Are HMI And SCADA Really Different?

SCADA means "Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition" and HMI stands for "Human Machine Interface". SCADA is effectively used in many industries for their supervising task and management of various sites and functions. The current advanced generation of SCADA is working on real time and gives best possible control system for the user. Many a times it is often quoted that the human machine Interface and SCADA are different. But in reality HMI is a small part of a large and complex SCADA system. HMI is not different from SCADA but a part of it. SCADA is often programmed to manage fans, pumps and other functions that can be managed through controlled mechanisms which are electronic systems and known as Programmable Logic Circuits or PLCs. All these functions are designed and programmed that SCADA would effectively manage it and operate it. But there are other functions too involve at a place. Not all the functions can be programmed and planned out. There are certain functions where conclusions are to be drawn and the task is to be actions to be taken likewise.

How HMI works?

HMI or "Human Machine Interface" plays role of these functions where conclusions are to be drawn. SCADA gathers data and send it to operators or supervisors. These supervisors can be located at remote locations or on site. After they review the data and interpret its message and plans an action the actions of turning machine on or off. At these places human intervention is required. This cannot be programmed with SCADA. HMI is a graphical layout of entire system with gauges and lights and other control functions of system at a remote place to control plant and its working. This is how HMI is important for SCADA function. HMI SCADA play a vital role in many industries that are currently running at large scale and needs advanced, real time technology to control its functions effectively. With the help of HMI SCADA it is possible to get a quick access of any situation at a remote place and to quickly gets the functioning back to normal or to stop damages occurring.

Importance of HMI SCADA

A current SCADA system that is used in industries and which is the latest version form technology is far better and advanced than the one that was lance din 1987. It took so many years of evolution and research that SCADA has reached to this state. WEB SCADA is designed in an integrated manner that it is possible to get real time access of the system from a remote place. Certain organizations which have 2 to 3 layers of production processes and have multiple production areas find it complicated to sync information at one place and control things. But with the help of WEB SCADA it is possible that a single person can handle the functioning of 6 or more sites without requiring moving at various places and effectively dealing with all the tasks and concluding data.

Hey myself Archer Finch. Even though I took extra care about my systems, but still it was more prone to hacking. With the introduction of the Web Scada, my system is now very much safe from all sorts of threats, as most of the HMI SCADA systems are connected to web based portals or products.

Pioneer in the industry of automation, flexible manufacturing systems, Cncs and so on, has presented his views here about Scada Free.