for Harsh

SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort

WinCC Unified: Defining the

Four steps to HMI screen

Acceptance of the Status Quo How the IIoT Can Liberate

Four reasons why

types of electronics — were available in HMI displays?

An HMI for Harsh

WinCC Unified: Defining the

depending on the end user’s needs. SCADA Redundancy Vs.

An HMI for Harsh

WinCC Unified: Defining the

Four steps to HMI screen

How the IIoT Can Liberate

SCADA addresses oil and gas

SCADA Redundancy Vs.

Evaluating SCADA - Seeing

Four reasons why

JSmart Harsh Realities

An HMI for Harsh

SIMATIC HMI Unified Comfort

WinCC Unified: Defining the

Four steps to HMI screen

How the IIoT Can Liberate

SCADA addresses oil and gas

SCADA Redundancy Vs.