Inexpensive SCADA

[RFurey 0]

I'm annoyed enough with the Rockwell Automation RSView32 high initial cost, licensing arrangement and pay for non tech support, that I'm finally willing to look into alternatives. Does anyone have any experience with a low cost SCADA that functions well and come from a company that has reasonable tech support and is not likely to disappear over night? One example that I've just started to look at is Indusoft. $1000 for a 1500 tag development package. Beyond that, I know little about the product or company.

[JRoss 84]

Mitsubishi private-labels Iconics Genesis as their own MC-WorX. It's identical, other than the logos. I don't know much about the support, as I haven't used it myself. I've been impressed with the service I've gotten from Mitsubishi for their hardware. Prices range from $1495 for 75 tags to $8995 for unlimited tags. For apples to apples, 1500 tags is $5995. This is for the MC-WorX suite, which includes GraphWorX, TrendWorX, AlarmWorX, ScriptWorX and ProjectWorX. You can buy the pieces separately as well. Iconics has been around awhile, and isn't likely to disappear. DISCLAIMER: I work for a Mitsubishi Authorized Distributor. I've tried to simply present the facts as I see them, but let me know if I'm out of line. EDIT: Whoops, forgot the links! Edited 10 Jan 2007 by JRoss

[TimWilborne 108]

Good information so not out of line, but thank you for the disclaimer

[Sleepy Wombat 27]

You can also try CITECT

[Nathan 7]

Check out FactorySQL and FactoryPMI from Inductive Automation. We always provide free tech support. If you're an integrator we provide free training at this point. The product evaluation is such that you can fully implement a system and run it (2 hours at a time, resettable), before paying anything. We're a relatively new company that is growing rapidly. I'll let you form your own ideas about us disappearing overnight. The best thing would be to sign up for a 1 hour web demo. We'll show you what we're all about and and answer any questions.

[PdL 71]

What... the demo version ?

[infoplc.net 0]

You can download Citect demo verión in this web: http://www.infoplc.net/Enlace/Enlaces_SCADA.htm

[anas_eng 0]

You can use Mitsubishi Soft Got . its software package that behaves like scada but it looks like HMI , so all u need 2 do is 2 buy licence and design the screens using regular screens design software like mitsubishi GT Designer2 . and connect pc 2 the plc in the feild . using RS232 Connection.

[rpraveenkum 5]

Rsview32 demo available here http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwell...ware/downloads/

[panic mode 246]

.... or make your own and you don't have limitations like number of tags etc. VB2005 is free and the .NET Studio doesn't cost an arm and leg.

[Bob O 8]

Kinda OT I am taking a VB.NET class right now at the community college and they gave us the full blown developers version of C++, VB and Java. You can download VB 2005 Express Edition for free but I here it is long and painful.

[KinK 0]

Indusoft also has some inexpencive options....

[Nathan 7]

The OPC foundation offers sample OPC client source code to members written mostly in VB.NET. Writing your SCADA package as a generic OPC client is a good idea because it will allow the OPC server to manage much of the communication layer. More importantly, it will allow your project to be compatible with pretty much any OPC server. Edited 6 Feb 2007 by Nathan

[kutuz 0]

You can also try Aspic/AspicMP from Merz/Kontron (http://shop.kontron-czech.com/InfoPage.asp?TP=FT&ID=29&CatID=398). PS. AspicMP is Client/Server(!) system. Development is free, demo runtime is 2 hours (resettable). Price for Aspic is about 1300$ for Unlimited Tags, price for AspicMP (server + 1 AspicMP client) is about 1750$ for Unlimited Tags + 130$ for each client. Quick and personal support (free).

[JRoss 84]

I know this topic is old but... My company is in the process of becoming an authorized distributor for Indusoft, and I went to training last month to learn how to use the package. We started working with them on a project that required a "wireless HMI". Indusoft will run on Windows CE based devices, so we are solving the application by attaching a Comtrol Devicemaster Air to our Mitsubishi FX PLC and creating an ad hoc wireless network. Then we're running Indusoft on a PDA with WiFi. We're still in the development stage, but everything looks good! I was impressed with the flexibility and scalability of the Indusoft package, as it will handle small HMI type applications, as well as full SCADA. It will run on any version of Windows, from CE through Vista. And the price isn't too bad! They've gone up slightly since the original posting, and are now $1095 for a 1500 tag development license, $645 for a 1500 tag run-time license, and $385 for a 1500 tag WinCE run-time license. For my "wireless HMI" application, I'm hoping to use a 150 tag WinCE run-time license, which is $150. Again, here's my disclaimer that we are a distributor for the product. Also an additional disclaimer that this is my first experience with SCADA type packages, though I have plenty of experience with touchpanel HMIs.

[Rod_Hackney 2]

Some very good examples of HMIs that provide good alternatives. I have used Indusoft, Citect, Wondeware, intellution, AB and a little of Wincc (Siemens). They all have their good and bad points but one thing that is very important other than cost of course is the ability to get good tech support. My opinion on all of these would be that intellution and wonderware have the best HMI tech support with AB being a close second. Cheap might not sound so good at 3: am in the morning with a process down.

[shauncroman 0]

Iconics is a good one- but it depends on the number of clients If you have 5 plus clients then I would reccommend using iconics webhmi typically by using this I have reduced new client costs by about £4.5K per new client and its fairly robust- there are additional benefits like- centralised alrm logging etc I can give you more details- initial setup costs are about 10-12K depending on the initial number of web clients that you need

[Nathan 7]

Ouch, google tells me that's $8700 per client!! - that seems staggering unless you're counting a custom enclosure with the computer and software. FactoryPMI will run you less than that with unlimited clients. I didn't mention it earlier because I wasn't sure that would fit under OPs "Inexpensive SCADA" topic. Edited 13 Jun 2008 by Nathan

[waynes 8]

Hi guys/ gals! There is a relatively inexpensive SCADA called Adroit. (http://www.adroit.co.za It is a locally developed SCADA (South Africa) and is very good. I have used SCADA's like Citect, Intouch, WinCC before but this SCADA has very good tech support at a very reasonable price. I think you can download the demo and training manuals from their web site. You can do some truly amazing graphics in this package as well. Unlike the others it offers full vector graphics support which only offer bitmap graphic support. Keep well all