SCADAs and/or HMIs Operators manuals

[Pierre]

I've not seen many. The ones that where supplyed by the OEM seldom include anything that ressembles what the End Users sees.

I'm talking about Operators manuals related to SCADAs and HMIs applications.

One company had taken pictures of there DOS based SCADA system and systematicly updates there books. They have a few employes that do just that.

What have you seen or what do you provide as Operators manuals when you deploy a SCADA system or network?

What is included. Do you "print-screen" your way through it?

I always have a "Help" button for the operators and they drive open a set of pdf files which guides them. But how farr can we go?

How farr do you go?

What section do you include in them? Do you put everything, even the electrical drawings?

Most SCADA application don't provide an easy way to build a manual for the operators. What do you guys do?

 

[sapoleon]

Here we provide a manual, It is normally based in the Screen Print, and then after the draw, an explanation of every button and text in that screen.
Also a small explanation on the data base.

We don't normally have on-line help. It depends on the client. That tooks a lot of time, and they are not normally willing to pay for that.

We include the electrical drawings in a cd with documentation, and an up to date set in the electrical cabinet, not in the HMI.

Once again, we go as far as the client want ... to pay.

 

[rstech]

I do a screen capture of each and every screen and then explain the function of every object and button on each screen. The manual also contains a basic troubleshooting section which accounts for possible Operator error not equipment failures. The manual also has a procedure on how to start-up the equipment and the sequence of events that occur. There is a table of contents to easily find the screen you are looking for. All manuals are printed in full color.

Other documentation includes electrical schematics, material list, lamacoid list, fuse list with type and ratings, network communication layout. The CD usually includes all the PDF files from the manufacturers.

 

[jtn]

I do as rstech said and give a short description of what each button or display does/indicates when a manual is requested. Usually when the customer starts whittling down the price this is one of the first things that goes as we supply training to the operators at startup. It takes too many hours to develop to give it away though. Each job we do is generally custom so we can't develop a manual that has it's cost spread over many jobs.

 

[rstech]

It takes too many hours to develop to give it away though.

Hit the nail right on the head. Customers think you can whip off a full manual in an hour; yeah right.

 

[curlyandshemp]

Hit the nail right on the head. Customers think you can whip off a full manual in an hour; yeah right.

I just went through this very argument with a customer this morning. He wanted a full description of every process step with all possible error conditions and solutions stated in the documentation of a system that is now 3 years old. I stated to him , if we had priced documentation like that into the job, we would have priced ourselfs out of getting the job.

Normally we supply all electrical drawings in PDF format. PLC printout in PDF, and if an HMI or Scada is involved, screen by screen description of what the screen is for, and what all buttons on the screen are for.

Ian