About Distributed and Supervisory Control Systems (DCS / SCADA)
Distributed and supervisory control Systems (DCS / SCADA) are system architectures for process control applications. A distributed control system (DCS) consists of a programmable logic controller (PLC) that is networked both to other controllers and to field devices such as sensors, actuators, and terminals. A DCS may also interface to a workstation. A SCADA system is a process control application that collects data from sensors or other devices on a factory floor or in remote locations. The data is then sent to a central computer for management and process control. SCADA systems provide shop floor data collection and may allow manual input via bar codes and keyboards. Both distributed control systems (DCS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems often include integral software for monitoring and reporting.
