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ibaPDA

The scalable Core Software in Measuring Value Acquisition

As a central part of the iba system, ibaPDA has been proven to be one of the most versatile systems acquiring high-resolution process data. The comprehensive connectivity to the process with the autodetect function for easy configuration, the client-server architecture and the variable recording options are just some of the convincing features.

ibaPDA at a Glance

Measuring value acquisition - ibaPDA

  • System with comprehensive connectivity for acquiring high-resolution process data
  • Efficient acquisition of data from control systems of different manufacturers and device generations
  • Triggered or time-based data storage in measurement files or in ibaHD-Server
  • Several data recordings possible at the same time
  • Additional data storage types and output interfaces for transferring data outside the iba system
  • Acquisition of descriptive additional information via text signals
  • Individually configurable live displays with client-server architecture
  • Internal processing and monitoring of signals and output of current messages and alarms
  • Use of data by maintenance, production, quality assurance, technology, data analysts and much more

Systematic Transparency

ibaPDA (Process Data Acquisition) is the core product of the iba system. ibaPDA is an extremely powerful, PC-based software for acquiring and recording different process data in automated technical processes.

Continuous long-term acquisition
of measured values to be able to further optimize automation processes

Specific search
for errors

Use as disturbance recorder
with triggered recording in case of failure

"We get along with almost everybody!"

The basis of all process data analysis is the time-synchronous acquisition of relevant data at characteristic places within an automated process. Different signal sources can be combined. Due to isochronous measurement, causal relationships can be detected and understood, even in complex and distributed systems.

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Product Highlights

The modular product concept allows highly flexible configuration options and provides perfectly tailored solutions for varying needs.

Versatile acquisition

One special feature of ibaPDA is the exceptionally broad connectivity for acquiring different data types with different acquisition methods in heterogeneous systems. This is the only way to enable a continuous consistent acquisition of data from an entire plant. ibaPDA is scalable and is suitable both for individual test stands as well as for factory-wide plants in which several thousand signals are acquired with a central time stamping. The configuration of the system is extremely simple.

Comprehensive connectivity

One special characteristic of ibaPDA is the broad connectivity, which makes it possible to acquire various types of data with different acquisition methods time synchronously and centrally. This includes analog and digital I/O signals, signals from field and drive buses, data from the control system, production data, product characteristic values, energy data, vibration data, descriptive additional information, etc.

Scalable Sampling Timebase

For usual acquisition of measured data, the timebase may be set between 1 and 1000 ms. For higher speeds regarding signal changes, special modules can realize shorter acquisition times of down to 10 μs.

Data transfer to superordinate systems

With ibaPDA, the user decides which data should be stored where. In addition to recording data in measurement files, ibaPDA or ibaHD-Server offers different options of transferring data to other systems. The time-based streaming of data to different target systems is possible in ibaPDA. For this purpose, data stores subject to licensing are available. The licenses are scaled according to the number of signals. Currently streaming to databases (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL and SAP HANA), to Kafka clusters, MQTT brokers and MindSphere cloud is supported.

Product Features

Client-Server Architecture

Due to the client-server architecture of ibaPDA, tasks are distributed. The ibaPDA server contains the interfaces for the process, processes and records the acquired data and also provides the interfaces for outputs. The client configures the server and visualizes the measurement data live. Client software can run locally on the server computer or on another Windows

Comprehensive connectivity

One special characteristic of ibaPDA is the broad connectivity, which makes it possible to acquire various types of data with different acquisition methods time synchronously and centrally. This includes analog and digital I/O signals, signals from field and drive buses, data from the control system, production data, product characteristic values, energy data, vibration data, descriptive additional information, etc.

OPC Client and Server

The standard function scope of ibaPDA includes an OPC DA client interface. Using the browser function, OPC tags can be conveniently selected and recorded as signals. ibaPDA also provides all signals acquired via all interfaces via an OPC DA server. With additional licenses, ibaPDA can be operated as an OPC UA server and acquire signals via an OPC UA client interface.

IEC 61850 Support

The IEC 61850 client interface of ibaPDA allows to acquire data from IEC 61850 capable devices. With MMS modules, single attributes or complete data sets can be queried. In addition, the acquisition of GOOSE messages is supported. Sampled Values streams can be acquired via the interface for IEC61850-9-2. ibaPDA can also act as an IEC 61850 server and publish data according to the IEC standard.

Signals Galore

ibaPDA is available in numerous variants with regard to the number of signals. Licenses are available for 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192 and an unlimited number of signals. The quantity refers to the total number of signals to be processed - analog, digital or text signals. With ibaPDA-PLC-Xplorer, a special license is available with 64 signals, which already contains all Xplorer interfaces for the most common control systems.

Scalable Sampling Timebase

Timebases of 10 μs to 1000 ms can be set for data acquisition. Here, it is possible to configure an individual sample time for each module that just has to be a multiple of the basic sample time.

Simple Configuration with Auto-Detect

All settings relevant to signals and modules are available in a central dialog, the I/O Manager. It provides clear and concise presentation of all necessary setup information. ibaPDA provides numerous functions for the user to make the configuration as simple as possible. An automatic completion function makes it easier to enter signal names of the same type. Signal names can also be conveniently inserted via text file import or clipboard.

Configuration Validation

The configuration of the input modules provides user support by context-sensitive selection menus in order to avoid configuration errors. Configuration changes are always checked and validated by the system before being enabled. In practice, it is often required to carry out acquisition tasks for different purposes. In order to facilitate the management of the various tasks, configurations once created can be stored as a project. These projects can be easily re-used or used and modified as template.

Integrated Online-Diagnostics

A diagnostic function integrated in the I/O Manager provides information about the status and values of the connected data sources enabling the user to easily check the functioning of the system already during the configuration and localize error sources, if necessary.

Versatile Text Signals

In many cases, additional information on the pure measured values facilitates the subsequent assignment and analysis. This information can be transmitted to ibaPDA using text signals. This can be, for example, product names, characteristics or other information relevant to the production. Here, several text signal sources can be defined. This data can be shown in a digital text display and trend graphs, stored in the measurement file as additional information, used for the measurement file name or subsequently output in reports. Numerical information can be used for further evaluation, text signals can also be further processed using virtual functions.

Virtual signals and expression builder

By means of arithmetical and logical operations, arbitrary “virtual signals” can be created in real time in an expression builder. These virtual signals can be recorded just like all other data and can for instance be used to create trigger conditions to start recordings, or to detect that limit values have been exceeded.

Process monitoring in real time

While monitoring the process, it is important, to immediately detect errors or deviations. Already during data acquisition, the signals can be checked for certain conditions, e.g. comparison with limit values, thus generating warnings and alarms. In addition to alerts and alarms, acquired signals as well as values calculated by the expression builder can be output. Output signals can be output via all iba fiber optic cards and iba bus monitors capable of output, reflective memory cards, different Xplorer interfaces, OPC/OPC UA as well as TCP/IP and EtherNet/IP or written into databases. It is also possible to trigger e-mails, which may contain both free text as well as automatically filled fields. The fastest output cycle is 50 ms (server cycle).

Flexible Recording

The measurement and monitoring requirements of different systems are as manifold as the recording options of ibaPDA. Several data stores with specific parameters can be configured in one system. Each data store creates its own measurement files and uses own recording parameters, like sampling time or trigger conditions.

Comfortable Display and Operation

The display can be configured for each user individually using buttons and drag & drop. Any number of signal displays with any number of signals can be created in separate or common signal graphs. Different views with individual settings for scaling, signal composition, colors, etc. can be saved and selected anytime. In addition to the live display, the signal graphs provide a pause and scroll function. By means of markers, individual measured values or the difference of two values can be immediately displayed. Status windows for data storage, text signals and event log provide additional information.

Meaningful Displays

Several display layouts can be configured for different applications on an ibaPDA client. This allows each user to select the appropriate layout. Layouts can also be saved depending on the user if user management is active. With a multi-client solution, displays independent from each other can be realized on different clients. The ibaPDA client includes a trend view, a scope view, an FFT (Fast Fourier Transformation) view to display the frequency spectrum of several signals and digital displays for analog values and texts.

Clearly arranged Signal Groups

When thousands of signals are to be recorded in large systems, there is the risk of losing track. For better overview, signals from different sources, but related by area of operation, can be combined into any number of signal groups.

Integration in SNMP Monitoring

ibaPDA can be integrated in a company-wide network management system according to SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). ibaPDA serves as SNMP server and supports the SNMP protocols V1, V2c and V3.

Synchronization of Several ibaPDA Systems

With the additional license “ibaPDA- Multistation”, several ibaPDA systems can be synchronized via fiber optic cable.

Success Stories

Add-ons for ibaPDA

The ibaPDA system can be modularly extended by a number of useful add-ons with additional functions

Length based quality data - ibaQDR
ibaQDR

Length-based Quality Data in any Resolution

Live representation of quality data - ibaQPanel
ibaQPanel

Display of Quality Data - Live and in Color

Analysis of vibrations - ibaInSpectra
ibaInSpectra

Monitoring Process Vibrations in Real Time

Online monitoring of cyclical processes - ibaInCycle
ibaInCycle

Monitoring and Analysis of Cyclical Processes

Measuring from the Beginning

ibaPDA-PLC-Xplorer offers the full ibaPDA functionality with access to different PLCs. Without additional hardware, this is an inexpensive way of measuring, displaying and recording signals.

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