SCADA Explained: Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Everything You Need To Know About SCADA

In today’s age, as technology is advancing rapidly, it has become imperative for industries to figure out solutions for optimising business processes. There are several ways of improvising business processes, amongst which one best way is using SCADA software. It is being widely adopted across various industries. Adoption of this software helps in easy management.  

SCADA: Meaning and Functions

The full form of SCADA is Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. SCADA system allows for greater monitoring and control over the functions and processes involved in a business.  With the help of a smart combination of upgraded innovations and technologies, this software essentially allows businesses to augment and streamline management processes. It does this by helping you with your supervisory efforts by simplifying them significantly. 

Therefore, you do not require anyone to assure you about the suitability of SCADA software. However, for an in-depth understanding of the benefits and function of SCADA software, read further. 

How Does SCADA Function?

The SCADA software collects all the data generated by multiple processes that are involved in your business; thereafter, it organizes this data properly and cohesively. This way, just the statistics which are related to the current and future business processes are properly analyzed. 

After the completion of this process and the generation of results,  the management can easily optimise the steps involved in customising and constructing upto date and new business processes while taking measures to optimise the existing processes. This ensures that there is a bare minimum to no problems plaguing your business and its processes. It also guarantees that most of the business process would be optimised to a considerable extent.  

Components of SCADA Systems

Generally, SCADA systems consists of five components, which are explained below:

1. Field Instrumentation

It refers to a range of transmitters and monitors on the floor of the factory that is used by SCADA applications. Usually, these elements are available in various forms, such as pressure and temperature sensors, proximity sensors, energy monitors, machine vision systems and more. 

2. Controllers 

PLCs and RTUs compile and collate data by field instrumentation and prepares it for analysis and display it with the help of the human-machine interface. 

3. HMI (Human-Machine Interface) 

These devices are the master units which allows humans to supervise and regulate SCADA’s data acquisition process. Besides, operators use HMI devices to have an interaction with the collected data via graphical user interfaces, generally computer monitors, and compiles reports for using it later. 

4. Network Connectivity 

The SCADA system’s operation depends on integrated network connectivity. Usually, facilities can make this happen with the use of both wireless variants and wired lines, connecting conversion units to the master unit either through the internet or landlines.

5. Database 

This relates to either an on-premise or cloud storage facility for storing information.

To understand the usefulness of this technology, we have mentioned about two applications of SCADA that need to be kept in mind- a city and an industrial plant.

If we take up the example of the development of a smart city, SCADA systems can be useful in mapping out the development processes. It will also help you discern the pain points posing hurdles in the developing process. And, once you manage to point out these roadblocks, you can take steps to mitigate this issue and improve a city’s overall state. 

While we talk about the industrial plant, SCADA’S elements encompass most of all major aspects involved. Through this system, everything from fans, pumps, ventilation and other functioning machine can be easily controlled. In simple terms, it is a control system with which every industrial sector’s aspect would do good. Therefore, there are relevant applications of SCADA in power system as well. 

The Way Forward

It is evident that SCADA systems would become the norm in several firms, irrespective of the industry to which they belong. If you happen to join one of the organisations that wishes to figure out the course of action to augment their business processes, the adoption of the SCADA system would be highly recommended for most of the reasons mentioned above.