We live in an era where automation and process control are essential in modern industry. In this context, SCADA systems (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) have become key tools for real-time monitoring and control. However, not all SCADA systems are created equal. At EDIBON, with over 45 years of experience designing and manufacturing educational and research equipment, we have developed our own SCADA system, specifically designed for technical and scientific training.
This proprietary system, implemented in our equipment for more than 30 years, has evolved and been refined into a robust, flexible, and highly adaptable platform. Unlike other SCADA systems available on the market, EDIBON’s SCADA is designed to meet the specific needs of each client and each piece of equipment, providing a unique, optimized tool for technical education.
What is a SCADA system?
A SCADA system is a software and hardware architecture that allows remote monitoring and control of processes. It facilitates real-time data acquisition, supervision of critical variables, and process automation, enhancing both efficiency and safety.
At EDIBON, we’ve gone a step further: we created a proprietary, customizable, multilingual SCADA system that not only replicates the basic functions of any SCADA system but also adapts them to the needs of the equipment and users in over 143 countries.
Features of EDIBON SCADA System
The EDIBON SCADA system stands out for its flexibility and customization capabilities:
- Proprietary and refined development: Over 30 years of implementation and continuous improvement.
- Real-time control: Immediate process monitoring and rapid response to any anomalies.
- Intuitive and adaptable interface: Accessible and configurable according to the needs of each institution.
- Multilingual: Supports multiple languages, removing barriers for global use.
- Customizable formulas and data: Ability to tailor data acquisition, calculations, and formulas to client or experiment requirements.
- Full integration with EDIBON equipment: Ensures a complete and optimized learning experience.
- Advanced security: Multiple layers of protection for users and equipment.
Components of the EDIBON SCADA System
EDIBON’s proprietary SCADA is organized into five main layers, integrating both hardware and software:
- Sensors and Actuators
Capture variables such as temperature, pressure, flow, level, etc., and allow interaction with the process (pumps, valves, motors), ensuring continuous hardware-software integration. - Control Interface
Processes sensor signals, eliminating noise and interference, and conditions them for digital acquisition using reliable, precise hardware. - Supervision, Control, and Management Software
Consists of four main sections:-
- Supervision Section: alarms, event management, operational limits, fault simulation.
- Control Section: open-loop, multivariable, PID, PWM, ON/OFF, and hysteresis control.
- Data Acquisition Section: real-time processing, filtering, calibration.
- Data Management Section: numerical/graphical representation, reports, historical trends
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EDIBON offers multiple software packages compatible with several languages:
Different software packages offered by EDIBON SCADA
a. Supervisory Software:
This software is in charge of monitoring parameters and elements of the process in real time. In case of being necessary, it actuates on the system to prevent physically damage in the unit and users
It comprises the following software components:
Alarm and Event Software Package:
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Warnings for extreme operation conditions: This Software Package is in charge to notify the user that the process variables are above or/and below normal operations.
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Operating Limits: This Software Package contains functions that supervise the working range of the processes is correct in order to maintain a safe operation range for the users and the unit.
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Suggestion and cautions: This Software Package recommends how to work with the unit and warn the user about actions may cause an incorrect operation of the unit.
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Process and Variable Monitoring Software Package:
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- System processes state: This Software Package monitors the process status of the system. In case of being necessary, it stops the processes to avoid damage in the unit and the users.
- System start and stop: This Software Package is in charge of initializing the processes of the system before the status of system operation changes to normal operation. Also it is in charge of stopping the system in a safe way.
- Variables during operation: This Software Package processes the read variables from sensors in order to get precise and accurate values for the system variables to be controlled.
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Response for Incorrect and Unexpected Condition Software Package:
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- System Faults: This Software Package provides Guide User Interface in order to simulate hardware faults. The instructor is able to choose a wide range of faults which can be applied to the Data Acquisition System and the Control System.
- Incorrect operation conditions: This Software Package prevents that the user works with the process and the unit improperly disabling the actuation on elements of the system.
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b. Control Software:
This software allows to manage the system in a manual way or automatic way using the suitable control type for the process to control
It comprises the following software components:
Real-Time Control Software Package:
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- Close Control-PLC Control. Programmable Logic Controller: This Software Package establishes a PLC communication in order to control the variables of the system through a close Loop. Some PLC parameters are available for users who may need change the system behavior.
- Deterministic Control Loops: This Software Package is in charge of keeping the executing rate below a specific jitter in order to read variables and to actuate on system elements in Real Time.
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Multi Control software Package:
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- Multivariable Control: This Software Package is in charge of managing several variables of the system to control a specific process or several processes at the same time.
- Multiloop Control: This Software Package synchronizes several loops which share readings and status from system variables. Also it controls what instruction has to be executed when the system is working.
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Advance Close Control Software Package:
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- Close Control-PID Control: This Software Package implements a Proportional, Integral, and Derivative Control. PID Parameters are available for the users and the factory setting can be restored at any time.
- Close Control-PWM Control: This Software Package carries out Pulse Width Modulation Control. This method modifies the duty cycle of the controller output. Inputs and outputs are showed in order to the user can check the variables are controlled properly.
- Close Control-Time Proportional Control: This software Package controls the time of controller output on the elements of the system to reach the fixed set-point. Parameters of this control can be accessed and edited by the users.
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Basic Close Control Software Package:
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- Close ON-OFF Control: This Software Package is in charge of carrying out a practical method which is still used nowadays to control processes which are not highly sophisticated.
- Close Hysteresis Control: This software Package contains a control method that every time, the variables crosses the positive or negative hysteresis band´s boundary, a significant change in the controller output occurs.
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c. Data Acquisition Software:
The software measurements and processes signals with high resolution and low latency to get a quick response of the system.
It comprises the following software components:
High Speed and Processing Software Package:
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- High Speed data acquisition system: This Software Package sets up the acquisition module to get samples from all sensors using the highest frequency avoiding aliasing and loss of information.
- High resolution data acquisition system: This Software Package configures the converters of acquisition module according the sensor ranges to get precise and accurate readings.
- Data Multiprocessing system: This Software Package processes samples from the sensors and variables of the system. It provides readings and status from the processes in Real Time.
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Synchronization and Timing Software Package.
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- Low latency acquisition System: This software Package carries out acquisition tasks which guarantee the lowest latency getting readings from the sensors. Also it prevents response delays of the system.
- Data acquired from multiple channels correlated in time: This Software Package acquires samples from the signals periodically in order to maintain the synchronism between the different system modules.
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Calibration Software Package:
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- Sensor recalibration: This Software Package allows the user to scale the read signals from the sensors and activate hardware elements to complete this task correctly. Root means square method helps the users to get low residues and good R-square.
- Factory Calibration Restoration: This software Package allows the instructor to recover a backup calibration file in case of making mistakes during the recalibration process of the sensors.
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Advanced Acquisition Software Package:
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- Multimodal analog outputs: This software Package is in charge of generating periodic and arbitrary waveforms. It contains several features such as loading sample file, selecting the sampling frequency, choosing the waveform type, establishing the signal duration, etc.
- Data Transfer methods – DMA and interrupt requests: This software Package gets the best performance for the acquisition module. Also it configures the hardware of the acquisition module to get samples from the memory periodically.
- Counters/timers for PWM, encoder, frequency, event counting and more: This software Package is an advance hardware feature that sets up tasks to measure and count events that some processes of the system need during the operation of the unit.
- Multiple communication protocols: This Software Package allows the SCADA application, devices and industrial networks to communicate among them.
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Vision Software Package in all the units using Camera:
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- Image Acquisition from Cameras: This Software Package digitizes the analog signal by an image acquisition at high rate and low latency. This package includes advance features such triggering and digital input/output.
- Image Processing Algorithm: This Software Package includes functions that allow to apply algorithms to analyze and monitor processes.
- Object identification and part measuring: This Software Package is a tool set for visual inspection applications that involve measurements such as edge detection, pattern matching, part identifications, etc.
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d.Data Management Software:
This software provides tools to represent the signals in a graphic and numeric format. It is also capable to performance real time calculation of system state magnitudes.
It comprises the following software components:
Historic and Report Software Package:
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- User-customizable data historian: This Software Package provides functions to save and display data from the processes. Data historian can be saved automatically or on demand by the users. It contains tools to compare several signal or display signals versus time.
- Exportable and printable report generation: This Software Package creates screenshots from the graphs and spreadsheets. The reports can be saved at the same time as the processes are running.
- Reports compatible with Excel, Notepad, Matlab and more: This Software Package generate files to analyze the processes in details using the SCADA application or other commercial applications.
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Advance and Basic Representation Software Package:
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- Basic Charts: This Software Package is compound of waveform graphs and waveform charts such as Signal vs time chart, Signal vs Signal graph, Bart chart in order to study and analyze the variables and processes from the system.
- Advanced Charts: This Software Package is compound of Special Chart such as Mollier diagram, Psychrometric chart, line map, polar diagram, 3D plot and Bode graph to represent variables status, study physical principles and apply laws of thermodynamics.
- Metric and Imperial System: This Software Package includes two systems of measurement. The user can access the application setting and choose which system is better for the processes to be studied
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Calculation Software Package:
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- Internal Real-Time Calculation system: This software Package is used to compute parameters and auxiliary variables that modules, such as acquisition and control need to guarantee the application works correctly.
- External Real-Time Calculation system: This software Package shows calculus from equations in Real Time defined by the principles and the concepts of the designed system.
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Factory Back up and Setting Software Package:
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- Automatic Control parameters reconfiguration: This Software Package allows the instructor to show parameters of control in order to adjust the implemented control algorithm or study the effects of inconsistent values which make the system unstable way.
- Factory setting restoration: This Software Package recovers the factory settings of the SCADA application in case of being necessary.
- Graph legends and scales configurable by the user: This Software Package allows the user to change and edit options such as graph scale, type of plot, cursor legend, zoom tool to analyze the processes according the requirements.
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- Data Acquisition Hardware
Uses high-speed acquisition boards (250 kS/s) to measure quickly and accurately, even with dynamic signals. - DAB and PC
The fastest acquisition card on the market, extracting data directly from the hardware.
Applications of EDIBON SCADA System
The SCADA system is applicable across all EDIBON training and research fields, from physics to biomedical engineering. Full details of compatible areas and equipment can be found on our website.
Advantages of EDIBON SCADA System
EDIBON’s proprietary SCADA is not a standard system; it is an educational and research tool designed to evolve with each project. Its main advantages include:
For Technical Training:
- Full customization: adaptable to each piece of equipment and client.
- Practical, hands-on learning: facilitates understanding of complex concepts through direct experimentation.
- Multilingual and global: used in 143 countries without language barriers.
- Industry 4.0 readiness: aligned with the most in-demand technologies.
- Continuous evolution: over 30 years of refinement ensure reliability, innovation, and ongoing improvements.
For Research:
- Flexibility for advanced projects: adaptable to various experiments and protocols.
- Full integration with lab equipment: ensures accurate and efficient data collection.
- Support for advanced analysis: enables complex and reproducible experiments.
- Safety and control: data and equipment protection, critical in research environments.
EDIBON SCADA represents much more than a supervision and control system: it is a unique solution, the result of decades of experience, designed to meet the demands of educational institutions and research centers worldwide.
Its customizable, multilingual, and constantly evolving nature makes it a benchmark tool for training the professionals of the future and facilitating advanced research, ensuring students and researchers are fully prepared for the challenges of modern industry.