INRODUCTION
For the industrial automation of objects distributed at the certain area (e.g. boiler houses, thermoelectric stations, installations for pipes cathode protection) as well as for the objects for which the constant presence of the personnel is not applicable or non-profitable the necessity of remote automation or production management and control exists.

The following targets must be achieved:
·  transfer of technological parameters of boiler house equipment to the central dispatcher desk;
·  transfer of emergency, burglar and fire alarm;
·  transfer of data concerning electric energy, heat and fuel consumption;
·  questionnaire and diagnostics of controllers managing the pieces of the remote production object;
·  logging of all the events (emergency actions, dispatcher’s actions, turning on and off of actuators, entry of alarm signals, etc).
For production control of remote objects in hardware-in-the-loop complex IQ Production Control the Internet is used.  The advantages of this connection type are evident: ready for usage and highly developed infrastructure, high reliability, channels for data transfer diversity, absence of distance limits, low traffic costs and accessibility without any license. 

POSSIBILITIES OF REMOTE PRODUCTION CONTROL
At each remote object the production controller of net traffic is set up supplied with devices meant for collection and initial information processing that is provided from the sensors. To the USB port of the net traffic controller GSM modem is connected that transfers and receives the data, patching the common remote dispatcher server. The number of controlled objects can be customized as any required number; in practice it depends on server workload and throughput of the channel that processes the information that is received with the server.
At the dispatcher desk the automated dispatcher’s workplace (ADW) is located that is connected to the server. The ADW contains SCADA program that displays all the remote objects of production control connected to the system.
In case of necessity the operator can open a detailed track plan of the remote production control object that displays the information received from the object. The program also functions as alarm signaling, data accumulation, archiving and reports compilation.
In the normal duty of the system information is received with the set time frames or by dispatcher’s request.
In case of emergency the emergency signal is transferred to the dispatcher desk, that is initiated by the controller and that possess the top priority. The emergency signal contains the information that allows to make a decision concerning methods of its elimination before the emergency brigade is sent to the object.

System architecture
The structure of hardware-in-the-loops complex IQ Production Control

Appearance of the equipment located at the remote object.

At the picture marked:

1 – wiring closets;
2 – net traffic controller;
3 – devices for information collection and processing

 

Production control system consists of hardware and software parts as well as connection lines between them. Hardware part consists of:
·  devices for collection and initial information processing;
·  net traffic controller;  
·  database server;
·  dispatcher’s automated workplace.
Software part of the complex includes:  
·  system of database management ORACLE XE;
·  software module of prompt information processing;
·  software module of administration and customizing of production control of remote objects system;
Devices of collection and initial information processing are meant for analog-digital transformation of entry signals and their transfer with the aim of further processing to the net traffic controller. Parameters of input circuit of the channels can be various depending on the modules set up in the device.  
Devices of collection and initial information processing are set at the remote objects and connected to the net traffic controller by means of the interfaces USB , RS 232, RS 485, I2C usage . The usage of the above mentioned interfaces allows to create easily scalable system (e.g. to one controller of USB wire up to 127 devices can be connected through concentrators chain with the usage of star topology) with the high speed of information transfer.  
Net traffic controller is meant for collection and initial data analysis (emergency detection on the object) that are received from the data collection devices and data transfer to to the database server with the usage of different communication channels, such as GSM , GPRS , UMTS , Ethernet, etc.
Database server is meant for collection and accumulation of the information received that concerns the condition of remote objects. As a system of database management on the database server ORACLE XE is used that has already recommended itself as a reliable and accessible product.

Automated Dispatcher’s Workplace is a system unit with two monitors. On the left monitor summarized information concerning the remote objects condition is displayed, on the right monitor detailed information about the chosen object is seen.  In case of object condition change the pop-up window with the appropriate message is displayed, beep noise is heard that can be stopped in case of necessity. In the message the detailed information concerning condition change of the controlled object is displayed. 


Interface of the software for ADW.


Message window of the software ADW


Visual Constructor of the Remote Object Track Plan.
Software module of administration and customizing of the  system for production control of remote objects is meant for data input concerning monitoring objects, customizing of controlled parameters, reference conduction and view of compiled reports.  In this module visual constructor of monitoring objects of the system is realized. All the manipulations are done by means of Drag&Drop method that makes the construction of monitoring objects’ track plans much easier.  
Special options of production control system:
The system of production control of remote objects “IQ- Production control” uses the client-server architecture: all the operations with the database are fulfilled on the server and don’t depend on errors on work stations. All the data are kept on the server, work stations just display the information.