With the rapid development of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, traditional SCADA systems are facing more and more challenges. In order to cope with these challenges, IOTRouter has deeply self-developed a development framework based on Node-RED, in order to provide a more modern and future-adapted industrial control solution. In this paper, we will discuss in detail the comparison between Node-RED framework and traditional SCADA configuration software, and analyze the unique advantages of both in practical applications.
1. System Architecture Comparison
Traditional SCADA system usually adopts a layered architecture, which is divided into several parts, such as field device layer, data acquisition layer, data processing and monitoring layer, historical database and analysis layer. Data transmission and processing are carried out through industrial communication protocols between the layers. This architecture has good stability in large-scale industrial projects. However, due to its high dependence on proprietary hardware and closed software, scalability and flexibility are relatively poor.
Node-RED, on the other hand, supports a wide range of data sources and protocols, such as Modbus, OPC, MQTT, etc., through an open architecture. It is able to integrate IoT devices and modern communication technologies more easily.
2. Function Comparison
1）Data Acquisition and Processing
SCADA systems often rely on proprietary protocols and hardware for data acquisition and processing. While these methods excel in terms of stability, they are not flexible enough.
Node-RED’s streaming processing architecture allows data to be processed in real-time. Complex data storage and management requirements are avoided, which is important for rapid response to changes in the industrial field.
2 ) User Interface and Visualization
SCADA systems provide feature-rich user interfaces, but they are costly to develop and maintain and usually require customization by professionals.
Node-RED provides flexible and easy-to-use visualization tools through its node plug-ins in conjunction with VISION configuration software. Users can create customized monitoring panels and alarm systems through simple drag-and-drop operations, and support the seamless use of multiple devices.
3) System integration and scalability
In terms of system integration and scalability, traditional SCADA systems often face greater challenges, especially when introducing new devices or protocols.
Node-RED, through its open architecture and rich third-party plug-in libraries, can easily integrate various external systems and services. It enables the system to quickly adapt to new industrial scenarios.
3.Performance Comparison
1) Real-time and response speed
Traditional SCADA systems have advantages in real-time, especially in demanding industrial control scenarios, to ensure real-time data acquisition and processing.
Although Node-RED runs on JavaScript, its lightweight and asynchronous processing characteristics make it able to provide good real-time performance in most application scenarios. For scenarios requiring higher real-time performance, Node-RED can be further optimized by combining dedicated hardware and real-time operating systems.
2) Data Processing Capability
Traditional SCADA systems usually run on high-performance servers with powerful data processing capabilities.
The processing power of Node-RED depends on its running environment. When processing large-scale data, the processing power of Node-RED can be enhanced by distributed architecture or combined with cloud computing platform to meet the needs of complex industrial applications.
4. Cross-platform support comparison
The cross-platform capability of traditional SCADA systems is weak, and they usually can only run on specific operating systems and hardware platforms, such as Windows. This limitation often requires the use of virtualization technology or a large number of compatibility adjustments when multi-platform deployments or mixed-environment operations are required, which increases the complexity of the system and the maintenance cost.
Node-RED has excellent cross-platform compatibility thanks to its Node.js-based design. It can run seamlessly on multiple operating systems and devices such as Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi, and so on. It not only greatly simplifies the development and operation and maintenance work, but also improves the flexibility and adaptability of the system.
5. Development and maintenance cost comparison
The development and update maintenance of traditional SCADA systems usually involves high costs. Due to its complex development environment and reliance on proprietary hardware and software. Customized development, system integration, upgrade and maintenance costs are high.
Node-RED significantly reduces development and maintenance costs due to its open source nature and modular design. The use of off-the-shelf node libraries and plug-ins can be used to quickly build systems, and the graphical programming interface reduces the requirement for specialized skills. The cross-platform and flexible architecture design also reduces hardware investment and maintenance costs.
Product Recommendation
The advancement of Industry 4.0 requires industrial automation systems to develop in a more open, flexible and intelligent direction. Traditional SCADA systems are difficult to adapt to this development trend due to their closed nature and high cost. The EG8200pro Edge Computing Gateway with Node-RED framework is born in this background. It combines the cutting-edge technologies of IoT, digital communication and modern software development to provide a more forward-looking solution for industrial control systems.
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