Technology
Technological segments within automation
Systems for industrial purposes, distribution, telecom and the energy sector, which make use of automation, may often be divided into three technological levels:
- Administrative level
- Logical level (high-level control and data aquisition)
- Physical level (low-level control and data aquisition)
Intelligent Systems focuses on technological segments between low-level control and data aquisition on the one side and administrative systems and users on the other side. An area where the focus is on integration and creation of logical connections. Click on the illustrationen to blow up.
The administrative level
On the administrative level you find the company's administrative business systems including ERP systems, CRM-systems and financial systems. Focus is on business processing regarding planning, purchasing, sales, customer relations, orders, invoicing, book keeping and follow up.
In companies using automation the administrative systems will be connected to the production and warehouse through a logical level.
The logical level - high-level control and data aquisition
The purpose of the logical level is to create a view, coordinate and create a logical connection between the various units and systems. In this way the level is responsible for the integration between unit for low-level control and data aquisition on the one hand and between the company's administrative systems and users on the other hand.
The logical level often includes: MES-systems (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and SCADA-systems (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition).
The logical level is normally realised by means of one or more servers connected to different types of network to the company's administrative systms, to low-level control and data aquisition and possibly to PC's, displays, printers, and mobile units which users may use for accessing the logical level directly. The technological platforms which are typically used for realisation of the logical level are described more detailed in the chapter Platforms and technologies.
The logical level aquisites status and data from low-level units in the underlying physical level, creates logical connection in it and formats it to be used in the administrative systems or directly by users. At the same time the level is receiving logical commands from administrative systems and direct users, which it reads and formats into one or more physical control commands, which are sent to the underlying low-level units.
The logical level is also often called high-level control and data aquisition.
The logical level - low-level control and data aquisition
At the physical level you find the units that are responsible for low-level control and data aquisition. The system will normally consist of a number of mechanical units which are provided with transducers, sonsors or actuators. This could for example be automised conveyors. They are typically connected through an industrial network for one or more low-level control and data aquisition units.
Low-level control and data aquisition units are often realised by means of PLC's or embedded electronics. Focus of the physical level is on realtime control of the individual units and data aquisition.
A system will often consist of many different physical units using different types of control units and communication. The overlying logical level is the one being responsible for creating connections between the various units in the physical level.
Among the market leaders within software and IT for the logical level
Intelligent Systems focuses on the logical level and aims to be among the market leaders worldwide within software and IT for high-level control and data aquisition. The intention with this narrow focus is that Intelligent Systems can specialize and thereby acquire and retain expertise that will place Intelligent Systems among the world's leaders within exactly this area.
