Improved engineering workflows with Vijeo Citect transition

Improvements in engineering workflows, shorter configuration times, improved access, analysis and management of operational data, with quick and efficient responses to alarms and other information, are major benefits inherent in Schneider Electric’s new Vijeo Citect 7.30 software for industrial automation and control.

The configuration of equipment across systems is simplified and standardised with equipment templates.

“The advantage of using templates is that each type of equipment is configured only once,” says Quintin McCutcheon, industry business marketing and operations general manager at Schneider Electric South Africa.

“The equipment can then be instantiated multiple times throughout projects without requiring additional engineering, which reduces engineering time and delivers consistency across single or multiple projects.”

McCutcheon adds that the equipment hierarchy enables users to design the process using a hierarchical structure, facilitating the transition from a flat tag-based system to one that is object based.

“During operation, the equipment hierarchy will browse, sort and filter lists of tags and when it is combined with the new variable tag browsing; operators can search and display lists of tags based on rich data quality information, including tag statuses such as manual override or control inhibit.”

The transition from tag to object-based SCADA systems enables users to re-think the way that their SCADA works and to achieve systems that are simpler to configure and offer more significant out of the box functionality. Improvements have also been made in alarm management with faster navigation of the alarm system.

McCutcheon says that this results in the rapid resolution of issues, the ability to display all alarm events sequentially and the achievement of a more holistic analysis.

“Schneider Electric is also expanding its commitment to open interfaces, delivery of standard library controls, including commonly required runtime elements such as data grids, scroll bars and trees, simple integration to Vijeo Historian and time stamping from the source using Schneider Electric’s OPC Factory Server. Additional product options such as Vijeo Citect plus Power Connect and Vijeo Citect Facilities that contribute to optimising production while using less energy.”