What is a Distributed Control System?
A distributed control system is an intricately planned automation control mechanism that consists of a network of controllers, sensors, and interconnected computer systems that cover the entirety of an industrial plant or control area. It distinguishes itself from a central control system by allocating a dedicated controller to supervise every process element, machine, or group of machines.
Schneider Electric UK’s distributed control system enables process plants to routinely deliver measurable operation profitability. Stacked with the latest OT technologies, our Foxboro DCS is completely optimised for smart design and flexible engineering that minimises operating expenses and augments decision making, workflow, and problem resolution.
How is a Distributed Control System used?
Distributed control systems are utilised to effectively control production systems within the same environment for various industries, including wastewater treatment, electric power generation plants, pharmaceutical processing facilities, chemical manufacturing plants, automobile, and oil refineries. The modularising of the entire production system helps in eliminating the effect of a single fault on the entire system.
Schneider Electric’ UKs Foxboro distributed control system family with its array of controllers, and I/O options are used to optimise the space, cost, and functionality requirements of process control industries. It enables manufacturers to efficiently organise complex production processes and improve safety.
What Makes the Distributed Control System So Important?
The real-time automated control of a variety of industrial processes is what makes a distributed control system important and separates it from the erstwhile central control systems. The availability of several local controllers spread across the different sections of the industrial area ensures maximum safety and operational efficiency. A distributed controller makes configuration easy and allows a DCS to manoeuvre a variety of complex industrial operations.
At Schneider Electric UK, our feature-stacked distributed control system provides a capable platform to transform industrial automation and deliver a hundred per cent return on investment in less than one year.
What are the Distributed Control System elements?
The architecture of a distributed control system breaks down into four primary elements:
• Engineering controller: It takes charge of the complete distributed control system. This can be a personal computer or any other system with dedicated engineering software.
• Local controller: The local controller includes a CPU mobile, Fieldbus, or a communication module with direct or remote inputs and outputs
• Communication media: It helps interconnect the other three elements of a DCS. This includes cables, wires, and protocols
• Operating station: The operating station (HMI) enables operators to control and monitor different parameters.
Features of Distributed Control System
Packed with state-of-the-art OT technologies like Dynamic SAMA, Engineer Anywhere and Control Anywhere capabilities, Visualization and Situation-Awareness functionalities, and the latest IT technologies in mobility, cloud and analytics, the Foxboro DCS is architecturally optimized for Smart Design and Flexible Engineering reducing capital and operating expenses, protecting operational integrity while enhancing decision making, problem resolution and workflow.With unified control and safety through integration with the industry-leading EcoStruxure Triconex safety systems, the Foxboro DCS provides a powerful platform to turn your industrial automation into the Profit Engine of your business, driving measurable operational profitability, safely.
Benefits of Distributed Control System
• Future-proof technology preserves your investments• Customizable, embedded real-time accounting models measure and control financial value of every point of the process
• Drives measurable operational profitability at every level of the industrial enterprise
• Delivers 100% ROI in less than one year