Plant Intelligence Options
Four Plant Intelligence Options extend the visualization system WinCC Unified with functions for more transparency, a structured planning in the production process and the fast orchestration and adaptation of production sequences for the control and monitoring of recipe-controlled processes.
WinCC Unified grows according to your application requirements
SIMATIC WinCC Unified is scalable – from a single-user system to complex, distributed applications. With one unified software platform based on native web technologies, WinCC Unified already meets the requirements for a visualization system of the future.
IT and OT perfectly combined
Thanks to its powerful and open interfaces, SIMATIC WinCC Unified is able to integrate other software (e.g. from the IT environment) and to integrate it in a uniform operating concept. This makes WinCC Unified an integration platform for linking data from production with data from the IT world.
Consistent engineering from panel to SCADA system
SIMATIC WinCC Unified allows the free design user interfaces with a huge variety of graphical features and reusability of all elements. This saves time and money because every design can be used on a panel and on a PC or SCADA system alike. Thanks to the use of vector-based SVG graphics, images can be scaled as desired while staying crystal clear. HTML5 support makes it possible to monitor and control machines and plants via HMTL5 enabled mobile devices.
Highlights of SIMATIC WinCC Unified
SIMATIC WinCC Unified is much more than just a new version of the WinCC visualization software. Fundamentally redesigned, it opens up new opportunities to implement visualization concepts for machines and plant.
The visualization of WinCC Unified is consistently based on the HTML, SVG, and JavaScript technologies. A state-of-the-art web browser is all that’s needed to access the visualization – there’s no need to install separate apps or plug-ins.
The design of the UI Controls was also thoroughly revised and now offers end-to-end usability for all platforms, whether panel or PC systems. The visualization is entirely vector-based, enabling the integration of static as well as dynamic SVG graphics, which change design depending on the linked process values.
“Collaboration” simplifies data sharing between systems based on WinCC Unified. Although operating screens can already be exchanged using this mechanism with WinCC Unified V16, a second delivery stage provides the opportunity to share variables, alarms, and historic data with other WinCC Unified systems. “Collaboration” makes it much easier to combine individual WinCC Unified systems, such as the visualization of a machine as part of a line visualization.
With “Technological Hierarchy,” WinCC Unified makes an object-oriented engineering approach available on industrial PCs. This gives you a convenient way of structuring the automation solution as part of the engineering and also makes this structure available for plant control in live operation.
Technological Hierarchy is based on a “type-instance” concept built on the single creation of types and multiple instancing allowing changes at a central point. Technological Hierarchy is the basis for plant intelligence options (e.g. Calendar, Performance Insight).
Functional expansion of WinCC Unified
Functional expansions let you adapt WinCC Unified to suit your requirements. The functions assist you with data communication, administration and reporting.
WinCC Unified's integrated alert system provides you with immediate notification of critical process states or general warnings, enabling you to react quickly and reduce downtime. All messages and alarms can be categorized into specific classes of alerts.
The newly designed alert control allows all alarms and alerts to be conveniently displayed, filtered, and acknowledged. This function is also available via scripting for automated processing.
Thanks to the consequent use of web technologies like HTML5, SVG and JavaScript any HTML5-based mobile device (Tablet, Smart Phone) can be used as User Interface. The WinCC Unified System supports the parallel operation of machines and plants by multiple users. It offers remote access with maximum security due to web standards (https and SSL), encrypted communication protocols and certificates.
Each WinCC Unified PC Runtime includes the local visualization plus a second Client license for remote monitoring and operation.
The number of clients can be extended at any time. It defines simultaneous access to the WinCC Unified PC Runtime - the total number of users can be much higher.
With the integrated reporting system of WinCC Unified, you can easily ensure seamless reporting, because you create your individual templates for reports directly in Microsoft Excel with the standard functionality. You can generate your reports manually and automatically (time- or event-controlled).
With SIMATIC WinCC Unified, you can set up local user administration and access control (UMAC) during the engineering - using predefined function rights and defining user and password policies. This protects your visualization from unauthorized access. User management is possible both in engineering and for operators during operation.
WinCC Unified Plant Intelligence Options
The Plant Intelligence options are available as optional extensions to the WinCC Unified Basic System, which can be combined freely according to your requirements. The options enable you to plan production processes and to analyze and optimize the overall effectiveness of your plant.
Creation and maintenance of sophisticated shift models
The calendar function enables the visualization of a structured planning of the production processes. It is used to define running times of machines and plants and to create standard templates for regular production days and shifts. Furthermore, the calendar function can be used to plan the process execution relative to a timeline and in this way, for example, the start-up time of a machine before the begin of a work shift can be considered. Due to the consideration of operating times, this option enables a more flexible planning of production processes and events.
Benefits
- Reusable – Create templates for working hours and process execution in the Calendar Control
- Flexible – Planning and changing working times and process execution in Calendar Control
- Fast configuration – definition of recurring, cyclical shifts
- Individual – Adjust the planning within lower-level nodes of the technological plant hierarchy
- Openness – Using the Runtime Openness (API) Interface
Identification of weak points in production processes and derivation of optimization potentials
Performance Insight provides the user with a formula editor for calculating key performance indicators (KPIs) according to ISO standard 22400, as well as a comprehensive selection of WinCC controls for their display and analysis. The performance, quality and availability of the production plant can be visualized using a wide range of different formats such as bar charts, Gantt diagrams and multiline displays, allowing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) to be calculated. Plant operators can record the entire production process status, from factory level down to individual machines, allowing systematic detection of optimization potential.
Benefits
- Flexible – Individual calculation of plant-specific key figures in SIMATIC WinCC Unified
- Create connections – recognize key figures in context e.g. availability per shift
- Well informed – Analysis of indicators in SIMATIC WinCC Unified Runtime as bar chart, Gantt chart or table
- Expandable – Adding indicators in existing plants without production outage
Create, edit and control production processes at a central point in the plant
With WinCC Unified Line Coordination, recipe and batch-controlled production processes can be automated. Complex production sequences of interlinked machines in the production line can be coordinated, synchronized and monitored based on SIMATIC S7-1500 and WinCC Unified. LCS is adapted to the technological requirements of different processes and offers corresponding standard functions. With this software option you can, for example, structure plants in the TIA portal based on ISA-88, the standard for batch-oriented operation, according to a technological hierarchy and standardize production processes with the help of a recipe system. The software package provides the necessary engineering and runtime components for recipe management as well as control elements for visualization.
Benefits
- Reliable operation of the plant based on robust and proven industry standard components such as SIMATIC S7-1500
- Flexible and efficient engineering based on TIA Portal
- Definition of standardized procedures for reduced workload
- Standardization based on ISA-88
- Reproducibility of recipes to ensure consistent product quality
- Planning and administration of orders at a central location
- Various monitoring options for better transparency and control of planned or running production processes
- Archiving of production data for transparency and traceability in production
Flexible design and automation of individual steps at machine and unit level
Processes such as dosing, mixing or material transport at machine and unit level play an important role in production plants, because the raw materials stored in tanks, silos or containers are combined with reaction vessels and processing machines in the correct process sequence. With the Plant Intelligence Option Sequence (SES), production sequences and parameters can be changed quickly and easily without changing the PLC program. SES fulfills real-time requirements, since the step chains are executed on the SIMATIC S7-1500 controller, which enables reliable plant operation. During operation, the operator can thus readjust production processes fast and easily by intervening manually online in the automatic step sequence and, if necessary, jumping to another step or adjusting the setpoints. This is needed, for example, if the quality of natural raw materials fluctuates or if a different sequence of individual production steps is generally required for flexible routes through production.
Benefits
- Fast and easy changeability of production sequences without program changes on the PLC
- Quick overview of the production steps and the current status
- Scalability from small to large plants
- Based on standardized production processes according to ISA-88
WinCC Unified Community
Become part of the WinCC Unified Community
The new SIMATIC WinCC Unified System is ready for the future of visualization. Be one of the first to learn all about it: As a member of the WinCC Unified Community, you’ll receive fascinating information in advance, as well as access to exclusive downloads. Register for free and enjoy the benefits!
