DCS is a Distributed Control System that enhances reliability and reduces installation costs. It is used in various industries like power generation, oil and gas, and manufacturing. DCS revenue is projected to reach $23.37 billion by 2025 with a CAGR of 4.5%. Major DCS brands include Siemens, Yokogawa, and ABB.
For those exploring alternatives to DCS, options include SCADA, PLC, HMI, ICS, MES, IoT, BAS, DAS, RTU, ERP, MQTT, OPC, Microcontroller, and Relay.
SCADA
SCADA, an acronym for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, is a computer application designed for complete network monitoring and control at a supervisory level. As a centralized system, SCADA specializes in automating complex industrial processes while continuously monitoring for, detecting, and correcting operational problems.
SCADA Top Features
Efficient Monitoring: Utilises Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) for secure monitoring.
Site Control: Implemented using field devices such as RTUs or Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs).
Comprehensive Data Acquisition: Discrete and analog sensors acquire digital information from equipment and live environmental condition values respectively.
Human-Machine Interface (HMI): This essential component facilitates communication of processed data to human operators.
Migration Support: Devices like NetGuardian 832A support migration to IP-capable devices over time.
Characteristic
Details
Evolution
From monolithic to distributed networked systems, with the future incorporating 5G networks, quantum computing, edge computing, AI, and machine learning.
Security
Has cybersecurity concerns with more connected and integrated systems.
Modern vs legacy
Modern SCADA are scalable, interoperable, widely supported, and enhance accessibility to data and control. In comparison, legacy counterparts lack these features.
SCADA Limitations
Costly implementation, with PLCs often resulting in long-term costs.
Security concerns, as increasing system interconnectivity heighten vulnerability to cyber threats.
Limited support options for legacy SCADA systems.
SCADA Use Cases
Use Case 1: Industrial Automation (Manufacturing, Oil and Gas Refining)
SCADA is pivotal in integrating and automating complex industrial processes, detecting and rectifying problems, replete with monitoring, gathering, and processing real-time data.
Use Case 2: Water and Waste Control
SCADA draws its worth here from the capacity for efficient and uninterrupted monitoring and control, ensuring optimal water management and waste control.
Use Case 3: Transportation and Telecom
With advanced monitoring and control features, SCADA contributes massively to streamlining and bolstering operational efficiency in both sectors.
PLC
Emerging out of the 1960s to replace hardwired relays and timers, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) have grown to become instrumental in automating vital processes in numerous industries today. Its evolution, guided by advancements in technology, has led it from the size of suitcases in its early history, to powerful, compact tools that integrate easily with advanced systems like ERPs, MESs, and SCADAs.
PLC Top Features
Integrated with advanced features like vision system integration, motion control, and synchronized support for multiple communication protocols.
Increased performance and functionalities, due to advancements in processor and memory technologies.
Standardized functions, inputs, outputs in line with the IEC 61131-3 Standard, ensuring ease of understanding programming languages.
Advanced capabilities in Data Highway and Modbus that allow PLCs to share info.
PLC components consist of CPU with processor, memory, Input/Output modules, and power supply.
Feature
Description
Introduction of HMI
Birth of Human-Machine Interface (HMI) revolutionized interaction between human operators and factories.
Ladder Logic
A visual representation of Boolean Logic, which made it easier for engineers to comprehend and use.
PLC Application Areas
Used in diverse sectors such as airport runway control, traffic signal control, textile equipment, etc.
PLC Downsides
Requires a skilled workforce due to the technical nature of operation.
Potential difficulty in troubleshooting and debugging.
PLC Use Cases
Automotive Industry
The use of PLCs in the operation of robotic arms for car assembly provides significant reductions in machine downtime, boosting production efficiency.
Manufacturing Operations
Integration of PLCs with ERP and MES systems creates a seamless workflow, leading to enhanced efficiency and performance in manufacturing operations.
Control Systems
PLC’s advanced features like synchronized support for multiple communication protocols makes it an ideal choice for complex control systems.
MQTT
Established by IBM Pervasive Computing and SCADA engineering firm Arcom Control Systems in 1997, MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is an ISO/IEC standard connectivity protocol. Initially designed for use in the oil and gas industry, it evolved to become widely used in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
MQTT Top Features
Reliable & Efficient Communication: MQTT builds on top of TCP/IP, ensuring reliable and efficient machine-to-machine communication.
Security: Modern authentication protocols like OAuth, TLS1.3, and Customer Managed Certificates ensure secure data transmission.
Scalable: Capable of handling millions of connections with low-power devices on low-bandwidth networks.
Sparkplug: An additional specification that enhances MQTT for mission-critical applications.
Feature
Benefit
Python Support
MQTT is supported by several languages including Python, and can be implemented with minimal coding.
Use in Industrial Automation
Enables greater automation capabilities, remote accessibility, and efficient, secure data integration.
Compatibility with Security Measures
Works seamlessly with firewalls, VPNs, and IPsec to protect IoT systems.
MQTT Limitations
High Latency: Originally developed for high latency networks, real-time communications may face challenges.
Dependence on TCP/IP: Being built on top of TCP/IP may limit its usability in environments without this protocol.
MQTT Use Cases
Use case 1: IoT Applications
MQTT is widely used in IoT applications such as smart energy, health, banking services, and can scale up to handle millions of connections.
Use case 2: Industrial Automation
Enabling efficient data integration and greater automation capabilities, MQTT is ideal for industrial settings, such as remote data collection in hydraulic fracturing operations.
Use case 3: Enterprise Applications
MQTT is integral to applications like Facebook Messenger, and AWS services, ensuring seamless and secure data transmission across devices and applications.
OPC
Unveiling OPC (Open Platform Communications), an industrial telecommunications standard forged by an automation task force in 1996. Originally known as Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control (OLE), its purpose is to ensure fluid data communication between control devices from myriad manufacturers.
OPC Key Features
Real-time data reading and writing via the OPC Data Access (DA)
Enables access to archived data through OPC Historical Data Access (HDA)
Facilitates exchange of alarm and event messages with OPC Alarms and Events
Integration of OPC Express Interface (OPC Xi) approved for .NET Framework in 2009
Feature
Description
Interoperability standard
Facilitates secure and reliable data exchange in the industrial automation space
Scalability and flexibility
OPC model views every device as an independent object
Powerful security measures
Included end-to-end encryption, authentication, and auditing features.
OPC Disadvantages
While OPC offers a plethora of features, it does come with some potential limitations. Specific OPC specifications are exclusive to OPC Foundation members, which may limit access for non-members. Also, effective use of some features may require formalised training.
OPC Use Cases
Use Case 1: Industrial Automation
OPC is ideal in industrial automation for enabling real-time data communication between devices from various manufacturers.
Use Case 2: Building Automation
In building automation, OPC can handle data read and write tasks in real-time, facilitating quicker responses and enhanced operational efficiency.
Use Case 3: Manufacturing Sector
In both discrete and process manufacturing sectors, OPC allows for easy access to field data and transfer of that information to other systems across the facility.
Microcontroller
Enter the world of convenience with Microcontroller, a compact and integrated circuit designed to govern specific operations in an embedded system. It’s often employed in a wide range of applications – from vehicles to home appliances.
Microcontroller Top Features
Compactness: Single chip that contains a processor, memory, and input/output peripherals.
Versatility: Utilized in a variety of devices including vehicles, robots, office machines, and home appliances.
Efficient Data Interpretation: I/O peripherals interpret data while the central processor executes incoming data; data is stored in data memory while instructions are housed in program memory.
Signal Conversion: Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) and Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) convert signals to communicate with external devices.
Resourcefulness: Can use programming languages such as C, Python, and JavaScript.
Varying Processors
Simple 4-bit, 8-bit or 16-bit processors to complex 32-bit or 64-bit processors are available.
Memory Types
Includes both volatile memory (RAM) and non-volatile memory (flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM).
Design Limitations: Microcontrollers are less sophisticated than Systems on a Chip (SoCs).
Performance: Performance-critical roles demand more digital signal processor-like functions and higher clock speeds.
Microcontroller Use Cases
Industrial Automation
Microcontrollers, owing to their quick data interpretation and execution, prove incredibly useful in industrial automation where precise and speedy operations are demanded.
Automotive Applications
The robustness and compactness of microcontrollers make them ideal components in automotive applications, significantly enhancing the vehicular operations and systems.
Smart Energy Systems
Microcontrollers, through effective data interpretation, conversion, and execution, streamline and optimize operations in smart energy systems, ensuring an efficient and reliable energy grid.
Relay
An electrically operated switch, Relay controls circuits via an independent low-power signal. Born from the evolution of electromechanical relays into solid, flexible systems, Relay’s dynamic functionality has found its place from long-distance telegraph circuits to early computers and complex industrial automation systems.
Relay Top Features
Its optimal performance in repetitive, event-driven, high-speed control operations.
A versatile solution for control applications needing coordinated operation of electrical/electronic devices.
Cost-savings in equipment, installation, and labor by minimizing wiring errors.
Reprogrammable feature, enhancing flexibility when altering control schemes.
Compact solution compared to traditional components they replace.
Performs wide variety of control tasks from single repetitive action to complex data manipulation.
Traffic light sequencing, gate control, various machine controls.
Facilitates data collection, information exchange with operator interfaces, other PLCs, computers.
Relay Limitations
Requires expertise to handle complex programming and diagnostics.
Compatibility with certain vintage industrial systems might still require traditional components.
Relay Use Cases
Use Case 1: Industrial Automation
In industrial automation, Relay is effective in the coordinated operation of diverse electronic devices such as conveyors, form-fills, packaging systems, thanks to its speed and flexibility.
Use Case 2: Educational Systems
With its inclusion in Amatrol’s electrical control teaching system and a virtual simulator, Relay acts as a catalyst for foundational learning in electrical skills education.
Use Case 3: Traffic Management
In traffic light sequencing and gate control, Relay facilitates a quick response and effective management, a testament to tech’s global impact on our regular life.
HMI
At the heart of operation control sits the robust and adaptable HMI, Human-Machine Interface. Far from being just another GUI, an HMI intertwines machine functionality with human control, ensuring efficiency and accuracy in data visualization and task execution.
HMI Top Features
Enables centralized monitoring and overseeing of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Offers interaction with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and input/output sensors for comprehensive data input and output tracking
Provides sophisticated, digitized operations through to basic monitoring functions, adjustable to specific sector needs
Empowers operators with instant remote monitoring and effective field data management through mobile HMIs
Data generated by local HMIs can be transferred to the cloud, enabling remote access and analysis
Feature
Benefit
Compatibility with AR and VR technology
Enriched visualization for complex manufacturing functionalities
HMI/SCADA Integration
Offers effective industrial operation control while enhancing situational awareness and equipment centralization
Connectivity with RTUs and other control devices
Ensures comprehensive data acquisition, facilitating trend analysis and facilitating intelligent control
HMI Limitations
Limited to enhancing operational performance and reducing costs, HMI/SCADA requires a culture of continuous development amongst its users to fully reap its benefits
A shift from traditional methods to modern HMI-SCADA systems may require significant initial investment in infrastructure and training
HMI Use Cases
Use case 1 – Energy Industry
One domain where HMI shines is the energy sector. HMI equips operators to monitor machine inputs, outputs, and oversee KPIs effectively, thereby revolutionizing the management of power generation and distribution.
Use case 2 – Industrial Manufacturing
In the sphere of industrial manufacturing, HMI allows engineers and system integrators to visualize and track production trends, enhancing projection accuracy and resource management
Use case 3 – Food and Beverage Industry
Employed in the food and beverage industry, HMI can be utilized to monitor and control temperatures, ensure consistent quality, and increase manufacturing efficiency.
ICS
Industrial Control System (ICS) signifies a broad array of devices, networks, and controls, purposed for the operation and automation of industrial workflows. It encapsulates IT, Operational Technology (OT), alongside other key components such as Control Loop, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), and Data Historian.
ICS Top Features
Comprehensive supervisory control via SCADA and centralized control loop
Functionality spans from manufacturing to power generation, harnessing DCS
Diverse communication protocols such as PROFIBUS, DNP3, and Modbus
Heightened exposure to cyber threats due to IT/OT fusion
Exploitation wrinkles introduced by cloud computing, big data analytics, and IoT
ICS Use Cases
Use case 1 – Manufacturing
ICS leverages DCS for centralized management, thus ensuring optimized and streamlined production flow in manufacturing.
Use case 2 – Power Generation
In power generation, ICS deploys supervisory via SCADA to monitor and control processes from afar effectively.
Use case 3 – Supply Chain
The convergence of IT/OT under the ICS umbrella provides comprehensive visibility across the supply chain, enhancing its efficiency and performance.
MES
Introducing MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems), a cornerstone of digital industry. These are refined computerized systems deployed for tracking and documenting the journey of raw materials into finished goods. MES stands as an eminent beam of real-time information, empowering decision-making and enhancing production output, thereby controlling multiple elements ranging from inputs to personnel, machines, and services. It graciously bridges the gap between Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) or process control systems.
MES Top Features
Product lifecycle management: Assures total control over the product journey.
Resource scheduling: Optimize utilization of in-house resources.
Order execution and dispatch: Seamless management of orders and deliveries.
Production Analysis: Real-time insights for powerful decision-making.
Downtime management: Minimize productivity losses due to equipment downtime.
Product Quality: Ensuring the best manufacturing standards.
Data Capture:
Historical “as-built” data record that aids in process enhancement.
Automating workflows for efficient run-time execution.
MES Limitations
High implementation costs ranging from $375,000 to $1.2 million.
Requires professional skills for integration with PLC, ERP, PLM, CMMS, WMS, HRMS.
May necessitate custom solutions for complex manufacturing needs.
MES Pricing
Bespoke MES implementation necessitates significant investment, typically between $375,000–$1.2 million. However, this sizable upfront cost can be offset by substantial gains in efficiency, waste reduction, and quality control over time.
MES Use Cases
Use case 1: Regulated Industries
MES comes with robust regulatory compliance tools, making it a perfect ally for industries such as pharmaceuticals, the food and beverage sector. It delivers crucial “as-built” records capturing essential data, processes, and outcomes.
Use case 2: High Volume Manufacturing
Inventory needs in large manufacturing units can be effortlessly managed owing to the real-time tracking capability of MES, enabling an optimized production process.
Use case 3: Industries Seeking Digital Transformation
Companies aiming for a seamless digital transition would find MES instrumental with its ability to automate workflows, enable paperless shop floor operations, and grant profound real-time process plan updates.
IoT
As a cornucopia of networked devices, IoT fascinates us by making rigid things talkative! With sensors, software, machine learning and more, it’s the tech party where data is the DJ, exchanging tunes over the internet for an ultimate digital rave.
IoT Top Features
Data-driven insights: Not just chatter, IoT devices produce tangible tidbits, spinning a web of smartness.
Operational efficiency: Speed, accuracy, and smooth flow, IoT hones operations to their absolute best.
Business model creation & new revenue streams: Clever and innovative, IoT is a business wizard with unique models and revenue streams up its sleeves!
Accelerated Growth & Enhanced Security: By tracking device behavior and limiting access, IoT grows businesses with a shield of security.
Application
Impact
Healthcare
Makes wearable devices smarter and enables remote patient monitoring. You can watch your heart beat in real-time!
Automobile Industry
Reinvents cars by enabling device-to-device communication. It almost feels like the cars are gossiping!
Home automation
Acts as a remote control for lighting, heating, air conditioning, and security systems, making homes breathe smartness. No more walking to switch off the lights!
IoT Limitations
Complex technology: IoT encompasses a diverse range of technologies, making understanding and implementation quite a challenge.
Security concerns: Pitching several devices in an internet dialogue does lead to security risks. The darker side of connectivity needs continuous attention.
Interoperability: A digital party gets boring if the devices fail to engage in smooth conversation. The diversity of IoT’s network sometimes affects interoperability.
IoT Use Cases
Use case 1 – Retail
Ever saw a retailer pull a smart stunt in inventory management? IoT does it, hands down! It involves itself in supply chain optimization, keeping the products aisle a happy sight.
Use case 2 – Agriculture
IoT doesn’t leave the greens behind. With automated farming equipment, it lets farmers breathe a bit easy, achieving the perfect crop rotation at a button touch.
Use case 3 – Manufacturing
In manufacturing, IoT is the silent overseer, constantly watching over machine monitoring, product quality, and even courtesy alerts for deviations. It’s almost like a robo-supervisor, minus the intimidating gaze!
BAS
The concept of Building Automation Systems (BAS) dates back to the 1600s, undergoing continual evolution over centuries. Today’s modern BAS are an integration of various systems like heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, lighting, security and more, all designed to operate in harmony.
BAS Top Features
Pneumatic systems design to control ships after Johnson’s thermostat invention
Development of first PID controller
Adoption of BACnet protocol for improved interoperability
Elevation in controls framework with Niagara, integrating multiple protocols
Integra, a Niagara-based controls line offering high interoperability levels
The use of Aspect systems for efficient HVAC control
Feature
Benefit
Transition to digital controls
Cheaper, more accessible control systems
BACnet protocol
Solved interoperability issues, making integration easier
Niagara Framework
Provided utmost flexibility by allowing integration of multiple protocols
BAS Limitations
Poor configuration can be costly, accounting for 20% of building energy use
Dependency on interoperability for efficient function
Its complex system may require significant setup and maintenance
BAS Use Cases
Use Case 1: Building Design
Modern green buildings are designed to accommodate a BAS for energy, air, and water conservation. BAS’s ability to control multiple aspects of a building’s functioning at once acts as a force multiplier in sustainable architecture.
Use Case 2: Existing Infrastructure
Many traditional buildings’ heating, ventilation, AC, lighting systems operate independently. Introducing BAS into these structures fosters an environment of cohesion, noticeably boosting efficiency and ease of operation.
Use Case 3: Upcoming Developments
The future is holding a lofty place for BAS with an expected growth rate of 10.65% CAGR, reaching a market value of $100.6 billion by 2022. This presents an opportunity for new constructions to integrate BAS early on, ushering in a new era of automated, energy-smart buildings.
DAS
DAS (Distributed Antenna System) is a sophisticated control system proficient in rectifying poor in-building coverage through a network of small antennas. Enabled by a central controller, these antennas connect directly to a base station of a wireless carrier network.
DAS Best Features
Modular architecture: Capabilities extend to interfacing any experiment to a computer for recording and processing data.
Transmission flexibility: Both active and passive deployments possible. Passive DAS captures signals via roof antennas, transmitting via leaky feeder cables. In contrast, Active DAS employs fiber cables and can amplify signals as required.
AIMOS: Comprehensive DAS management platform. Offers robust features such as fault analysis, KPI evaluation, automatic operations, alarm polling, and network element software updates.
Transparent to mobile devices
Offers voice and data services akin to any cellular network tower
Impressive handling capacity
Can handle up to 240 analog or digital outputs
Highly adaptable
Capable of catering to densely inhabited indoor spaces
DAS Limitations
High installation cost: Labor-intensive processes make DAS deployments costly. However, these costs are usually absorbed by the carrier.
Technical demands: The effectiveness of DAS often rests on a multitude of factors including travel distance, building characteristics, and existing infrastructure.
DAS Pricing
DAS installation costs depend on several factors like travel distance, building characteristics, and infrastructure. Detailed site assessments and RF benchmarking tests are crucial to determine exact project costs. However, complete transparency in price ranges is maintained to accommodate specific factors influencing costs.
DAS Use Cases
Use case 1
DAS is ideal for densely populated indoor spaces like malls, where consistent network coverage is crucial for smooth operations and customer satisfaction.
Use case 2
In contexts like medical centers, where reliable communication networks are essential, DAS offerings can be transformative.
Use case 3
High-rise buildings, struggle with robust network coverage due to their sheer height and infrastructure complexity, DAS can effectively rectify this situation.
RTU
The RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) is a versatile, microprocessor-controlled device. It bridges the gap between real-world objects and distributed control or SCADA systems. Its key function is sending telemetry data to, and receiving control messages from, master systems.
RTU Top Features
Harsh-condition operation: RTUs are designed to endure under severe circumstances, conveniently enabling their use in extreme environments.
Solar-powered operation: Most of these units boast commendable power efficiency, with many running on solar power for optimal energy conservation.
Customizable setup: RTUs provide flexible programming options, allowing configuration of data streams, communication protocols, and troubleshooting procedures.
Advanced monitoring: These devices possess the capability to monitor diverse data types, including 0-1 mA, 4–20 mA current loop, and 0–10 V inputs.
Feature
Description
Multipurpose input section:
RTUs contain sections for acquiring real-world info in differing states via voltage or current sources.
AC or battery operation:
The power supply has AC power capabilities for CPUs and other interfacing cards, plus battery and charger circuitry for operations during AC power outages.
Price range:
From $500 to over $5,000 catering for audiences from entry-level to premium with high-end features.
RTU Limitations
For extreme applications like oil and gas or utility sectors, the cost of RTU’s can escalate significantly.
The complexity of RTUs and the need for specialist knowledge can present a steep learning curve, especially for smaller organizations.
RTU Pricing
Pricing for RTUs varies significantly depending on functionalities and capacities. Costs range from $500 for entry-level models, elevating to over $5,000 for premium models with advanced features.
RTU Use Cases
Use case 1: Pipeline and Grid Guarding Systems
RTUs are a boon for hard-to-reach or environments with harsh conditions such as pipeline and grid guarding systems. They help monitor critical metrics and relay real-time data to the central system.
Use case 2: Utility Industries
Utility industries leverage RTUs to enable seamless interaction with remote equipment and robust reporting. Solar-power options provide an optimal solution where grid power is a challenge.
Use case 3: Industrial Control Applications
From refineries to food processing units, RTUs facilitate reliable data acquisition and control functions. The multi-drop scheme allows them to share a communication line, optimizing resource utilization.
ERP
Like a technological symphony, the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system harmonizes disparate business functions, fostering a cohesive melody of efficiency and productivity. A stalwart of the business technology lexicon for the past six decades, ERP stemmed from the conceptual roots of Material Requirements Planning (MRP) in the 1960s era.
ERP Top Features
Integration: ERP platforms effortlessly weave together all company processes into a unified tapestry.
Real-Time Data: Akin to a river in full flowing, ERP delivers continuous streams of data for instantaneous decision-making.
AI & IoT Integration: ERP embraces the future, leveraging AI for task automation and IoT for rich data collection.
Futuristic Approach
Grâce à l’intelligence artificielle et à l’internet des objets, les ERP sont, plus que jamais, ancrés dans le futur.
Cloud Technology
Renouncing the shackles of heavy hardware, ERP, like a bird, takes wing in the cloud, making data accessible anywhere, anytime.
Improved Reporting & Efficiency
ERP systems create thorough reports, implicating inefficiencies and highlighting productivity, prolifically.
ERP Limitations
Implementation challenges: ERP systems, as complex as they are powerful, can lead to inefficiencies and sub-optimal operations if not implemented correctly.
Heavy Cost: For businesses, especially SMEs, ERP’s sophistication comes with a robust price, of implementation and maintenance.
ERP Use Cases
Use case 1: Manufacturing Companies
Keen to control inventory, streamline production activities, ERP unfurls as a lifeline to manufacturing companies, helping visualize the threads of operation, from stock to sale.
Use case 2: Large Enterprises
Large enterprises, orchestrating multiple departments, find their maestro in ERP, directing their operations in harmony, eliminating discordance, and fostering unity.
Use case 3: eCommerce Businesses
ERP’s potency resonates well with eCommerce businesses. From inventory, order management, to analytics, ERP aids businesses in orchestrating their operations seamlessly.
Grant Sullivan
Content writer @ Aircada and self proclaimed board game strategist by day, AI developer by night.
