Difference Between SCADA And HMI:

All this while, we have come across the terms SCADA and HMI, and also seen the details of it. But what about the points of difference between SCADA and HMI? It is important to know it as well. To acquaint you with it, we have dedicated this blog to the same topic.

A SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) System is the one belonging to the Automation or Industrial Control System category, that might consist of directly control or have a communication with one or more of the below:

• Data Acquisition Systems (DAQs)
• Industrial Cloud Computing Environment
• Historians and Data Storage Servers
• Networked industrial machines and automation
• Remote telemetry along with control using burst or continuous communications

A SCADA framework generally has one or more SCADA Servers consisting of an application that is/are communicating with and running in association with intelligent sole-purpose intelligent parts, e.g. PLCs as well as RTUs, or perhaps even remote, independent SCADA systems. Take the help of a SCADA software platform on which to design a viable SCADA framework.

There is a possibility that a SCADA system can be all the time connected to all of the components in the ICS, or on the other hand at times connected to some or all, and updated through a burst communication over radio or cellular modems (2G/3G/4G, GSM and CDMA technologies) to field equipment and devices.

HMI or Human Machine Interface is just the medium by which humans interact with machines. An HMI can be called as a control panel that is conceptualized, actualized, and modified/maintained basically by creating or modifying it in a suitable development environment.

But then,

Do HMI and SCADA have any relation between them? If so, how?

HMI and SCADA, are two terminologies used for particular industrial automation interfaces. HMIs happen to be subsets or parts of a SCADA software system. Furthermore, a DCS or Distributed Control System is fundamentally the same as a SCADA framework, and might utilize at least one HMIs also. Every one of these segments are classes of, or depict parts of, an ICS or Industrial Control System, which is the normal portrayal of Automation. In the case of modern control systems, there is a lot of overlapping innovation and functionality amongst these two classes of ICSs.

SCADA, HMIs, and other Control Systems created utilizing SCADA/HMI softwares are utilized inside numerous kinds of vertical industries, both big and small, so as to offer a means of direct process and automation, machine control, security, data analysis and storage, indirect operation services, e.g. egress/ingress control, video and communications; and accessibility to an assortment of functionality inside the system or supply chain and manufacturing that might be closely or loosely connected with the operational or assembling of those services and products.

Thus we saw the points of difference between SCADA and HMI. Hope that these points do a valuable addition to your skills and knowledge, and help you in your endeavors.

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