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Tags, Assets and Templates
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TAT and Real
-time Elements
Tags, Assets and Templates are not only the start of Tatsoft company name, they are also the core components to the real-time data models and the power of FactoryStudio. The FactoryStudio system has a built-in real- time, event driven, in-memory database, that manages the tags, assets and events in the application.
Real-time Tag Types
A typical HMI-SCADA system has only basic tag types, such as numeric and messages. As FactoryStudio also targets IT and MES systems, it goes far beyond, supporting real- time entities that match all the SQL types and many .NET Framework entities, including Images and a complete DataTable in a single real-time tag.
Dynamic Arrays and References
FactoryStudio was the first, and up to now the only, real-time system with built-in support for tri-dimensional dynamic arrays, lists and type-safe reference tags with dynamic assignments, creating reusable components on displays, symbols, reports, calculation and at any part of your project.
SQL Databases and .NET
The built-in tag types allow direct mapping to any SQL database or .NET variables.
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TAT can stand for Tag, Assets and Templates, but it is also a word from the Sanskrit language, related with the physical reality of the Universe. Visit Tatsoft forums to learn other TAT meanings |
Assets and Categories
Organize your project with categories and assets. An asset is composed of tags and other application objects connected to your process hierarchy. FactoryStudio allows implementation of ISA 95 modeling specifications, which can be essential in large systems.
Templates
Templates are user-defined structures, similar to .NET classes, allowing composition and hierarchy. Besides the built-in basic types, real-time tags can be created based on templates that reflect physical assets, which speed up and simplify the application development.
Import and Synchronize
Tags and templates can be imported and automatically synchronized from various data sources including: XML and CSV files, OSIsoftTM PI SystemTM and PI AFTM, RockwellTM ControlLogix program files and OPC servers.
SQL Databases and .NET: The built-in tag types allow direct mapping to any SQL database or .NET variables.
Tag Editing Features:
Tag based Security
Refactoring, allows renaming any object, anytime. No more need for global search and replace commands
Intellisense shows auto-fill context sensitive information in all fields. No more typing names
Cross-reference is available to all project elements, not only tags!
Dynamic validation: system validates the fields as you type, preventing configuration errors.
About TAT:
TAT can stand for Tag, Assets and Templates, but it is also a word from the Sanskrit language, related with the physical reality of the Universe. Visit Tatsoft forums to learn other TAT meanings
Graphical Displays
Advanced Graphical Technology
FactoryStudio is the first complete product where all of the configuration and execution tools are pure Windows Presentation Foundation, the latest graphical technology from Microsoft. WPF uses the full potential of the current graphics cards and computers, providing superior quality and performance.
Dynamic 3D Models
Connect real-time tags to control properties in 3D models created with 3DMax or other systems that supports the .3DS extension.
Smart Symbols
Smart Symbols are asset and template based reusable graphical components, with runtime dynamics or static binding and centralized management. The symbols can keep a live link with the library, so you can modify the symbol only once and automatically apply to all displays.
Code Behind and Expressions
Develop code behind, using C# or VB.NET, or HTML5/Javascript, expressions on dynamic animations and client-side event-driven scripts, providing flexible customization.
Touch Panel Applications
Customizable on-screen keyboard, multi- touch support, momentary buttons and other features deliver rich touch panel systems.
Unique set of Dynamic Animations
Unique new dynamics, such as opacity, shine and skew, combined with move, scale, color change, rotate, and others, applied to any object, provide the most comprehensive set of animations. No more difficult laborious workarounds dealing with drawing tools created on top of legacy graphics systems.
Images, Colors and Transparency
Images are added to the project database for centralized management, low and hi resolution versions of the image are automatically created, optimizing the project. Transparency, alpha color, image brushes, all designer tools are there.
Advanced Controls
All Windows controls are included, as well web browser, child-displays, doc viewer and many others. Add WPF controls to extended functionality, such as scheduler controls, Gantt or live video cameras. Legacy Active-X controls can also be used for compatibility.
Deployment Scenarios
FactoryStudio is based on a unified-package architecture, so the server is always the standard FactoryStudio software. However, all FactoryStudio modules such as Scripts, Device, Historian, Database, etc. may be placed on different computers, in a distributed system context. The server computers can run in different Operating Systems, connecting to many options of client visualization stations, allowing flexible deployment scenarios.
From Standalone to World-Wide
The FactoryStudio family of products is uniquely designed to provide the most reliable, flexible, and powerful application development platform. Whether you are building an application to run on a small device with very limited amount of I/O, to run on a production line or a commercial building, or looking to provide information across the globe to those that need it, on any device, anywhere.
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The same configuration tool can create applications for desktops, mobile, HTML5, and embedded devices. |
Data Aggregation from multiple locations
FactoryStudio is the perfect platform to collect data from multiple locations to a centralized location. Hundreds to thousands of distributed FactoryStudio nodes, provide the process data acquisition, and publish data to a cloud server, or to the corporate office.
Multiple User Security
User security can use Application Security, Windows Authentication (Active-Directory), or WS-Federation concurrently, mapping to the same application server.
Security and Redundancy
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Redundancy switch time and high volume data was tested to meet rigorous offshore requirements. |
Group and User Permissions
Total flexibility to define privileges based on groups or specific users. Permissions can be global or tied to a specific display, object or input action.
Runtime Users
Dynamically create users and store credentials in SQL databases. Get users from Active-Directory or third party system for integrated security or unified login.
User Policies
Identification policies, session duration, control, automated logoff, e-sign, audit-trail and a complete set of user management features are available.
FDA and NERC Regulated Applications
FactoryStudio allows delivering applications in conformance with Title 21 CFR Part 11 and it was designed following the applicable recommendations from NERC, such as the CIP- 007-1-Cyber Security-System Management.
Security at the Core Level
Security must be implemented at the core, not applied externally. FactoryStudio modules have built-in security related components designed from the core.
Hot-standby Fault-tolerant Servers
Reliable, easily configurable redundancy, for seamless failover; FactoryStudio automatically initializes and continues to synchronize the primary and secondary server. The Device communication channels are also easily setup for redundant physical networks and redundant PLC nodes.
Database Redundancy
The Alarm and Historian database can be assigned to a third-party external cluster or replicated automatically when running on the FactoryStudio servers.
Project Configuration Synchronization
Engineering tools provide features to simplify configuration and updates in redundant scenarios.
Hot-swapping
Redundant or stand-alone servers allows dynamic switching of project versions, without interrupting service for connected clients and keeping the real-time database loaded.
Redundancy at the Core Level
Real-Time tags, Devices, Alarms, Historian, Scripts, Clients, all modules were designed from the ground up to meet redundancy and hot-swapping requirements.
Trend and Historian
FactoryStudio offers a complete solution for plotting data, using historian information, displaying trend charts and more. This module includes:
- Storage and Replication
- Store and Forward
- Universal Time and Daylight Saving
- Process Analysis and Batch Systems
- Vertical and XY plots available
- Annotations and Alarms Overlay
- Real-time Online Charts
- Customize and Save at Runtime
- Snapshots, Tables and Reports of all trend charts
- OSIsoftTM PI System Database
- Data Quality and Timestamp
Automated Project Definition
Standard Project Configuration
Each FactoryStudio project is stored in its own encrypted SQL database file. This architecture makes it very easy to update to newer versions of FactoryStudio as we may add additional tables or columns to existing tables, which is easier to do than working with proprietary file structures.
External Tag Integration
As of this printing, FactoryStudio can automatically use tags from Rockwell ControlLogix and CompactLogix, OPC Servers, Unity Pro PLCs, Wonderware Intouch projects, Beckhoff TwinCAT, OSIsoft PI Systems, or PI Asset Framework (AF) Servers.
FactoryStudio includes the ability to import resources such as graphical objects, script code, communication configurations, project components, and to do so directly into any configuration table being used. To take that concept even further, entire project configurations can be managed outside of FactoryStudio, and then imported all at once.
.NET API for project definition
A powerful, yet simple to use, .NET interface, provides the ability to use C# or VB.NET, or any .NET language, to create project configurations from your own code.
From Excel/CSV to tags and displays
All Tag definition, alarms, communication mapping, historian, even symbols for displays, can be created from a one file CSV import. Create your project specification in Excel, and with click you have your project created.
OSIsoft PI Integration
FactoryStudio supports native connectivity, to OSIsoft PI Systems, directly accessing PI tags. It also supports native connection for the Asset Framework (AF) and Event Frames (EF). The entire AF data structure can be either imported to FactoryStudio, or accessed directly from the AF server, with no data replication or importing.
Bring legacy HMI/SCADA projects
Use the reporting and export tools from your old HMI and SCADA software, to bring in automatically most of your previous project definition to state-of-the-art FactoryStudio projects.
Object Model configuration
FactoryStudio use of templates, with connected Symbols and properties, cuts the time needed to create your application, while providing easier maintenance and extensibility.
Device and Interfaces
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FactoryStudio performs real- time optimization, blocking addresses to maximize the use of the communication channel. |
Native Communication Drivers
Connectivity is a key FactoryStudio feature, therefore many native communication drivers to a variety of industry standard protocols and PLCs are included. New drivers are continuously added to the standard distribution of FactoryStudio.
OPC Client and Server Support
FactoryStudio is in full compliance with the OPC Server and Client specifications. For any protocol not included with the product, the OPC client provides all the necessary integration.
Remote Data Servers
Data acquisition and drivers, native or OPC, can run on remote computers, for instance to get data from RS-232 devices or to eliminate the requirement for DCOM OPC configuration.
OPC Data Server FactoryStudio Station
FactoryStudio can be deployed as a stand- alone OPC Data Server, using the native protocols and providing data to other systems though its OPC Server interface.
Automatic Synchronization
A Tag Import Wizard and automatic definition synchronization is provided for OPC Servers, Rockwell ControlLogix L5K files, CSV files, Beckhoff TwinCAT, OSIsoftTM PI System and PI AFTM; new wizards are continuously being added.
Process Isolation and Multi-threading
Data communication runs in its own .NET domain, with a WCF layer to isolate the drivers from the main real-time database. Multiple threads are created to each protocol and device node for maximum performance.
Diagnostics Tools
Complete set of testing, deployment and diagnostics tools provides fast and reliable application development and installation.
Built-in Performance Monitoring
Statistics on system messages, success and error messages, dynamic blocks created, cycle time and execution time on each block are generated to allow the fine tuning of high performance applications.
Dynamic Addressing
Everything in the driver configuration, from the station node IP to the address and tag mapping can be changed online using the project script itself. Create standard applications capable of having the runtime setup to the specific conditions where it is being deployed.
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ABB, |
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IEC-61850,
IEC-870-5-101 and 104,
Matsushita,
Mitsubishi,
Modbuss,
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MQTT, |
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Smar, |
Alarms and Events
Real-time Alarm Processing
- Audit Trail and Alarm Areas
- Multi-platform Alarm Visualization Component
- Notification Subscription
- Store and Forward
- Automated translations
- Storage and Replication in local and remote databases
- OSIsoftTM PI EFTM Event Frames
- Universal Time and Daylight Saving always considered, for accurate time-stamps
Reporting and Data Access
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Reports can be saved in multiple formats: Text (ASCII or Unicode), HTML, XPS and PDF! |
Built-in Report Designer
FactoryStudio includes a user-friendly simple Report layout editor integrated with the engineering workspace. The rich text format uses underlying XAML flow document technology from WPF, Windows Presentation Foundation; that enables the inclusion of graphics and flexible formatting.
Runtime Display Snapshots
The runtime displays can be opened in background or saved to image files, allowing you to create rich graphic snapshot reports. Current displays and layouts also can be printed or saved as an image to disk.
Report Append and Text Data Logging
The report generator ability to append files, based on the project configuration and real- time tags, can be used to create CSV and text logging files for scenarios that require the information to be created as time goes by, such as batch reports and shift reports.
Dynamic Graphical Symbols
Any symbol from the real-time displays can be included in the Report. The dynamic behavior of the symbol, such as color, text output, and rotation, are all updated using the current tag values when generating the report. User controls, like Trend and Bar charts can be added as well.
Tables and Queries
The contents of database tables and queries can be added to the reports. The queries and report generation execute in isolated processes, not interfering with the real-time processing.
Data Access Toolkit
A complete .NET Data Access library is available to create custom reporting solutions or to integrate with Microsoft Office, SQL server reporting services or other vendors tools. A COM model API is also available to be used from Excel VBA and JavaScript applications.Overview
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