Today, many inexpensive embedded platforms are available for very powerful applications. This opens up new opportunities for the automation industry to expand existing applications or develop new ones. The simple networking of such systems with classic industrial control technology and the Internet plays a key role in smart, Industry 4.0-oriented solutions. This is why GTI-Control has expanded its HTML5-based HMI/SCADA solution to include the higher-level, cloud-compatible Resma platform. This collects the data from decentrally installed devices and subsequently enables evaluations. It also offers comprehensive management of any number of data collectors and their data. Comprehensive evaluation and documentation options are available via pivot or diagram. The integrated report generator allows users to design and automatically send reports with tables and graphics according to specific requirements. Reports also support batch or order-related evaluations, making it possible to implement applications in the field of production data acquisition. Easily configurable functions for calculation and monitoring signal necessary interventions in the process by e-mail. As a portal, the platform can also provide access to the data acquisition systems and their user interface and optionally provide a higher-level visualization of the overall system.

Local solution

The Resma platform can be installed as a local solution within a company or - with appropriate security mechanisms for transmission and access - can also be hosted as a genuine cloud solution by an Internet provider. The user administration allows the fine-grained assignment of rights, even to regionally restricted data. This allows companies to integrate different groups of people with different functional or geographical rights into the system. To use the platform, the HMI/SCADA solution installed on the embedded device contains its own cloud connector, which stores the required information locally and forwards it to the higher-level evaluation at predefined intervals. Narrow-band connections can also be used. With an existing connection, which is generally only established by the data collector for evaluation, direct online access to the data is also possible. This results in a wide range of possible applications. PDA data collectors with their own user interface can be implemented within a company, as well as cross-location automation solutions that are connected to a cloud server via an Internet connection.

In addition to the software and various license models, GTI-Control offers support in adapting to specific environments or applications. To this end, the SCADA solution Procon-WIN supports an interface for integrating your own controls, for example to evaluate beacons or transponders or to cover specific display functions. The integration of specific interfaces for connecting to other software components in the embedded device is also supported. The project planning system can also be adapted to customer requirements. In addition to platform-specific project planning templates, project planning information can be transferred from another engineering environment in order to integrate data points, data loggers or fault processing into the project more quickly, for example.

The same applies to the cloud platform, which has a plug-in concept and can therefore undergo application-specific extensions to cover special customer-specific requirements. This includes data exchange with ERP and MES systems or connection to other databases.