Reviewer details
Reviewer: Juan Le Roux
Position: Lead developer/project manager
Company: Convenient Software Solutions
Telephone: +27 (0)31 914 0040/082 772 7858
E-mail: [email protected]
Product Details
Vendor: Wonderware
Product name and version: InTouch 9.5 SP1
Telephone: 0861 WONDER
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: www.wonderware.com
Application
Industry: Mining and metals
Server operating system: Windows Server 2003
Client operating system: Windows XP Pro
Front end: 230* Allen-Bradley PLC 5 processors
Tag count: >220 000
General
Q: Briefly describe the application including information on any pre-existing system that was in place.
A: The project entailed replacing a VXL scada system based on Open VMS technology with a Wonderware InTouch solution to control and monitor the entire manufacturing process.
Q: Who performed the scada configuration?
A: Convenient Software Solutions (CSS).
Q: Approximately how many man-hours did the scada configuration take?
A: 9100 man-hours.
Q: Was a structured process followed to determine expected performance under full load and during abnormal failure conditions?
A: A detailed I/O count per PLC was used to determine PLC processor and network load and hence system performance under full load. Under these conditions we found the update time to be under 1 second.
Q: What sort of licensing agreement applies to this particular system?
A: InTouch licensing works on a per-tag count basis, which includes all features. A 60k tag licence was used for each of the more than 30 InTouch view nodes.
Q: What upgrade agreements are in place? Are patches and version upgrades free, covered under annual maintenance or managed in some other way?
A: The end-user subscribed to a comprehensive support programme, which includes all software upgrades and patches.
Q: How is after-sales support handled?
A: A helpdesk is available through a dedicated support hotline, e-mail or Internet. Authorised users access the secured automation network via remote dial up.
System architecture
Q: What impresses you most about the architecture?
A: Its ability to integrate with other applications from Wonderware and 3rd party vendors.
Q: What are the key physical communication layers and communication protocols employed in the system?
A: Fibre networks carry Ethernet and Allen-Bradley DH+ protocols.
Q: Is the scada system integrated onto an intranet or the Internet? If so, what level of remote monitoring and control is configured?
A: Remote control is available over the VPN.
Q: Does the application utilise web services?
A: No.
Q: What redundancy is incorporated in this scada application?
A: Redundancy has been implemented on alarming, I/O server and historian.
Graphics
Q: Could you describe the graphics development process?
A: We used InTouch’s bundled symbol library for most graphics.
Q: How would you describe the library of graphic images?
A: Comprehensive, incorporating a full set of 2D and 3D images.
Q: What human factors were taken into consideration in the HMI design process?
A: Primarily font size to ensure screens were clear and easy to read from afar.
Q: Did you use any ‘special’ images?
A: For detailed process views JPEG files were displayed on mimics.
Compatibility
Q: Do you run the scada in conjunction with any third-party application software?
A: Topserver was used as the I/O server.
Q: Was any custom code or scada scripting written for this project?
A: Scripting was used in certain areas to determine PLC Master/Slave processor ownership of I/O.
Management reporting and integration
Q: Is a trending and historical data reporting system included?
A: Wonderware’s Historian handled all data logging and Active Factory’s trending tools were utilised.
Q: Is a management reporting system included in the package?
A: Yes.
Q: Is the system integrated with an MES / ERP or other management reporting or control system?
A: Custom MES solutions exist on site, which use data from the Wonderware Historian databases. This is achieved though custom C++ functions which extract data from the historian databases and create intermediate text files, which are then used to populate an Oracle MES database.
Q: Who performed this integration?
A: Hillside MES specialists and the CSS development team.
Q: Was any additional software development needed?
A: No.
Q: Are any production benchmarking tools configured as part of the scada system?
A: No.
System safety, security and data protection
Q: What alarm management standards or best practices were adopted in configuring the scada system?
A: Hillside has its own standard for defining alarms. There are two categories (ie, Alarms and Faults). Alarms simply define any potential risk whereas faults are critical conditions, which could have serious consequences.
Q: How were the potential consequences of abnormal process conditions taken into consideration during the HMI design process?
A: Alarms/faults were grouped in alarm groups and according to their priority level.
Q: Does the design make provision for a DMZ and firewall segregation of process network and business networks?
A: Separate virtual and physical networks exist on different domains.
Q: What intrusion detection is incorporated on the plant network(s) on which this scada system exists?
A: None.
Q: What configuration backup and archive backup methodologies have been adopted?
A: MDT Software’s Mass AutoSave server was deployed for all backup and revision control. This integrates with InTouch via a 'personality' plugin and was configured in minutes.
Conclusion
Q: What was the predominant feature(s) that made you decide to employ this scada, rather than another?
A: Its rapid application development and features such as smart symbols. The product’s ability to integrate with other products such as MDT, Historian and ArchestrA.
Q: What impresses you the most about the system?
A: The ease with which we were able to rapidly roll out the solution, the ease with which it connects to the rest of the Wonderware suite and available connectivity options.
Custom questions
Q: What are the end-user’s future plans for this site?
A: By the end of September 2008, Hillside Aluminium will be a Wonderware-only site monitoring over 230 PLCs via Software Toolbox’s Topserver with a tag count of 220 000 displayed on more than 2000 mimics. In the near future the system will be upgraded to InTouch 10 and subsequently migrated to the ArchestrA-based system platform.
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