Schneider Electric’s new family of remote Programmable Automation Controllers (rPACs) can link local assets in widely-dispersed remote sites and the company’s SCADA system, including valves, transmitters, sensors, etc.
Made for the harsh conditions, the SCADAPack 570/575 rPACs transport field data through low bandwidth, unreliable or non-permanent communication links (cellular, PSTN, radio, etc.).
The family is configured and programmed using a new software tool, RemoteConnect, an FDT 2.0-based on FRAME that offers a logic editor window like Schneider’s Unity Pro software.
RemoteConnect’s main characteristics are:
- Open standard IEC 61131-3 programming environment
- Open standard telemetry protocols DNP3 level 4 with Secure Authentication and IEC 60870-5-101/-104
- Open standard industrial protocol Modbus RTU and MODBUS TCP
- Support of HART™ pass-thru to smart instruments and actuators
- Data concentrator for DNP3 and Modbus devices
- Multiple active SCADA masters, up to 200 remote/local slave devices and up to 90 remote peer devices
- Remote maintenance (ability to remotely perform configuration changes, program downloads, firmware update and diagnostics)
- 1ms resolution time-stamped digital inputs, 30ms sampled analog inputs
- 3 Ethernet and 4 Serial ports, 1 USB device port for configuration, 1 USB host port for external storage
Typical applications for rPACs include remote sites in oil & gas (upstream and midstream) as well as in water applications (irrigation, fresh water distribution, waste water collection, etc.).
RemoteConnect software is an all-in-one software tool used to configure and program the SCADAPack x70 range. This can be done either locally using any communication port or remotely through communication devices like serial modems, Ethernet routers or Serial/Ethernet radio units like Schneider Electric Trio™ Data Radios.
RemoteConnect software is built using Schneider Electric shared technologies such as industry standard FDT2/DTM and Modicon Unity logic engine (IEC 61131-3 logic programming). RemoteConnect software lets users manage SCADAPack x70 rPAC systems:
- create the rPAC configuration and logic file, offline
- download the rPAC configuration and logic file, locally or remotely
- upload the rPAC file including the logic program source for editing or debug, locally or remotely
- amend a configuration on the fly, locally or remotely through IP or non- IP communication links
- amend a logic program on the fly, locally or remotely
- perform rPAC diagnostics, locally or remotely
- update the rPAC firmware, locally or remotely
- export and import bulk configurations managed by spreadsheets or other applications
- manage external equipment using FDT 1.2 and FDT2 DTMs such as instrumentation, motor drives, etc. from inside the RemoteConnect environment
RemoteConnect software has an import/export command that enables a user to exchange relevant parts of logic programs with Schneider Electric Modicon M340 and M580 PACs.
- a program written with Schneider Electric Unity Pro for a Modicon M340 or M580 PAC can be imported by RemoteConnect software, compiled and loaded into a SCADAPack 570/575 rPAC.
- a program written with RemoteConnect software can be exported to Unity Pro, recompiled and loaded into a Modicon M340 or M580 PAC.
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