I. Introduction
Industrial Control Systems (ICS), as a core component of modern industrial production, its development is closely linked to the process of industrial automation. With the continuous progress of computer technology, communication technology and control technology, industrial control systems are experiencing unprecedented changes, which bring higher efficiency, lower cost and better safety for industrial production. In this paper, the definition and characteristics of industrial control system will be elaborated in detail and illustrated with relevant figures and information.
II. the definition of industrial control system
Industrial control system is a business process management and control system that ensures automated operation, process control and monitoring of industrial infrastructure, which is composed of various automation control components and process control components for real-time data acquisition and monitoring. Its core components include data acquisition and monitoring system (SCADA), distributed control system (DCS), programmable controllers (PLC), remote terminals (RTU), human-machine interface equipment (HMI), and so on, as well as to ensure that the components of the communication interface technology.
III. the characteristics of industrial control systems
High reliability
Industrial control system for the stability and reliability of the production process requires very high. The design, construction, commissioning and maintenance of the system need to be strictly controlled to ensure that the system has a high degree of reliability and stability. In practice, industrial control systems usually use redundant design, fault-tolerant technology and self-diagnostic features to improve the reliability of the system. For example, in petroleum, chemical and other industries, industrial control systems need to operate stably for a long time, and any failure may lead to serious consequences. Therefore, high reliability is one of the most basic characteristics of industrial control systems.
Real-time
Industrial control systems need to acquire on-site data and respond to it in a timely manner. The system needs to be highly real-time and responsive in order to cope with various changes in the production process. Any delay in the control process may lead to unpredictable consequences. For example, in a power system, when there is a fault in the grid, the industrial control system needs to quickly cut off the fault point and restore the normal operation of the grid. Therefore, real-time is one of the key elements of industrial control systems.
Equipment complexity and strong coupling of product components
Industrial production line is a complex and huge network, containing a variety of optical, electromagnetic, temperature and humidity sensors, mechanical devices, electronic and electrical devices, control equipment, monitoring equipment and emergency equipment. These devices are greatly associated with each other, and the coupling between modules is very large. Users of industrial equipment is not possible to purchase these devices and their own assembly, often by a unified equipment manufacturer to provide. This unified provision of complete sets of equipment makes the system has a high degree of integration and stability.
Industry process differences
Due to the technology blockade and the major industrial equipment manufacturers of manufacturing technology is not unified, the equipment produced by different manufacturers vary greatly. This leads to industrial control systems in the design and implementation of the need to take into account the differences and specificities of the industry process. Therefore, industrial control systems need to be highly flexible and customizable to meet the needs of different industries.
Network Protocol Diversity
Industrial control systems are different from traditional IT systems that use unified network protocols (e.g., TCP/IP), which use protocols specific to industrial control, including MODBUS, DNP3, PROFINET, ControlNet and other protocols. These protocols are designed and implemented with full consideration of the specificities and needs of the industrial environment, such as real-time, reliability, and anti-interference. Therefore, the industrial control system needs to have the compatibility and support ability for different network protocols.
Industrial production continuity
As industrial production includes national infrastructure construction such as petroleum, metal smelting, electric power, water conservancy, aviation and rail transportation, which is directly related to people's livelihood. Therefore, once the industrial control system is turned on, it cannot be easily interrupted. Otherwise, it will lead to the backlog of production materials, product shortages and social service interruptions, causing panic. This requires a high degree of stability and reliability of industrial control systems, as well as good fault recovery and fault tolerance.
IV. CONCLUSION
Industrial control system as a core component of modern industrial production, its high reliability, real-time, equipment complexity and strong coupling of product components, industry process differences, network protocol diversity and industrial production continuity and other characteristics make it play an irreplaceable role in the production process. With the continuous development of computer technology, communication technology and control technology, industrial control systems will continue to develop to a higher level, bringing more convenience and benefits to industrial production.