Ethernet data radio

Control Microsystems, which is part of Schneider, has released the Trio ER45e data radio, the latest model in the Ethernet E-Series family of licensed radios. The ER45e is designed to increase IP communication network reliability and coverage while reducing the cost of deployment and ongoing management.

The new radio provides both Ethernet and serial connectivity for the most complex and demanding requirements in Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multipoint (Multiple Address Radio) SCADA and telemetry applications in licensed 450MHz band.

Features such as ChannelShareTM, data compression, low latency and over-the-air firmware upgrades make the Trio ER45e an optimal licensed Ethernet radio to seamlessly integrate into existing E-Series or third party systems. Customers can expect a unified IP infrastructure and improved remote asset management.

“The demand for Ethernet based long range wireless networks is growing as customers expect improved network reliability and a common connectivity interface,” according to Luke Enriquez, Trio Product Manager. “The ER45e features a flexible embedded terminal server which provides a smooth transition from serial based infrastructure to IP/Ethernet.”

The Trio ER45e is also complemented by the full duplex EB45e Base/Repeater and the 1+1 redundant EH45e Hot Standby options.

Wireless demand leads to expansion

Accutech wireless instrumentation doubles manufacturing capacity to meet customer demand

Control Microsystems has announced the manufacturing expansion of its Accutech wireless instrumentation product offering. Over the past two years the product line has grown substantially, including acoustic monitor, level, I/O, pressure, temperature, and flow instruments all targeting challenging wireless deployments in oil, gas, water and wastewater, chemical processes and areas under Class 1 Div 1 hazardous area classification.

Due to the overwhelming success of the Accutech product offering in the marketplace, the manufacturing facility has doubled the size of its workforce and increased plant capacity. With reliable supply chains, modern test and calibration equipment, and skilled quality inspectors, customers can expect accelerated delivery times and excellent product performance.

“Utility markets are facing increasing growth rates with more and more focus on critical infrastructure monitoring for improved asset management and regulatory compliance,” says Robert Ward, Director of Sales, Accutech. “The Accutech offering provides an advanced, yet simple, wireless instrumentation solution that is ready to deploy today, in minutes instead of hours or days, particularly in the oil & gas, heavy industry and water/wastewater markets. The ability to respond rapidly to immediate needs for wireless instrumentation deployment is extremely appreciated by our customers. They value the simplicity of the installation, minimum pre-engineering effort, ease of integration with their existing infrastructure, and the peace of mind our systems add to their operations.”

Accutech wireless instrumentation are self-contained, battery-powered field units designed to monitor critical parameters and send the information wirelessly to a base radio which can then be integrated with a PLC/RTU or SCADA host system via ModbusRTU. These cost-effective and easy to install instruments provide an alternative to traditional, hardwired sensor sites, eliminating the cost of trenching, cables, conduit, barriers, seals, etc., along with the associated labour and safety considerations. Accutech instruments can be installed on the plant floor or in remote locations with extreme temperatures and humidity ranges and have an industry leading 3 year warranty.

Control Microsystems is part of Schneider Electric.

Integrated enterprise software

ClearSCADA 2010 Features New Connectivity, Security, and System Support Functionality

Control Microsystems has released ClearSCADA 2010, the latest version of the powerful client-server enterprise software. This latest version provides improvements for remote control & telemetry, enhanced connectivity to modern databases, improved security and enhanced alarm handling.

In addition to standard features such as object-oriented database, scalable client/server architecture optimized for wide area networks and integrated historian providing automatic data backfill, ClearSCADA 2010 provides enhanced connectivity to external databases such as SQLServer, Oracle, and MySQL through linked tables, allowing for easy collaboration of data and reduced integration costs. To simplify access control and improve security management within an organization, ClearSCADA 2010 offers Windows authentication which allows for centralized management of passwords and disabled user accounts.

ClearSCADA 2010 significantly improves operational efficiency by adding consequential alarms and enhanced support for alarm filtering, reducing operation and maintenance costs. Other enhancements include:

• Seamless real-time and historic EFM data gathering from third party EFM units reduces cost of implementation.
• Better database query and data export to simplify mining for information.
• Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit), Windows Server 2008 R2 and Internet Explorer 8 support.
• Tighter level of security, down to the individual property level of each object, to meet demanding regulatory requirements for audit trail.
• Enhanced diagnostics driver for Trio licensed and license-free radios, allowing users to not only monitor communications to remote devices, but also to monitor the specific radio parameters that can help to pinpoint problems in the wide area communications network.

“ClearSCADA 2010 addresses the challenges of managing geographically dispersed remote assets we learned from customers in water and oil and gas sectors. Customers are demanding reduced operational costs, improved information gathering from remote assets and tightened security. ClearSCADA 2010 delivers on all fronts. This powerful tool ties together our Sensor to Enterprise solution and provides enhanced component integration with existing products,” according to Eric Schwantler, ClearSCADA Product Director.

Gas well production optimisation

Distributed intelligence and extensive data analysis are at the heart of new gas well production optimisation

Control Microsystems Inc. (CMI) has just announced the release of SCADAPack ProductionPLUS, a pad-wide optimization solution combining EFM and plunger lift for 30+ wells per pad. SCADAPack ProductionPLUS leverages the functionality and flexibility of Control Microsystems’ product suite to provide gas operators with an efficient wireless or wired Sensor to Enterprise application.

The new package runs in all SCADAPack 4203 gas flow computers (GFC) and 300-Series controllers. Each is ideally suited to support Electronic Flow Measurement (EFM) and production optimization applications while performing control and monitoring tasks. When the 4203 is used at each well head, it provides a distributed intelligence architecture that addresses the downside of having a single point of failure in traditional pad-wide optimization. In addition, the powerful, built-in PLC allows the 4203 to generate and store over 4000 data records per meter run. The internal digital output can be used to control the sales valve.

The SCADAPack ProductionPLUS Manager is an intuitive, windows-based PC environment that allows operators to easily configure each well head, reducing the human error associated with traditional or legacy plunger lift systems. ProductionPLUS Manager has three operating modes to serve the life cycle of each well: manual mode, auto intermitter mode, and complete plunger lift control.
“As gas operators face downward pressure on margins and increasing environmental regulations, SCADAPack ProductionPLUS was designed to directly tackle these issues,” says Dale Symington, VP Product Strategy. “Integration with our Accutech wireless instruments significantly reduces deployment costs while the product’s environmental-centric features, including tank level monitoring and pad-wide shutdown, improve environmental compliance.”
SCADAPack ProductionPLUS also improves safety in the field. Wireless sensors eliminate manual data gathering and reduce injuries, specifically with wellhead pressure during the flow-back period.

Remote video surveillance capabilities

Control Microsystems Inc. (CMI) and Longwatch, Inc., a leader in integrated video surveillance systems, today announced the ability of the SCADA host platform, ClearSCADA, to provide video surveillance of remote processes and assets. Existing industrial networks can conveniently and cost-effectively transmit video images over the SCADA communication infrastructure.

Control Microsystems’ ClearSCADA host platform can be integrated with the Longwatch Video Surveillance Platform and Video Historian Platform, along with IP surveillance cameras, as a solution to capture and convey important security information for critical infrastructure. The video surveillance uses Modbus protocol and is event-driven to conserve bandwidth. The Longwatch system continuously takes and stores video locally. When motion is detected, an alarm is raised and a video “snippet” is attached to the alarm message and sent to the central control site, showing what happened before and after the event. Through a graphic display in ClearSCADA, operators are able to view what is occurring on site, preventing the need for sending someone to investigate the alarm.

“Control Microsystems is dedicated to enhancing security in the SCADA market,” says Eric Schwantler, ClearSCADA Product Manager. “Customers can cut costs and maximize resources by immediately viewing real time video on their ClearSCADA host screen and controlling the cameras remotely when a security threat is detected.”

Communications between the Longwatch Video Control Center and the Remote Video Engines, deployed in the field and host locations, can be either Ethernet IP or Modbus over serial. The Longwatch video platform interfaces to ClearSCADA primarily via OPC, with Longwatch acting as the OPC server and ClearSCADA the OPC client. Video alarms, camera status, and camera control can then be achieved from ClearSCADA via the OPC interface.

“Longwatch, Inc. has been successfully providing video surveillance over new and existing SCADA networks and we are very pleased to be working with Control Microsystems in developing a seamless integration of both process monitoring and control as well as video monitoring of field assets,” says Steve Rubin, President of Longwatch. “Our Longwatch Video System™ integrated with ClearSCADA is one more cost-effective option to achieve an optimized SCADA system that saves users time and money while improving security, safety and operations.”

See also the story of Longwatch on The next HMI revolution.