What are the differences between SCADA and DCS?
· A SCADA system is event driven, while a DCS is state driven.
· RTUs for SCADA and PLC/Controllers for DCS
· DCS is process oriented and SCADA systems are data-gathering oriented
· The DCS (Distributed Control Systems)is usually used in factories and uses a high-speed communications The SCADA system covers larger geographical areas.
· A SCADA considers changes of state as the main criteria for the data gathering.
· DCS systems consider the process variable’s present state to be the main criteria driving the DCS and tasks are generally run sequentially, rather than event driven. Therefore alarms & events are not generated when a point changes state, but when the particular process run.