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The SCADA Software Factory Talk View ”Take Over” the Building Automation at Solar Danmark A/S in Vejen

By Solar Danmark A/S

In co-operation with Rockwell Automation Solar has chosen to develop a SCADA solution in its new low energy class 1 administration building in Vejen. This is based on the software Factory Talk View known from the industry as Rockwell Automation’s visualization software.


It concerns a SCADA solution that makes all the technical building installations talk together via an easy, clear and intuitive user interface. A solution uniting the robust experiences, competences and solutions from the industry and today transforms these into efficient building automatic with sovereign control possibilities.

According to Nicholai Linde from Solar the aim of our development co-operation is to create a user friendly balance between easy control via Touch Panels and PC user interface and the possibility of showing the values from the technical building installations within electricity, HWS, ventilation and communication.

The main control unit is based on a SCADA solution made in co-operation with Rockwell Automation. The backbone behind the entire solution is the internal IP network. This means that the IP network connects all the installations meaning a NetControl solution. Each technical installation is based on different protocols/languages such as KNX, LON etc., where each part via the OPC servers is connected to the main control unit. Furthermore a number of directly IP based elements - for example the ITV-part is directly connected to the main control unit on IP level.

The new Graphic on the PC User Interface
Besides the task of making it possible for the many installations to communicate a new graphic user interface is developed specially aimed at building automatic.
In co-operation with Rockwell Automation we have developed new templates with a number of icons such as light, heat, ventilation and blinds. Nicholai Linde explains that only the icons relevant for the current office or meeting room in the building are shown on the room display. Thus the relevant functions for the user of the room are visible and available.

The advantages of the new graphic user interface with the new faceplates directly aimed at building automatic are the possibility of copy pasting the functions into other rooms in the building. Thus it is possible to equip e.g. ten offices with the same easy to understand and user friendly surface. This minimizes the work of installing these icons and curves.

According to Nicholai Linde the users of the building automatic are quickly confident in using the system by the easy recognition of the icons in each room.

Total Integration with Factory Talk View
With the pilot project in Vejen Rockwell Automation and Solar are ready to deliver an innovative, thoroughly prepared and tested SCADA Factory Talk View building solution.

This solution e.g. includes KNX based light control, heat and zone ventilation and LON based energy meter and ventilation aggregates. Access control and safety systems as well as ITV are integrated IP based solutions. Nicholai Linde explains that the blinds are a special story while they are controlled by their own proprietary protocol but open via an OPC server access.

The Installer Saves a Lot of Time
When the installers with experience and great knowledge of components within the employment of SCADA solutions in the industry transform these competences to building automatic they will save a lot of time, because they do not have to learn about other new components and solutions.

Today it is necessary that the installers have great knowledge of the components and the software before they make offers of the task and then implement it in practise. With Factory Talk View it is possible to make a multiuser system which can be controlled from any PC even in Peru or Greenland, because the user is a client on the server.
The solution at Solar in Vejen is made as a one-to-one scale solution showing the possibilities in Factory Talk View quite tangibly.

Important to Communicate Together
An important experience of the project co-operation in Vejen is that the involved parts in the many different technical installations have to communicate with each other during the whole progress.

It is necessary with a very clear project control with obvious deadlines where each problem or blocking are shared with the other parts involved. A problem in a technical solution might have an influence on other technical installations during the project, and therefore all of the involved parts must currently be informed according to the device:
What are the consequences for me and the part of the solution for which I am responsible? And remember not to integrate for the sake of the integration itself, but ask for the value of the integration, concludes Nicholai Linde.

For more information, email us at: info_emea_channel_enews@ra.rockwell.com