Advanced system for capturing and monitoring remote plant data from plant operators/constructors and making it available to individual customers.
In recent years, remote plant monitoring and control has become increasingly important for global companies. The evolution of communication technologies has made it possible to acquire and analyse plant data in real time, enabling more accurate and timely control. In this article, we will explore an innovative remote plant data acquisition and processing system that uses an always-on virtual private network (VPN) to allow customers to access remote plant data via an HTML5-based web interface.
A reliable connection via always-on VPN
At the heart of this system is the always-on VPN connection, which guarantees continuous communication between the remote installations and the server located at the company’s premises. Each remote plant is equipped with a network device configured to automatically establish the VPN connection as soon as an Internet connection is detected. In this way, the VPN connection is always active, allowing real-time transfer of plant data to the central server.
Data acquisition and storage
Once the VPN connection is established, the server in the company acquires, stores and processes data from the remote installations. This data may include critical information such as temperature, pressure, flow and other variables relevant to plant operation. Thanks to the dedicated database, the data is organised and made available for further analysis.
Intuitive HTML5-based web interface
To enable customers to access remote plant data, the system provides an HTML5-based web interface. The interface is accessible through a standard web browser, eliminating the need to install additional software. Customers can view real-time data, generate customised graphs, set alarms and analyse trends over time. The web interface provides an intuitive and customisable overview of remote facilities, allowing customers to effectively monitor and control operations remotely.
Timely notifications and corrective actions
The system also implements email or text message notification capabilities to alert customers in the event of abnormal conditions or significant alarms in remote installations. These timely notifications allow customers to react promptly to critical situations and take the necessary corrective action to minimise downtime and optimise plant performance.
Conclusions
The system for acquiring and processing data on remote plants via VPN and Server On Premise (dedicated server installed by the manufacturer customer) represents an important innovation for manufacturers, who can thus retain their customers through remote supervision and monitoring.
