One of the unforeseen but crucial side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the growth of industrial automation. Despite the impending discovery of the vaccine, there is now an evident need for a more dependent workforce on modern devices, like supervisory control and data acquisition, a.k.a SCADA software, which helps the factories process their products more safely and efficiently. The social-distancing directives could give rise to even more industries and accelerate automation usage. This system can significantly free up employees, focusing on disinfection and sanitation necessities to minimize human contact.
Uses of SCADA Software
SCADA software is most beneficial for utility companies and industrial plants and process controls that involve industrial automation. This application system provides essential maintenance and support on infrastructure that forms the backbone of an industrial project. Organizations that prioritize scale, safety, and accuracy need SCADA applications on water management, oil and gas facilities, and manufacturing plants.
The advanced SCADA application for water company owners and employees is advantageous in monitoring and controlling pumps, water tanks, motors, and other vital equipment on water management and treatment systems.
It also provides real-time visibility on assets scattered across remote sites for oilfield and gasoline resource management. Nowadays, manufacturers utilize SCADA software platforms to catch potential problems and minimize downtime before the worst mishaps escalate.
Companies today are starting to embrace modernized industrial application technologies and platforms to create an innovative system. The SCADA system is in the middle of this progress, providing utmost support to the following processes:
- Advanced logic engine operation and calculation
- Data acquisition from people across the globe
- Data compilation and disparate system integration
- Paper and clipboards elimination
- Mobile devices leverage
- Building connection and linkages between plants and people
Evolution of SCADA Software Systems
Way back 80th century, the SCADA industry instigated with the release of Microsoft Windows, confined to imitating mechanical processes. Early graphic interfaces featured dial's digital representations and usages of analog control panel lights emulated life in the form of art and science. It also reinforces the relationship between the contrasting contemporary analog and digital technologies.
Back then, control rooms were the only necessity to monitor various industrial settings, but operators began to seek remote notification systems. One of the earliest alarm providers in the 80s used pagers and autodialers to transmit remote alarms through phone lines. Although it was accessible and useful, this method gradually showed limits, like lack of capability to escalate alarm and acknowledgment of the receiving party’s notice.
During the 1950s, computers became prevalent in industrial processes, until automated communications successfully transmitted pertinent remote site data using telemetry. With the rise of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and microprocessors in the 1970s, the term SCADA came into prominence that paved the way for upgraded ways in monitoring automated procedures. Progress in LAN technology and HMI software increased developments on SCADA systems, enabling connection to other systems. Read more about what HMI software does and how it can help your business.
As industrial floors expanded, long-distance control for equipment and full automation demands also increased. Instead of alarm duplication, a platform focusing on reception can help SCADA processes get more messages, work on flexible escalation, and monitor who, when, and how the alarm dispatches. This substantial evolution of SCADA systems allowed industrial companies to do better and more efficient tasks, especially amidst the pandemic.
In this sense, the world pandemic is indeed propelling a new era for the automation industry. Software programs like SCADA evolved once again during the crisis, making long-distance processes more accessible and less costly than before.
Benefits of SCADA Software Alarm Automation During Pandemic
Back then, SCADA has always provided excellent communication PLCs and field devices, from its traditional form to its latest standards. Even amidst the pandemic, no one can rule out the benefits of SCADA software alarm automation in the industry.
- Easier Remote Site Management
The main advantage that SCADA software alarm automation can provide is monitoring and controlling mission-critical equipment deployed at various remote sites while producing insights about how efficient the network is. It can also minimize wasted truck rolls needed when sending personnel to sites in addressing minor issues, like system alerts, automatic reports, and troubleshooting.
- Real-Time Data Access
Thanks to the latest SCADA systems, operators can now access real-time data from the plant floor to any part of the globe. This revolutionary progress became possible due to SCADA software’s introduction to the structured query language (SQL) and other web-based applications, creating a more efficient, productive, reliable, and secured system. Through the combined functions of modern technologies, SCADA software with SQL support system can now digitalize paperwork, eliminating the need for paper and clipboards.
- Automated and Digitalized Alerts
Operators and engineers can now receive automatic notifications when on-site issues arise. Industrial organizations can also convert excel sheets or other access programs into a centralized shared application. Data access became more efficient and portable due to the use of smartphones and tablets transmission. Mobile devices began to take over PCs to find online information, proving that the industrial field is not an exception to this paradigm shift.
- Enhanced Interpersonal Communication
One of the most significant issues that industrial workers have a hard time addressing is interpersonal communication, given the hierarchy of command and orders in an organization. With the SCADA system, aside from a chunk of data, people can also connect with unlimited licensing models convenience. It can also provide utmost compliance with regulatory agencies, lessening the risk of wrong abiding to the protocols.
Final Remarks
As the need for minimized human contact arises, so does the automated processes for industrial spaces. SCADA software automated system is one solution to identify the issue and malfunction even in the remote areas. Take advantage of the new advancements in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), like alarm automation, to handle real-time and dynamic site conditions. Learn more about SCADA software and choose a suitable application for a business type. Remember that the efficiency of a SCADA application heavily depends on how it models complex processes and deliver it to the right people at the right time.
