Current Vsystem Applications

Vsystem Application Areas:

SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, typically distributed I/O over a large area with radio, microwave, satellite, telephone, and GSM/GPRS data communications. Often high channel counts and lower scan rates. Video frame incorporation useful for remote security monitoring. Operator stations enable operators to monitor the system. Historian data logger for recording all data for the long-term record and reporting.

Examples:

• Water and waste water
• Broadcast transmitter monitoring
• Power distribution
• Telemetry decoding, display, and recording
• Security monitoring and response systems

Process Automation – Computers and software run the production with application codes to set up and control the equipment. Often production specifications are downloaded from the IT system. Operator stations enable operators and engineers to monitor production and react when needed. Provides production summaries to the IT system. Engineering historian/data logger stores data in case they are needed for anomaly investigation.

Examples:

• Metals casting, rolling, machining, etc.
• Nuclear power station monitoring
• Conventional power station monitoring
• Power station simulation
• Semiconductor wafer processing
• Flour mills and breweries

Event Recording – Systems implemented just to record all possible data that represents influences on production and the actual product in case unexpected events occur, like plant trips. Data can then be extracted from just before to just after the event and can be studied to understand the reason for the event and make corrections.

Examples:

• Petrochemical and plastics plant monitoring
• Metals casting, rolling, machining, etc.
• Nuclear power station monitoring
• Conventional power station monitoring
• Film production

Research Machines – Process automation for large and medium-sized machines built for research. Often a complex operation with highly qualified operators. Need to incorporate changes and additions to complex control and analysis codes easily. Often, the machine itself is the subject of research.

Examples:

• Rocket and satellite telemetry, simulation, and control room
• Accelerator control and testing
• Cyclotron control
• Synchrotron control
• Laser control
• Tokamak controls
• Ion source controls
• Radiation therapy

Test Cells – Systems for testing machines. Needs to easily and flexibly define the test sequence and exception responses and to gather data from the test for later analysis. Operator and engineer stations required for test monitoring and intervention. Typically, all data collected are analyzed.

Examples:

• Vehicle transmission testing
• Aircraft engine testing
• Torpedo testing

Research and government applications:

• Accelerator control and testing

• Cyclotron control

• Synchrotron control

• Radiation therapy

• Torpedo testing

• Laser control

• Tokamak controls

• Ion source controls

• Rocket and satellite telemetry, simulation and control room systems

Updated Aug 21, 2008