Synchronizing Wonderware Historian
with PCS7
Ryan Coetzee
Michael Garnham
Ryanc@IDXOnline.com
Lead Developer
Michaelg@IDXOnline.com
Sidekick
Agenda
Introduction
The Challenge
IDX UNIFIG Solution
Benefits
Summary
The Challenge
► Challenge
▪ To initially setup all required PCS7 tags in
InSQL
▪ Thereafter maintaining synchronization
The Challenge
▪ To initially setup all required PCS7 tags in
InSQL
Manual Configuration
Export
WinCC
Tag List
WinCC
Analyzed and
Group Data
.CSV File
InSQL
String, Analog,
Digital, etc
Manual Configuration
Differences Identified
(new, deleted, etc)
Excel formulas and
analysis methods
Excel Sheet with
same Columns as
InSQL
.CSV File
InSQL
Manual Configuration
Export
WinCC
Tag List
WinCC
Analyzed and
Group Data
.CSV File
String, Analog,
Digital, etc
Differences Identified
(new, deleted, etc)
Excel formulas and
analysis methods
Excel Sheet with
same Columns as
InSQL
.CSV File
InSQL
Manual Configuration
Export
WinCC
Tag List
WinCC
Analyzed and
Group Data
.CSV File
String, Analog,
Digital, etc
Differences Identified
(new, deleted, etc)
Excel formulas and
analysis methods
Excel Sheet with
same Columns as
InSQL
.CSV File
InSQL
Manual Configuration
Export
WinCC
Tag List
WinCC
Analyzed and
Group Data
.CSV File
String, Analog,
Digital, etc
Differences Identified
(new, deleted, etc)
Excel formulas and
analysis methods
Excel Sheet with
same Columns as
InSQL
.CSV File
InSQL
Summary of Problem
► Issues faced with manual tag configuration
▪ Very time consuming
• Details maybe lost
▪ Prone to human error
▪ Not repeatable
• No standards are enforced
▪ Regular plant changes - system change
analysis is complex and error prone
• Often inadequate communication between the two parties
• Paper based changes
• Tedious
▪ Supporting multiple sites is exponentially
difficult
Agenda
Introduction
The Challenge
IDX UNIFIG Solution
Benefits
Summary
Project Description
► A generic off-the-shelf application called IDX UNIFIG
(Universal Configuration) has been developed by IDX to
automate the synchronization process.
► Using this product, you are able to connect to a source,
such as WinCC, extract data, and automatically configure
the tags in a target such as InSQL.
Transform
Source
(e.g. WinCC)
Target (e.g.
InSQL)
Unifig
IDX UNIFIG Goals
► IDX UNIFIG was built to:
▪ Minimise time required for plant historian setup
▪
▪
▪
and synchronization
Simplify the task as much as possible
Remove human error
Provide consistent repeatable output
• Using Standards
▪ Enables effective change management
▪ Allow for remote site support
Demonstration
Demonstration
► IDX UNIFIG is essentially a tool that
extracts information from a source, applies
a transformation and sends the data to a
target
Source
Transform
Target
Demonstration
► Procedure:
Demonstration - Topology
► IDX UNIFIG is Installed on each WinCC Server
Demonstration
► IDX UNIFIG makes use of transforms to map WinCC tag
information to InSQL Tags
Agenda
Introduction
Challenge
IDX Solution
Benefits
Summary
Benefits / Goals Achieved
► IDX UNIFIG is currently being successfully used at a
number of mineral processing sites
► The number of WinCC tags are in the order of hundreds
of thousands
▪ Makes use of approximately 50 filters
▪ Setup time of filters is approximately one day
▪ Same configuration can be reused on many sites
► Configuration updates at one or more sites can be
completed in under an hour by the user using VPN,
Remote Desktop, etc
▪ Comfort of your own office
► On these sites this process is also used to make C&I
Engineers aware of anomalies of the data in the PCS7
Projects.
Agenda
Introduction
Challenge
IDX Solution
Benefits
Summary
Summary
► Manual change management is not simple
► IDX UNIFIG makes change management easier
▪ Rapid engineering
▪ Rules Based
▪ Reusable across multiple sites
▪ Repeatable process
▪ Removes human error
▪ Remote support
Questions and Comments