Scadapak Questions

[Swhitaker]

I am more involved in the ABB, Emerson and AB world. looked at a job that will involve a ScadaPak in the near future. I have looked on google for some info, but would like some real world info. Are they any good? Why would you pick this over something else? Is this a REAL PLC? How much does the the program cost to access this? just looking for info on this. Thanks in advance.

 

[Bullzi]

Given your location I am going to assume that you are working in the Oil and Gas industry.
I have seen the ScadaPacks used in the O&G industry in several locations. The main reason I was given was that that they would work off of a low voltage (12 Vdc?) and didn't draw much power. These locations were solar powered well sites so they needed to keep the power draw to a minimum.

As for being a "real" PLC I would say yes. They have inputs and outputs just like any other brand of PLC.
I didnt do any of the actual programming as that was done by another company. So I cant answer what the software was like to use. The programmers used function block for their programming.

I did all the flow computer programming that interfaced with the ScadaPack. That went pretty well as I think the ScadaPacks have Modbus as a native language so it was pretty easy to get the data out of the FC.

I know that Schneider bought the ScadaPack and I have heard (here on the forum) that they have migrated the ScadaPack to use the Schneider programming software. So it may be much better than it was several years ago when I was working with them.

Edit: Also they have some internal functions designed for O&G. Like Gas Flow Computer. That is why they are used in O&G in many locations.

 

[Saffa]

There are several versions of the SCADAPack now. I've only used the 535 and the 575.

The 535 was pretty solid but i didn't like the programming tool, and it cost a couple grand.

The 575 is a recent release and the more I use the configuration tool the more I think it needs another 12 months to mature. The hardware is identical to the 535 but runs different firmware.

RemoteConnect is the new Configurator and programmer. Its free on a DVD when you buy a 575. Or your Schneider rep might be able to supply you a copy.

Features I do Like:

3 independent Ethernet ports. You can have a modbus TCP scanner on one port and keep it segregated from your SCADA network. It can even route between them.

DNP3 is a must for long distance or low bandwidth links.

12-30V supply voltage

I've been able to directly import a lot of my custom function blocks from Unity Pro directly into the Scadapack programming environment.

 

[Swhitaker]

Thanks for all the info!

Thanks for the info on this, real world is always better.

 

[Tom Jenkins]

Scadapak came from the RTU (remote terminal unit) world. Like them it has excellent communications capability and is ideal for small I/O counts, like a remote pump station. Scadapak was one of the first RTUs to include significant logic capabilities, and they modeled their programming on Modicon ladder logic. They had some great battery backup capacity.

It has been a few years since I used them. I found them to be robust reliable from a hardware standpoint. Their tech support was top notch. A lot of PLCs nowadays have multiple comm ports, but back then they had the more built in ports than a typical PLC.

 

[mlynn129]

I've use two SCADAPack32s in the past to measure gas flow in the oil and gas industry.

RealFlo is their flow computer software for nat gas and it works well, but it cost and extra $500 to $1000 (cant remember exactly).

You can have multiple meters per RealFlo applications which is nice.
Small amount of I/O, but you can buy adders.

Schneider has transmitters that have serial comms.

Weird programming style coming from the AB world. I spent significant amounts of time with tech support (that could be my lack experience).

If you are measuring flow via RealFlo you dont have scale transmitters in the ladder logic itself you can do it through the RealFlo software.

They also have CO2Flo which is what i have experience with and i assume works the same as RealFlo.

12-30VDC power supply, Modbus/TCP, serial, Vision (LCD display) which took me some time to figure out, but now that i have it its great.

Its was so different for me that it took me a long time to be comfortable just moving around and not actually doing anything. Each register can be configured as anything (BOOL, REAL, INT, etc.) which caught me off guard.

Thats about all I have. I may be hard on it, but it has never failed me in any way. Just a lot of user error!