• Network Topology Independence - a homogenous network tha can incorporate Microwave, Leased-Line, Radio, VSAT.

• Physical Network Hardware Independence - TCP/IP can use Ethernet or RS-232 for the network implementation.

• Open Protocol Standard - TCP/IP is freely available for any implementation on any computer hardware platform.

• Universal Addressing Scheme - Each device has a unique network address.

• Application Protocols Standards - Provides a standard upon which many application facilities can run.

• Multiple Logic Connections - TCP/IP provides a transport layer that supports multiple connections to one end device.

• Valuable Standard Tool Set - tools such as Telnet, Ping and FTP are available for system flexibility and diagnostics.

Local I/O
A great benefit besides the communication abilities of the Director, is the PC/104 bus for the addition of local I/O. If a site requires the replacement of an RTU or needs some additional I/O points, such as analog inputs or relays for control purposes, the unit is expandable with up to three I/O modules. Now, the Director functions as an RTU/PLC while also gathering data points from other devices for even more flexibility within the network.

PLC/RTU Programmability
For local control and data manipulation, the Director is loaded with the IEC-1131-3 software-programming suite. It has five different types of control logic programs that provide the means for local control of the I/O and data points. With this program, the Director has the functionality of a PLC/RTU and even sends write commands to other devices based on their data requirements locally without waiting for a control sent from the Host. As cost is an important criteria in any system, this is a simple and cost effective means to fit requirements and changes within a network. The IEC1131-3 languages are:

• Sequential Function Chart (SFC)
• Function Block Diagram (FBD)
• Ladder Diagram (LD)
• Structured Text (ST)
• Instruction List (IL)

The applications editor supports all of the languages specified in the IEC1131-3 standard.

Arcom has adopted the IEC-1131 standard to promote open standardisation and equip the Director with the necessary tool set enabling complete control of the I/O and data points acquired.

Click here for ISaGRAF Programming Suite

Easy Expansion
By creating a protocol neutral homogenous network with a Director, the conversion of the existing protocols is done at the remote site. Thus, the addition of new equipment or incorporation of old is a download away with a new configuration. These enable end-users to choose and expand equipment based on technical features and cost, not on proprietary concerns with a simple change in configuration.

Multiple Physical Topologies
The Director interfaces with many dissimilar communication mediums. It acquires data from sources in a Radio, Microwave, ISDN, PSTN, leased-line, Ethernet or a local network. This enables the end-user to place the VSAT sites at the head of tail circuits acquiring the data from either previously installed communication mediums or placing new ones in on a cost and technical advantage basis.

Retain Capitol Investment
One of biggest problems to many of the solutions today is the economic barrier presented by the lack of communication compatibility. This problem is compounded by the vast array of existing equipment that often forces users to decommission and replace perfectly adequate systems and devices prematurely. The Director represents a unique and powerful approach to creating a communication network incorporating many different mediums among products with dissimilar protocols into one common platform eliminating these problems faced today and retaining the capitol investment already in place.

"PUSH" or Event-Based Reporting
With the advent of data requirements outside of the real-time SCADA systems into the business and other applications, data is pushed from the Director to the remote site into the business units. Data items such as batch reports for electronic flow measurement is sent when it happens based on the event of end-of-batch flag going high for faster billing and payment cycles. Other data and information in any format can be forwarded to any type of application due to criteria at the remote site. Timed events, alarms or any setpoint can be constructed with the programming suite offered in the Director for complete data control. Thus, any and all information is acquired by multiple applications without the costly and time hungry custom applications that are strung out in most systems today.

Report-By-Exception Technology
Due to the needs required for SCADA networks on obtaining changes of data and alarms in the field, especially on oil pipelines, the Director reports to the Host without being requested for the data based upon changes. Each data point in the field has an associated dead-band which if it is achieved the Director will report the information unsolicited to Host. Thus, the scan or update rates for whole pipelines can be as low as 2-5 seconds enabling shutdown or controls to happen in a timely and critical manner.

Windows Based Configuration
The Director is configured by Arcom Configuration Environment (ACE) is an easy-to-use graphical user interface to configure the operational and communication characteristics. It enables the user to modify the parameters for communication to the field devices for maintaining the network operations.

Click here for more details on ACE

RTUs

Protocol Converter / Gateways

Protocol Experience

Satellite Interface Products

Hart Products

Application Notes