Overviewing the SCADA hardware
The hardware components of a SCADA system include the following:
- Field devices: These are sensors, transmitters, and actuators that are directly connected to the machine or plant and generate a digital or analog signal for monitoring. Sensors or transmitters are for monitoring machine status or parameters, while actuators are for carrying out control action on equipment or a machine.
- Remote station: This can be a PLC or a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU). It is installed at a remote site where the machine or equipment to be monitored or controlled is located. Field devices (sensors, transmitters, and actuators) are connected to remote stations (a PLC or an RTU) to allow monitoring and control from the host computer at a remote site via a network. It gathers data through the sensors connected to it and transfers them to the host computer via a network. It also transfers an electrical control signal from the host computer to the actuators connected...