We are using two different operator stations. Bailey PCV for Bailey DCS & USData Factorylink for PLC control. Now we wants to choose one common HMI. We have studied various vendors & short listed two vendors

Bailey Operate IT

OpsCon+Intellution(OpsCon will act as a OPC server for Bailey with iFIX as operator
stations)

Bailey Opearte IT is probably fairly new product. Could you please give me some information regarding these two products that can help me find the merits & demerits of both systems?
Thanks

 

With Intelluation FIX HMI, all points have to be created, basically its a configuration house dream. No premade templates exist with the package. What I mean by creating points is that if you want to reference a PV on a display, you must map it and create it. If you want a valve output, you must map it and create the point.

With most major control systems DeltaV, Bailey etc., templates exist that substantially reduce the configuration time. One example of a template is one for a PID that references all points such as PV and Valve Output.

Our experiance with products such as Intelluation, factory link is that it takes at least 3 x the amount of configuration time
compared to a control systems own HMI. We feel introducing that type of package into any plant is concerning as any money saved on hardware costs easily gets eaten up by the configuration costs.

 

Currently undertaking a similar exercise. Interested to see the observation about cost comparisons. Are there any hard figures available.

 

Our OPsCon product includes a set of database blocks within iFIX that map to the Bailey Function Codes. This means that to create a Bailey STATION block, you need only to add the STATION block to the driver we provide, and ONE matching station block is automatically added to iFIX. Total time to add the STATION block is less then a minute.. and it can be done on line.

In addition, we provide a set of database conversion tools to convert the tag database from earlier Bailey consoles.. such as MCS or PCV.. such that you can convert and input thousands of tags in a morning.

And lastly.. the OPsCon product does provide a set of ready to use display components for each Bailey block type. These display components make it easy for you to connect to any of the standard block types.

The end result is that the total time to add a new STATION tag AND draw a simple screen with a target to pull up the STATION control faceplate is just a couple of minutes.

Your comments about iFIX.. by itself .. are correct. However, if you OPsCon with iFIX those issues you mention all go away.

 

We've installed over 500 consoles based on the OPsCon software, most with Intellution iFIX.

Without knowing more about your specific installation I can't give you a specific cost estimate.

However, we recently completed a conversion of an MCS console installation to OPsCon with iFIX that may provide some relevant numbers.

This system has 150 screens and about 2500 tags. We completed the conversion with about two person weeks of labour before going on site, and another two weeks on site. This work also involved adding a number of new screens that the previous installation did not have.

Every situation is different. However if you send me contact details I'd be happy to help you estimate what a conversion would actually cost for your plant.

 

We are using the Operate IT HMI for our ABB Infi 90 DCS controller system for our Boiler and Turbine control .

We are facing the following major problem.

1. The cofiguration server gets hanged some times
2. The flickering on screen happening
3. The screen updation is very slow
4. There is no experts available in ABB. This software is now promoted by ABB for all their range of DCS.

In total [I can tell you] this HMI is not good and having lots of problem since it is very software oreinted and MS win NT based. Also the back up service even from ABB USA are very poor

 

Hi,
we have been working on ABB products for quite a long time.
Please send us the problem details, so that we can suggest some solutions.
Eventhough there might be some bugs ( as is common with any SW), I feel ABB products are really wonderful.
Feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Sabapathy G
Kalki Communication Technologies Pvt Ltd
E-Mail:[email protected]