Software is key to evolution: Control systems have evolved to do a lot more than simply control plant machinery, now providing operations information and enabling operational excellence

摘要

AUTOMATIC control has evolved a lot over the years, and today's industrial plants rely on an array of control systems, including DCS, MES, SCADA systems, and PLCs. Though has its own unique history, each system shares the workload of gathering data and controlling disparate machines in the plant, allowing them to work in a cohesive fashion. When the first DCS units appeared on the industrial market in the mid-1970s, they were mainly focussed on control and providing an operator interface. Today, DCS technology integrates plantwide assets and operations information.