The Process Automation Suite from Omniflex provides an easy to use, cost effective and expandable process control system. Its maker believes that its integrated control software using IEC61131 standard software languages, data acquisition, telemetry, remote I/O systems capability and the ability to incorporate and integrate existing hardware systems makes this solution a 'system integrator's dream'.
The Process Automation Suite is a modular system comprising of the following elements:
* IEC 61131 control strategy programming environment with a Windows-based PC workbench.
* The Maxiflex Process Automation Controllers Series and associated I/O hardware platform.
* The Maxiflex flexible networking environment and networking hierarchy.
* The Maxiflex remote I/O systems capability.
* Under the bonnet data acquisition and telemetry functionality.
* Integrated alarm and events services (date and time stamp queue).
* OPC servers for a variety of network protocols including Ethernet.
The IEC 61131 workbenches are price structured according to I/O capability, with a range from 32 I/O to unlimited. This allows the user to pay according to the scale of the system. The workbench is a once off cost and can be used with many CPUs. The workbenches are Windows operating systems based. The Process Automation Suite positions Maxiflex fully into the process control applications arena. Users can use standard programming languages that they are comfortable with for their control strategies.
The choice of programming languages includes ladder, function block, flow chart, sequential function chart, structured text and instruction list.
Maxiflex process automation controllers
The PAC is based on the Maxiflex P3 CPU platform. The Maxiflex process automation controllers (PAC) run the IEC 61131 control applications and are available in a number of variants to suit network preferences. These include Ethernet (with Modbus TCP), Ethernet (Conet), Modbus, Conet/c and Conet/m (packet radio protocol). This provides a flexible network environment satisfying most networked applications and plant topologies. Process control applications invariably involve the following functionality for effective implementation:
* Interlock controls.
* Analog signal processing.
* Control algorithms - including PID with auto-tune.
* Network communications.
* Alarm and events monitoring.
* Date and time stamping at source for sequence of events monitoring.
* The ability to service Windows-based scada systems.
The PACs deliver all the above functionality on the standard platform.
Remote I/O systems
Maxiflex is able to implement hierarchical networks with transparent linking from lowest to highest level and vice versa. The ability to configure seamless routing from Ethernet to a fieldbus network like Conet or even a packet radio system provides system integration tools few can compete with. Redundant communications can also be simply implemented using modular applications. Field I/O can be collected easily with analog inputs such as temperature being accepted directly along with a wide variety of other analog and digital inputs and outputs.
Integrating third party devices
Maxiflex has direct serial inputs for which protocols can be developed to integrate other devices in the Omniflex remote I/O system. Devices such as analytical instrumentation can be integrated into the system. Device protocols are developed and downloaded to network interface modules, which integrate the foreign device into the Maxiflex network system.
The Process Automation Suite offers many 'under the bonnet' features like date and time stamped events, telemetry and auto I/O scanning - which are all standard offerings. When combined together within a control system the flexibility of the system becomes apparent, allowing the independent delivery of functionally different services all on a single system.
Date and time stamp
This is a service available with Conet protocol network applications that provides an event stream, ie, (each input change of state and the time and date it happened) from the front-end device. These events can then be collected and analysed on a scada system with the events in chronological order. Pre and post event analysis can then be reviewed from the scada database. This service differs from the scada date and time stamp in that it is free from network propagation errors, which can affect time stamping done on the scada PC.
Data acquisition
The Maxiflex PACs and CPUs have the ability to be used as program-less data acquisition devices as they automatically read their I/O without an application program resident.
Auto I/O scanning
The status of the inputs and outputs are reflected in a data interchange table (DIT) which is accessible via the networks. Any other device on the network including scada or DCS has access to read those DIT registers. This applies even when the CPU is running an application program to execute some other function.
Telemetry
A range of telemetry enabled CPUs: The T series provide powerful remote I/O capabilities also - with the user writing programs to transfer data from one node to another. Network services such as subscriptions and datagrams are used to configure a telemetry application. Data can be subscribed across a network or even multiple networks by simply configuring some DIT registers. This service can be run on a cyclic basis (time interval) or on change of state.
OPC servers
The link to PC-based scada HMIs is implemented through OPC servers for Windows operating systems based scada packages. The OPC server facilitates the delivery of data to the OPC clients running on the Windows operating system and allows the control of field outputs. The OPC server uses a tag-based I/O system, which is easily exchanged with the scada tag configuration.
Engineering configuration and diagnostic tools
Windows-based configuration and diagnostic tools allow the user to configure and interrogate any other node on the network from any point on the network or networks.
For more information contact Ian Loudon, Omniflex Automation Products, 031 207 7466, www.omniflex.co.za
| Tel: | +27 31 207 7466 |
| Fax: | +27 31 208 2058 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.omniflex.com |
| Articles: | More information and articles about Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists |
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