Plant Portal
Plant Portal is a must-have tool for any site, designed specifically to deliver plant performance information to management users who don’t need full SCADA functionality. It provides a simplified entry point to the control systems, meeting the most common needs of management users, whilst still providing convenient access to richer functionality for those that need it.
In most cases, it’s not only the operations room staff who need access to SCADA sessions.
- ‘I need access to the gas levels in the underground mine.’
- ‘What is the current plant production rate. Are we on target?’
- ‘The plant sounds quiet. What’s gone offline?’
Adding multiple manager nodes to the full SCADA system for narrow information requirements results in the unnecessary cost of extra licenses and unintended overloads on the control system. A flood of new users logging in ‘for a look’ when something goes wrong presents a particular issue to the operator who trying to diagnose the problem and get the plant running again.
Plant Portal doesn’t prevent this form of access, but is instead designed to provide management users the information that they require, without the need for extra licenses or impacts on system performance. Moreover, it’s designed with management users in mind, presenting commonly required information in a simple fashion, tailored to the needs of this particular set of users. Data can be provided on demand or within scheduled updates, simplifying the process even further.
Plant Portal can be integrated into your system, or provided as part of a larger suite. As with all of VRT’s products, Plant Portal can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your site.
Features
High Level Overview
Get a quick summary of key equipment status, production rates and other key indicators at your fingertips. Many users will find what they need in an instant on this screen, without having to log in for a full SCADA session.
Tailored Dashboards
Create tailored dashboards for users who need to collect specific data for their job. Often SCADA logins are provided to users who only require a narrow set of information. Tailored Plant Portal dashboards increase efficiency for the user (and the SCADA system), whilst avoiding the unnecessary costs of full SCADA licenses for users who don’t really need them.
Web-based Reporting
Rich reporting functionality designed with management users in mind. Use Plant Portal’s highly functional interactive reports or build your own tailored reports in-house.
- Animated flash charts with drill-down capability
- Flexible data export, including MS Excel, CSV, PDF
- On demand or scheduled reports to automatically capture data and email it to users
Workflows, Approvals & Signoff
Commenting functions and a unique work-flow engine allow scheduled reports to pass through pre-defined approval processes.
SCADA System Health Monitoring
Independently monitor server and SCADA system health. Remote login from home provides a first port of call for system diagnostics.
Published Applications
Conduct remote desktop sessions for full featured access to applications on the control network (access restricted). As required, Plant Portal can link through to partner systems including SCADA clients (control and management nodes), PLC programming software, network diagnostic software and OWM equipment software.
Security
SSL encrypted sessions and integration with corporate directory servers for user/password synchronisation.
Industry Application
Plant Portal is a true cross-industry application, designed for any site that currently provides management or specific-use access to its SCADA system. Industries include:
- Mining
- Transportation & Logistics
- Manufacturing
- Utilities
