Reviewer details
Name: Johan Louw
Position: Automation specialist
Company: Lonmin Platinum
Phone: +27 (0)14 572 3204
E-mail: [email protected]
SI details
Name: Client in-house team + vendor
Product details
Vendor: Wonderware Southern Africa
Phone: 0861 966 337
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: www.wonderware.co.za
Application details
Industry: Mining
Location: Marikana mine complex, North West Province
Application: Concentrator supervision and control
Server OS: Windows 2003 SP2
Client OS: Windows XP SP3
Application statistics
Tag count: 226226 tags
Updates per day: The concentrator Galaxy has multiple Historians
Historian 1: 43 200 000
Historian 2: 112 320 000
Historian 3: 56 160 000
Historian 4: 25 920 000
Historian 5: 25 920 000
Historian 6: 86 400 000
Front ends: 68 PLCs
Clients: 16 view stations
Development nodes: Nine Integrated Development Environment (IDE) stations
Servers: 16 ArchestrA Object Servers
End-user responses
General
Q: Briefly describe the application including information on any pre-existing system.
The project was the upgrade of our concentrator Galaxy from version 3.0 to version 3.1. The challenge was the Galaxy stretches over eight concentrators, each running independently and each with its own shutdown schedule. We could not get a total shutdown of the whole ArchestrA Galaxy to do the upgrade. We had to do the upgrade live during production. Fortunately the sites were designed to each run two AOS servers (one backup). We introduced an additional upgraded Galaxy Repository (GR) Server to form a parallel galaxy. We then upgraded the backup AOS servers. This could still be done with no downtime. Each site is fitted with two view stations and an IDE machine. The next step was to upgrade the viewstation and the IDE, so that two viewstations were running the same applications on two parallel galaxies. Once each IDE was upgraded, users could start doing development on the new galaxy. The next step was to change over the IndustrialSQL server Historian and finally the old AOS. After all the sites were completed the old GR was decommissioned and set up for the next upgrade.
Licensing, maintenance and support
Q: What licences have been purchased for this application?
All licences were covered under our Customer First programme agreement.
Q: What upgrade agreements are in place on this application?
Customer First Agreement.
Q: How is the after-sales support handled on this application?
Wonderware telephone helpdesk. With this project Wonderware provided free on-site support during the start of the project.
System architecture
Q: Is the scada system integrated onto an intranet or the Internet? If so, what level of remote monitoring and control is configured?
We use the Wonderware Terminal Server edition for remote viewing and control. Access from offsite is achieved by VPN connection.
Q: Do you run the scada in conjunction with any third-party application software (Other than MES)?
Yes, with CSense for emission control and level control optimisation and with FloatStar for mill optimisation.
Management reporting and integration
Q: Does the application include data archiving/historian capabilities with an historical data reporting system?
All sites have InSQL Historians installed. Clients use Wonderware Active Factory for data analysis and reporting.
Q: Is the system integrated with an MES / ERP or other management reporting or control system (e.g. Baan, SAP, SYSPRO, …)?
We have an integrated in-house developed solution based on Microsoft .NET. The long-term plan is to use the ArchestrA Toolkit to further integrate the systems from 'shop floor to top floor'.
Q: Who performed this management system integration and was any additional software development needed to accomplish this?
Bytes Technology Group.
Q: Have any production benchmarking tools been configured as part of the scada system?
No.
Q: Has any asset management functionality been configured in the application (for software assets, control system assets or for plant assets)?
No.
Q: Has any GIS (geographic information systems) functionality been configured in the application?
Not integrated with the scada.
Conclusion
Q: In the procurement decision making process was the total cost of ownership (TCO) considered?
It was a strategic decision to select a single environment for the scada. The MES solution was selected to minimise the licence seats.
Q: What was the predominant feature (or features) that made you decide to purchase this scada product for this application?
* Existing installed base of Wonderware products.
* Ease of use.
* SA-installed base and support.
* Price.
Q: What single feature most impresses you about the product now that it is in operation?
The ability to manage the software from a central point.
Q: What impresses you most about the architecture?
* Scalability, allowing load sharing in areas where a lot of processing power is required.
* Support for a 24/7 availability.
* The ability to implement redundancy for critical areas.
* Distributed architecture which simplifies the process of backups and restore. This reduces downtime in the event of hardware failure.
SI responses
Project details
Q: What human factors were taken into consideration in the HMI design process?
No HMI design was done during this project, it was only an upgrade.
Q: For the graphics development process did you use standard library images, or did you have to draw images from scratch?
We make use of custom images.
Q: How would you describe the library of graphic images?
Comprehensive.
Q: Did you use any ‘special’ images (eg, photographs, 3D images, specialised dashboards, etc.)?
No.
Q: Did you use any video or multimedia technology used in the application?
No.
Q: What alarm management standards or best practices were adopted in configuring the scada system?
We make use of the standard Wonderware ArchestrA Alarming system and divide alarms into Critical, Failure, Process and Info alarms.
Q: What structured processes were followed to determine expected performance under full load, and during abnormal failure conditions?
Wonderware has a best practices guideline which helps cater for abnormal failure conditions and it was those practices that were implemented.
Q: What are the key physical communication layers and communication protocols employed in the system?
We have a very good Ethernet network with a 1 GBit backbone. On the scada level, we use Ethernet, Wonderware Suitelink and OPC. We mostly have Allen Bradley PLCs and on this layer we use Ethernet, DeviceNet and ControlNet.
Q: What levels of redundancy are incorporated in this scada application?
Our control rooms are fitted with two view stations for redundancy. We also have two object/IO servers per concentrator. On some we have Wonderware redundancy implemented. We only have one historian per concentrator, but data is stored on the object servers in case of network or historian failure. On reconnection, the data is then restored to the historian.
Q: What specific custom code or scada scripts were written for this project?
We have custom code to auto assign PLC addresses (item names) on object creation. The script only requires the PLC path.
Security and data protection
Q: How have authentication, authorisation and role management been configured?
We use Wonderware ArchestrA security. It allows for user and role management. It is possible to configure user security up to object (tag) level. Galaxy development is also controlled by this security model.
Q: Does the design make provision for a DMZ and firewall segregation of process (scada) network and business networks?
We have created a DMZ, separating our IT network and Control network. We placed reporting servers, web servers and terminal servers in the DMZ. These are servers that need to be accessed by clients on the IT network.
Q: What intrusion detection has been incorporated on the plant network(s) on which this scada system exists?
We use Symantec antivirus for protection. This allows us to disable USB ports and CD ROMs to limit access to the Control network.
Q: What configuration backup and data archive backup methodologies have been adopted?
We back up the Galaxy data with a scheduled batch process daily. We keep 10 backups and make use of a FIFO system to keep the last 10 backups. This backup is also copied to a remote server.
Q: Did you use any integrated or third party configuration control system for the scada configuration during the engineering of this application?
Microsoft Excel is used for bulk configuration imports and exports in CSV format.
SI conclusion
Q: How would you rate the ease of use of the historical reporting system?
Wonderware ActiveFactory is used for reporting and it makes running and creating queries and historical trends extremely easy. Quick reports are created in Excel with ActiveFactory.
Q: What impresses you the most about the engineering/configuration aspects of the product now that it is in operation?
Engineering and configuration time is cut in half with ArchestrA.
Q: What impresses you most about the architecture?
* Scalability. We were able to do load sharing on areas where a lot of processing power was required.
* Support for a 24/7 availability.
* The ability to enable redundancy on critical areas.
* Distributed architecture which simplifies the process of backups and restore. This reduces downtime in the event of hardware failure.
Vendor responses
Product
Q: Vendor comments on product/modules?
System Platform is neatly integrated with InTouch (HMI/scada), Wonderware Historian and Wonderware Information server. System Platform provides a powerful framework of services giving flexibility and agility.
Guiding principles are:
* Ease of use.
* Clear upgrade path.
* Sustainable.
* Scalable.
* Extensible.
Operating systems/VMWare
Licensing, maintenance and support model
Q: What sort of licensing agreement options are offered?
The base licence comprises core modules and is scalable. Optional modules are available.
Q: Are licences sold outright or subject to periodic (eg, annual) renewal?
Licence is a once-off purchase for a particular version OR
Q: What upgrade agreements are offered?
Version upgrades and patches are managed under Wonderware’s annually renewable Customer First maintenance programme. The cost is based on a percentage of total licence replacement value and includes renewable benefits.
Q: What after-sales offerings iro support and maintenance are available, and which technologies are used to deliver them?
Support is covered under a paid annual support agreement and includes:
* Telephone or e-mail technical support from Wonderware Southern Africa.
* Self-Service Enhanced Web Support.
* Expert System Knowledge Base Access (on-line and CD format).
* Wonderware Knowledge Base CD updates (twice annually).
* On-line training.
* Free software version upgrades, patches, service packs and hot fixes.
Technology incorporated
Management reporting and integration
Q: What native historical data reporting options are available?
The Historian is an integrated component of the System Platform.
IndustrialSQL Server combines Microsoft SQL Server technology with high speed data acquisition and storage system.
The application incorporates built-in interfaces that use desktop tools using Microsoft-based technology.
.NET and ActiveX Controls for custom HMI or Web applications.
Publish Active Trends and Workbooks to Information Server.
Q: What product specific interface does the product have iro well-known MES packages?
Enterprise Integrator for: SAP, Microsoft Dynamics or Oracle.
Mimosa for: SAP, Datastream, Maximo, Indus, Avantis and IFS.
Security and data protection
Q: What authentication, authorisation and role management models are available?
Incorporated in the application. Uses the services offered by the OS:
* Windows User.
* Windows Group.
* Microsoft Active Directory.
* ArchestrA Security Model.
Unique selling proposition (USP)
Q: List the top five feature/benefit pairs that contribute to this product’s USP?
* Re-usable standards and ease of use reduce total cost of ownership by design.
* Strongly aligned with Microsoft (no duplication of technology).
* Relevant information availability to all players.
* Large local and international installed base.
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