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HTINews Feature Article

Cost Effective Virtual Instrumentation
by Ken Sinclair of Enviromation

When the low cost high performance Direct Digital Control systems of the 90’s are combined with the easy to use, highly functional graphical interfaces of Windows 95, 97 and NT, control systems for the year 2000 plus are available today. The irony is that these systems, while providing incredible increased functionality such as trend histories and remote diagnostics of equipment, cost significantly less than conventional control. The easy to use graphical interfaces allow virtual panels to be created that emulate conventional control panels. Virtual buttons, lights, analog controllers as well as digital displays can be easily placed on scanned images to provide a neo realistic look. New functionality, such as sophisticated trend histories with sophisticated graphic presentation and equipment runtime are included at no additional cost. Even chrome trim, if required, can be added to virtual graphic presentations.

Local interface can be achieved by push buttons, LCD and button combinations, touch screen, laptop or the integration of a conventional computer board. The cost of a computer customized for your application could be less than $500. PCs have become the lowest cost method of control interface and presentation. Specialized interface boards provide custom functionality and provide continuous control should computer require rebooting or maintenance. Using standard computer components greatly increases the ability to repair and replace equipment in a global market. The support network for computer repair is growing daily. All functionality of your new computerized system can be accessed remotely via modems, Internet, LANs or other communication schemes.

When it becomes necessary to interface one piece of manufactured equipment with another, several communication standards such as Echelon, ModBus, BacNet, CEB and even ASCII exist and allow common data to be shared and proprietary data protected.

Interfacing an interactive software version of your maintenance and operating manuals into your product becomes extremely easy to do and allows information to be modified and updated remotely.