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Integrating C# .net and Wonderware InTouch

A Low cost failure Notification solution using InTouch and  C# .net

Requirement: Customer Requirement wanted us to collect data from Wonderware InTouch package SCADA package and provide real-time notifications of failure events to plant engineers. The data being very critical for plant operation and plant manger wanted to notify his maintenance department for corrective actions with in less time so that down time of the plant can be controlled.

Approch : When we looked in to the requirements, first approach of building solution was to provide additional InTouch based client packages for each of the process station in the plant as they already have server installed in the plant with few clients. The second thought was…. is it really required to propose InTouch client licenses just for notifications. I felt proposing the InTouch client license might just be an over kill (no offence to the capability of InTouch, I know this is one of the best Automation package solution available in the market today), its like to scare ‘Ant’ we are sending ‘Elephant’.. Too much is in it…?

Solution provided: This was the prefect case of integration project between industrial automation and IT. Well thought for some time and worked out on a low cost solution. Here is it…

Server continues to have Wonderware InTouch SCADA installed and being used. On any event failure, server would notify custom component (acts as a server) developed in the C# and this in turn will notify to its client components installed in different machines.

Here is the brief communication architecture of the same:

 

 

 

One more solution that took care of Customer, Cost and Capacity to Scale up for future expansion…

There is nothing call the best solution, the solution that take care of customer needs within budget, provides stability in operation and adds value to customer can be called as “Best fit solution”. I am glad to share with you all as this is one of them.

 Share your views if you have any interesting ways of providing same solution in different ways.