This is the third post of a multi-part series on the success achieved at the Bermuda Electric Company (BELCO). In my first post, I talked about how Wonderware software's reliability and ease of use helped BELCO be self sufficient and have the capability to provide a secure, reliable and sustainable electric power system. In the second post, I talked about how BELCO took advantage of the upward compatibility of Wonderware software which enabled them to plan for the future.
In this post, I'd like to talk about the importance of connectivity and how Wonderware helps BELCO communicate with the different devices that make up the old and new power plants in Bermuda.
Device Integration Solutions from Wonderware
Wonderware has a broad set of connectivity options to
control hardware and communications protocols. BELCO's Plant control system
hardware is primarily Allen-Bradley based, with various vintages of PLC’s which
they are able to connect to the main control system via the available
Wonderware device integration servers. In addition however, there is a wide
variety of both legacy and modern instrumentation and metering that needs to be
controlled and monitored and here is where Wonderware's connectivity capability
pays out.
Disparate Data Sources
BELCO has been providing power to Bermuda for over 100 years. Over time, it has amassed a collection of plants from various vendors who installed different equipment and solutions. One of the challenges is maintaining consistency in spite of the different operator interfaces, disparate
data sources, and products from vendors that did not continue support, or
remain in business.
The Power of Consistency
The consistency of interfacing to the different devices and equipment enables BELCO to put new plants on-line right away.
"The Primary benefit of using the InTouch product
here at BELCO is the ease of integration with all the systems. We usually use it
with our Rockwell solutions. We use it with Siemens, we can use it with almost
anything. It’s quite open. It’s quite easy to use and the support is
fantastic."
Denton Williams VP of Energy Supply
The ability of BELCO to use Wonderware to provide a common platform for operators and data regardless of the type, age or source of the equipment is important because it has resulted in decreased development time and more efficient training. More importantly, the connectivity capability of Wonderware provided a consistent and easy way to connect to various devices and equipment.
The ability of BELCO to use Wonderware to provide a common platform for operators and data regardless of the type, age or source of the equipment is important because it has resulted in decreased development time and more efficient training. More importantly, the connectivity capability of Wonderware provided a consistent and easy way to connect to various devices and equipment.
More Information
In the meantime, if you'd like to learn more, you
can check out the following:
- Read more about the Wonderware Device Integration Servers
- Download the Wonderware Device Integration Server datasheet
- Watch the InTouch brings it all together video that explains Wonderware's connectivity capability
- Visit the InTouch page where you'll learn more about why it's the world's number one HMI software
Jay
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