|
New DNP3 Plug-In Supports Flexible SCADA Substation Integration
SCADA software innovators COPA-DATA have developed a DNP3 (distributed network protocol) gateway for their zenOn 6.2 SCADA system. This complements typical SCADA master operation with slave operation that allows utilities to integrate more flexible distributed control architectures.
Salzburg, Austria (PRWEB) February 25, 2006 -- SCADA software innovators COPA-DATA have developed a DNP3 (distributed network protocol) gateway for their zenOn 6.2 SCADA system. This complements typical SCADA master operation with slave operation that allows utilities to integrate more flexible distributed control architectures.
Widely used in the electric utility industry, DNP3 provides open communications over a wide geographical area. In a DNP3 network, a control room SCADA master typically supervises distributed plant. zenOn has supported this DNP3 master functionality for several years by means of a software driver. However, utilities are increasingly using zenOn for substation automation, providing a significant cost reduction compared to traditional DCS-based systems.
With the addition of the new DNP3 gateway plug-in, zenOn can report directly to a higher level supervisory control system. Because both the zenOn SCADA System and DNP3 protocol are open technologies the local substation can report to many different systems supporting DNP3.
Open connectivity with disparate networks and support for DNP3 facilitates plant modernisation. Upgrading a regional substation covering a wide geographical area to a SCADA-based system is becoming increasingly popular due to the flexibility of operation and the cost savings made possible by the use of more economical open computer hardware.
Localised control is possible with zenOn because the software is designed for reliability. Any zenOn terminal on a zenOn network such as DNP3 can be selected as a back up server with a single click of the mouse. This backup server is then guaranteed to receive data without loss should a failure occur, ensuring the fail safe redundant operation that is essential to electricity infrastructure.
Features beneficial to redundant power distribution control systems are central to zenOn operation. For example, all data is stored as a trilogy containing the data itself, zenOn automatically adding a millisecond-accurate time stamp and the data status.
Data validity information is essential because power infrastructure is exposed to a rugged environment covering a wide geographical area, necessitating redundant systems. A zenOn server could be used to monitor a number of redundant RTUs. If zenOn detected a communication breakdown, any data received would be declared invalid using the status bits. Invalid data could be excluded from archiving or trending.
International electric utilities use zenOn because it is a reliable open platform that saves valuable engineering time with its built-in features for the power industry. In addition to DNP3, zenOn supports over 300 drivers and gateways including IEC 60870, popular amongst European utilities. Drivers and gateways are “plugged in” to the modular zenOn platform providing truly open vendor independent operation.
http://www.copadata.com
About COPA-DATA
COPA-DATA is a leading international innovator in HMI/SCADA systems. Specialising exclusively in automation software since the mid-80s has enabled the Salzburg-based company become technological trail blazers in the industrial marketplace.
Today, COPA-DATA has subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, France and the Middle East with distribution and integrator partners throughout the world. The company currently employs more than 100 staff and has impressive references including Festo, BMW and Audi. Over 45,000 zenOn systems are installed in automotive, machine building, energy and manufacturing plants worldwide.
About zenOn
The zenOn software suite was the first visualisation suite to run entirely on Windows, later taking advantage Windows XP platform’s capabilities. Currently a unique feature of zenOn, the same platform extends from Windows CE handhelds on the factory floor up Windows XP using an efficient event-driven distributed network.
The new generation 6 zenOn software features a powerful editor to reduce engineering time using automatic engineering wizards and through highly efficient reuse of pictures and control elements.
Notes to editor:
| | - zenOn is the SCADA / HMI software product of COPA-DATA GmbH
|
This and other COPA-DATA press releases can be downloaded in Word and pdf format with photography at the link below.
http://www.ballard.co.uk/press_releases/company_releases.aspx?company=copa-data〈=English(uk)
Press Contact:
Robin Wolstenholme, Ballard Communications Management (BCM)
Tel +44 (0)1306 882288
Email: r.wolstenholme@ballard.co.uk
Reader contact:
Copa - Data GmbH
A-5020 Salzburg
Karolingerstrasse 7 B
Austria
Tel: +43 (0)662 431002-0
Fax: +43 (0)662 431002-23
Email: sales@copadata.at
Web: http://www.copadata.com
###
|
