OREANDA-NEWS. Equipping industrial customers with a streamlined solution to improve their data collection and analysis processes, GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that its trusted industrial PCs (IPC) will now come complete with the company’s proven supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)/human machine interface (HMI) automation software preinstalled. The new, integrated SCADA Edge IPC from GE’s Automation & Controls solutions provides the intelligent processing power needed to sift through vast amounts of data to uncover actionable information that can be used to proactively manage today’s brilliant machines and factories.

With SCADA/HMI software preinstalled on its rugged IPCs, GE is able to deliver streamlined, real-time visibility and control right out of the box, improving decision-making, increasing operator effectiveness and reducing downtime in small- and medium-sized industrial applications through faster and smarter reactions at the plant floor level. The SCADA Edge IPC provides operators and engineers with the trusted technology and robust performance engine needed to precisely monitor and control every aspect of their environment, equipment and resources.

“The Industrial Internet is the new normal for today’s factories and infrastructure,” said Vibhoosh Gupta, product management leader, GE’s Automation & Controls solutions. “However, there is quite a bit more to the Industrial Internet than just collecting high-speed data from miles of connected infrastructure. Without a meaningful way to optimize and process data, the immense scope of information being generated by today’s connected machines poses a real challenge for today’s engineers and operators. This valuable data must be used to increase productivity and throughput. That’s why we have created a combined, preconfigured offering that integrates our IPCs and our advanced automation software.”

GE’s SCADA Edge IPC provides an integrated solution to help meet the needs of an increasingly connected industrial space. Built on GE’s EP industrial PC platform, the new SCADA Edge unit comes preconfigured with either GE’s iFIX or CIMPLICITY HMI/SCADA software and can be scaled to 500, 1,500 or 3,000 tags. With this software, the SCADA Edge IPC is able to provide real-time visibility into mass amounts of valuable data, enabling users to make more informed decisions.

With a fanless, solid-state design and industrial-strength components, GE’s SCADA Edge is built for maximum reliability and system uptime. The CPU and memory are soldered to the board, boosting reliability and resistance to shock and vibration. In addition, GE’s patented heat dissipation technology allows the unit to perform in extreme temperature conditions. This enables customers to collect data and get better insights in the harshest of environments.

The SCADA Edge IPC is available in both a stand-alone or networked configuration. In a standalone configuration, the SCADA Edge IPC is able to connect and collect data locally. The node can then transfer historical data to a central historian for analysis and reporting. Local alarms also can be used to notify and alert field or control room personnel if needed. In a networked configuration, the unit is able to connect to an existing iFIX or CIMPLICITY network to exchange real-time, historical and alarm data with the network. This provides existing iFIX or CIMPLICITY users with added visibility into their disparate assets.

Since both the hardware and software are provided by the same manufacturer, maintenance on GE’s SCADA Edge is simplified. Only one point of contact is needed to address all maintenance-related issues. Also, with the technology coming from a single provider, there is more continuity in the system design and setup, which can lead to greater reliability and support. This synergy between software and hardware also improves total cost of ownership (TCO).

“Much of the TCO or life cycle cost of an asset is determined before it is even put into use,” Gupta continued. “That’s why we are preloading our IPCs with Proficy software. By eliminating the software installation process, we can save our customers several hours of installation time per unit—which is especially helpful for OEMs and distributors that need to configure several hundred units or more per year.”

Also affecting TCO is the IPCs consistent footprint. While its embedded technology may evolve, the unit’s housing remains the same thanks to the IPC’s modular design. This not only simplifies maintenance, it also reduces or eliminates the cost associated with retooling to accommodate system upgrades as chip technology evolves.

Together, the combination of GE’s proven IPC hardware and advanced SCADA/HMI software creates an integrated and responsive control engine capable of managing assets of all sizes — from several lines to a whole plant or even an entire fleet.