What Is SCADA? (And How Companies Benefit From It)

While a SCADA — supervisory control and data acquisition — system might seem like a complex and sophisticated piece of technology, it actually serves to simplify detailed and intricate processes in industrial settings.  

SCADA is basically a type of industrial control system (ICS) employed to monitor and control various industrial processes. These systems are vital for automation in industries such as manufacturing, energy and wastewater treatment, among others — combining hardware and software elements and allowing companies to collect, analyze and visualize data for their operations.

Let’s look at a large-scale example of how a national power utility implemented a SCADA system to navigate ongoing outages caused by grid instability and sub-par fault detection. The utility used the modern SCADA system for real-time monitoring of power plants, substations and transmission lines; employed automated fault detection and load balancing; and integrated the system with renewable energy sources.

The positive impact was clear and included 30 percent improvement in grid stability, 50 percent reduction in power outage durations and renewable energy usage increased by 25 percent. Needless to say, SCADA application served several benefits in improving this critical infrastructure, and the same can be said for various businesses that are interested in industrial automation.

What Is a SCADA System?

A SCADA system at its heart provides real-time monitoring of industrial machines and facilities to immediately call attention to issues in production. They can be integrated with a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software to help provide even more organized oversight and facilitate improved remote supervision.

Their key facets include monitoring, providing real-time data from field devices and human-machine interface (HMI) displays; increased control via sending commands to actuators based on either predetermined logic or operator input; and data logging  — storing historical data for analysis and reporting. Other elements include alarm management that detects abnormal conditions and alerts operators and generating reports on system performance, events and important trends.

Key Components of a SCADA System

While a SCADA is a multifaceted system, its key components can be broken down into four main elements:

• Sensors: And other “field devices” such as actuators and controllers are vital tools that interact directly with and monitor the particular process being managed. Temperature sensors, pressure transmitters and flow meters are a few prominent examples. 
• Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) or Remote Terminal Unit (RTU): Are microcomputers used to garner data from field devices and share it with the central system. In addition, they implement control directives from the central system to guide the field devices. 
• Human-machine interfaces: Are critical components of SCADA systems, as they bridge the gap between the human operators and the automated systems. A smartly designed HMI typically includes configurable dashboards, intuitively understood icons and user-friendly navigation to quickly connect operators to the information they require.
• SCADA software: Serves to lead a trio of key actions: data acquisition — collecting the info from field devices; process control — by analyzing and responding to this real-time data; and user interaction — including furnishing a graphic depiction of the system via the HMI. 

SCADA vs. Programmable Logic Controller

While there can be confusion between a SCADA system and a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), a PLC is actually an integral component of a SCADA system. The PLC is a hardware element of a SCADA system that gathers data and transmits it to the SCADA system, which plays the role of command center. A SCADA takes on a much broader role than a PLC, which is focused on localized machine-level control. 

Additionally, a SCADA has far more functions (such as monitoring, controlling and analyzing entire systems), while a PLC has the main function to control equipment. SCADA systems are also very interactive, with frequent operator management via an HMI, while PLCs have little or no user interface element and run on predefined programs. 

Some examples of how they might serve their distinct purposes might be a SCADA platform employed in a sophisticated large-scale endeavor such as an industrial plant; while a PLC would typically have help with a much-more specific and simple task such as directing a robotic arm in a factory. 

How Does SCADA Work?

A SCADA system at heart is a dynamic command center that relays equipment behavior to operators and maintenance teams. Its main purposes involve the gathering and application of data in a system to make sure operations are safe, smooth and efficient. This functions in four major steps:

• Data collection: The systems sensors and actuators collect data from significant points in the industrial procedure to gauge the status of factors such as temperature, pressure, flow rate and the status of machinery and equipment.
• Share collected data: They then communicate data using RTU and PLC devices, which serve as go-betweens that draw raw data from the sensors and change it into a format that the SCADA software is able to manage.
• Visualizes data: The software then provides data visualization for operators — on an HMI — who are able to monitor the system in real-time and analyze and respond to it. The operators do this via the system’s control functionalities, which allow them to use the HMI to issue commands through the software system that adjust the system based upon current data. 

While SCADA systems do have many automated functions to them, maintenance techs play a key role by working in conjunction with them. The role of these techs can be broken down into a trio of main tasks: 

• Checking sensors: Done in a variety of ways, from visual assessment of signs of wear and tear, to calibration testing, to signal testing to make sure sensors are communicating clearly with the RTUs or PLCs. 
• Tracking equipment events logged by SCADA systems: Knowing events such as alarms, equipment failures or parameter deviations arms techs with a thorough history of machinery performance and incidents. This is helpful in numerous ways, including the smart scheduling of maintenance tasks that boost efficiency and reduce avoidable repairs.
• Changing speed of production processes from a central location: Done through the HMI to impart commands or fine-tune parameters like speed. The HMI is a user-friendly interface that interacts with the SCADA system and can be done from a remote location.

Types of SCADA

SCADA systems may sound like a recent development to those uninitiated to the sophisticated control solutions; but they have grown and developed over the past six decades with four distinct generations, each exhibiting progress with their technology and performance:

• Monolithic: The initial form, known as the Monolithic SCADA, was created in the 1960s and ’70s and functioned as a standalone system. These relied on mainframe computers and had no network connectivity, making them secure but limited in scalability and flexibility.
• Distributed: The ensuing generation, Distributed SCADA, ushered in networking capabilities — enabling data communications between numerous systems. This edition of the system surfaced in the 1980s and differentiated itself from centralized SCADA systems by employing multiple smaller computers linked via a network — boosting dependability, efficiency and instantaneous information exchange.
• Networked: The introduction of Wide Area Networks (WANs) and standardized communication practices assisted with the realization of Networked SCADA. This next generation boosted scalability and reliability via seamless integration and the sharing of data across broader systems,
• IoT-Related: The newest era of SCADA has taken things to the next level with the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. These modern IoT-related systems have been invaluable to industries such as manufacturing, energy and transportation by furnishing real-time data accumulation, cutting-edge analytics and remote access. Efficiency and versatility are the main improvements in this current iteration of SCADA solutions.

Benefits of SCADA

A book could be written about the plethora of pluses provided by a quality SCADA system, but their most auspicious advantages can be divided into three crucial categories: 

Increased Efficiency

SCADAs maintain efficiency via real-time monitoring and continuous data collection from sensors and other devices, offering operators a live operational overview and helping them identify and respond to issues instantly. Efficiency is also boosted by the regulating of recurring tasks since the automation of equipment control or regulating pressure and temperature helps ensure consistent performance.

Reduced Downtime 

Fewer instances of equipment downtime is another massive boon, and SCADA systems assist here in many ways. Predictive maintenance is one of them, as the analysis of data — both historical and real-time data — helps with maintenance planning that keeps systems running smoothly. Fault isolation is another key here since SCADA can swiftly pinpoint the location and makeup of a fault within the process. And let’s not leave out the fact that SCADA systems often have automated recovery properties that resolve faults promptly to reestablish regular functioning. 

Improved Communication

A SCADA system also vastly improves communication, not only between disparate components of an industrial process but between systems and their operators as well. The former is accomplished by such means as standardized communication protocols — such as Modbus, DNP3 or OPC — that forge uniform and reliable communication between different systems and devices. And communiques between systems and human operators are boosted in countless ways, including the advantage of remote management and operation, plus a centralized data system sharing all the info from sensors and subsystems on a solitary interface.

A SCADA system also offers the versatility to assist with various types of maintenance strategies, whether teams are applying condition-based maintenance, reliability-centered maintenance or another approach. 

Example of SCADA Use by Industry

Depending on the sector, SCADA systems can be employed in very different ways. 

In an industrial setting, for example, this type of system would assist an oil and gas pipeline greatly by monitoring crucial measurements such as pressure, temperature and valve positions. They respond swiftly to system abnormalities like an abrupt decrease in pressure revealing a possible leak signaling an alarm, enabling operators to take action immediately — avoiding product losses, not to mention environmental harm. Their remote capabilities are invaluable here as well, giving operators the opportunity to alter system settings from afar.  

Meanwhile, in the world of alternative energy creation, a SCADA system can track the performance numbers of solar panels, wind turbines and the like. Data such as energy production, turbine speed or panel temperature is followed in real time to optimize efficiency. Energy storage management is also boosted for systems teamed with batteries, as SCADA can scrutinize battery charge levels, manage energy storage and discharge, and ensure the effective use of stored energy when demand is at its highest. Another plus that shouldn’t be underestimated is a SCADA system’s ability to smoothly integrate renewable energy sources into the power grid. 

How a CMMS Integrates With SCADA

A CMMS software complements and optimizes a SCADA system to great effect, with the key benefits resulting in streamlined operations, decreased downtime and better-functioning assets. Among the vital ways with which this occurs, the following four are crucial:

• Real-time notifications: Are boosted as SCADA systems constantly monitor equipment and can detect anomalies (such as a sudden temperature rise); and when an issue is spotted, the SCADA system can instantly create a work order in the CMMS.
• Predictive maintenance: Is optimized via the CMMS evaluating historical data from SCADA sensors and then forecasting when specific equipment is likely to falter — helping maintenance teams anticipate potential issues before they worsen.
• Centralized maintenance records: Stored by the CMMS assist in comprehending patterns of depreciation, spurring improved planning and resource apportioning.
• Improved decision-making: Results from SCADA furnishing real-time performance data and the CMMS providing historical maintenance records; operators then benefit from a thorough view of equipment status and are able to make better-informed choices.