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DAQFactory
- DAQ & SCADA Software
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Description |
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DaqFactory
is a new software package deisgned for scientists and engineers who
need a low-cost but highly capable data acquisition/control/SCADA/HMI
package. It can acquire data, control outputs, has user defined pages
compete with a symbol library, has alarm and PID control functions
and has in-built data analysis capabilities.
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Features |
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DAQFactory
is the complete data acquisition, process control, and data analysis
solution. With DAQFactory you can take data at precise time
intervals, store you data to disk, broadcast it over a network,
display it on your own custom designed screen, automate your process,
and analyze your data.
DAQFactory
was designed to be easy to use. There is no programming required to
create a powerful system. Screens are created by simply dropping
components onto the screen and using simple dialog boxes or tables to
change their parameters. There is no wiring, and no coding required.
Data analysis is as simple as typing in your formulas, or using our
handy dialog boxes. All data is stored with its time stamp, so
keeping track of time is easy too.
DAQFactory
data acquisition, process control and data analysis software
provides all the software tools you need to communicate with a wide
variety of data acquisition devices, from Serial RS232 and MODBUS
devices to our Smart
A/D range and Digital and
Analogue I/O
boards, the LabJack
USB device and USB
Digital I/O units and
our eDAM
remote terminal units.
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Download
Trial (12.3M) >>
Prices
and Ordering >> |
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Taking
and Logging Data |
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Taking
and logging data is as simple as adding channels to read your inputs
and set your outputs. This is done in the channel table or the
channel view:
Simply
give the channel a name, provide the necessary device specific
information, and if it is an input channel, enter in how often you
would like your data taken. You will use the channel name to
reference the channel throughout the rest of DAQFactory. There's no
need to try and remember the details of the channel
Once
you are acquiring data, you can create logging or export sets to log
your data. You can log to both ASCII and binary files, or to an ODBC
compliant database. The ASCII format is universal allowing you to
import your data into your favorite analysis software such as Excel.
Create as many logging sets as you need to log different subsets of
your data in different formats at different times
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Creating
user Screens |
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Once
you've created some channels you can start to design your screens.
One of the nice features about DAQFactory is that you can design your
screens while you are taking data. There is no need to stop your
process and recompile. This includes adding new channels and setting
most of the other parameters of your system.
With
DAQFactory you can create an unlimited number of screens, and can
even overlay them or display popup windows to keep important
information on top. There are 39 screen components that you can use
to display your data in various formats, from a virtual instrument to
an animated schematic of your process or experiment
As
with any application, there has to be some simple components for
displaying text or grouping other components onto panels. You can
choose of course adjust the font, color, and size, and can even have
DAQFactory perform actions when the user clicks on the text. |
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The
variable value component is used to display numeric or string data.
This can be simple values or the result of complex expressions. The
text can be colored and sized based on other calculations, so you can
have it display differently as the value changes.
The
descriptive text component is very similar, but displays the results
in text form. For example, Hi/Medium/Low, or On/Off. Again, the text
can be colored and sized based on other calculations.
The
symbol component allows you to place symbols either from the 3800
symbol library that comes with some versions of DAQFactory, or your
own symbols. Symbols can be sized, rotated, and moved around the
screen based on other calculations. |
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Four
different types of LED components that display different colors
depending on a value. A progress bar can be used to display progress,
or as a gauge, both horizontal and vertical, or anything else you may
come up with.
Four
different types of gauges, linear, logrithmic, angular and log
angular all allow you to display data that can be viewed at a glance.
Lots of options are available to tweak the look including sections,
different pointer types, max/min pointers, and more.
Buttons
and switches galore. Even a switch that looks like a valve. More
ways to allow for user input. The combo box and radio buttons are
comman ways to offer the user a choice of options
For
adjusting a variable output, nothing beats a knob or slider. Or use
the windows standard scroll bar. Of course you could use any of these
to adjust other things like graph scaling |
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All
these components are modified using simply parameters windows.
Throughout DAQFactory you can use expressions which can take a simple
channel name or scalar, or a complex calculation. While entering in
your expressions, a drop down menu will automatically appear
displaying a list of channels, functions, and other expression parameters:
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Graphing
and Strip Charts |
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You
can also place trend graphs on any of your screens along with the
other components. These graphs can display Y vs Time trends, or X vs
Y comparisons. You can create as many traces as you may need on up to
12 different Y axes:
Traces
use expressions too, so there's no need to precalculate the values
you would like to graph. If you want to plot
Sin(PumpRotation^2)/PumpSpeed vs. Log(TankPressure) you simply enter
these two expressions.
Graphs
offer many features for displaying your data including error bars,
axis, line and bound annotations, and colorization of a trace based
on an expression. Graph markers can be used to identify points and
quickly analyze peaks in your data. DAQFactory creates the graphs in
a background process, so even the most complicated graphs won't make
DAQFactory sluggish.
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Control
Sequences and PID Control |
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Sequences
provide a simple way to automate your process. Sequences can be as
simple as setting some initial outputs to full blown system
automation. Some examples for uses for sequences are batches, system
monitoring, performing a group of actions simultaneously or
staggered, performing actions or reading data at unusual time
intervals, or full blown system automation. Sequences offer all the
features of a scripting language allowing you do to do pretty much
anything you can dream up.
You
can have as many sequences as you deem necessary. Multiple Sequences
can be run concurrently, either triggered manually, or started by
another sequence. This makes it very easy to separate out different tasks.
PID
loops are the standard for controlling closed loop systems. Within
DAQFactory you can create as many PID loops as you need to eliminate
the need for hardware controllers, saving you lots of money.
DAQFactory PID loops also offer autotuning to help you determine the
best PID parameters for your system.
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Alarms |
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DAQFactory
alarming allows you to watch for different events that may occur
with your system and flag them. This allows you to see if your system
did something unusual while you were not watching. Unlike other SCADA
software which only allows you to monitor for a single parameter
going above or below one or two threshold points, DAQFactory allows
you to create an alarm that watches for multiple conditions to occur.
So where before you might only be able to alarm when the temperature
of your system gets above 300°C, with DAQFactory you can alarm
when the temperature gets above 300C and the pressure is above
100psi. And your conditions can be much more complicated than that even.
When
the alarm does occur, the alarm is logged to disk and displayed in a
table. The alarm remains displayed in the table until you acknowledge
that you have seen the alarm. You can also have DAQFactory play a
sound, email you, or perform any automated task when the alarm event
occurs. You can have as many alarms as you need, and creating them is
as simple as filling in a few parameters
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Hardware
Compatibilty |
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All
versions of DAQFactory supports the following hardware devices;
As
an alternative to the more expensive OPC servers, DAQFactory now
comes with a connectivity pack. The connectivity pack allows you to
connect DAQFactory to various PLC's and other serial devices easily.
The connectivity pack is included with DAQFactory Pro and Runtime,
and is available as an option with the other versions of DAQFactory.
The
connectivity pack current the supports the devices listed below.
This is only the tip of the iceburg though and we'll be adding a lot
more connectivity in the coming months. If you have need for
connectivity to a particular type of PLC or other serial device,
please contact us.
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Versions,
Prices and Ordering |
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Feature |
Pro |
Standard |
Base |
Lite |
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Acquisition
and logging |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Custom
screens |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Graphing
/ trending |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Data
analysis |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Screen
components |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Sequences
and automation |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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PID
loops |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
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Email |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
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ODBC
database logging |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
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3,800
image library |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
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Networking
and web server |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
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Advanced
data analysis |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
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Alarming |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
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Connectivity
pack |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
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Maximum
channels / tags |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
64 |
32 |
DAQFactory
Pro -
DAQFactory
Pro provides all the features of DAQFactory including alarming and
even includes the connectivity pack which is optional on the other
versions. Includes networking to allow you to monitor and control
your process from anywhere, plus email and a web server. Unlimited
number of channels/tags from any of our devices gives you the most
flexibility in running your experiments. The built in 3800 image
library allows you to draw your process to better display what is
going on. ODBC support for direct to database logging. Also available
bundled with your favorite OPC server.
DAQFactory
Standard -
DAQFactory
Standard provides all the features of DAQFactory Pro except alarming
and the connectivity pack (which is still available as an option). If
you do not need alarming, then DAQFactory Standard may be a better
choice. Includes networking to allow you to monitor and control your
process from anywhere, plus email and a web server. Unlimited number
of channels/tags from any of our devices gives you the most
flexibility in running your experiments. The built in 3800 image
library allows you to draw your process to better display what is
going on. ODBC support for direct to database logging. Also available
bundled with your favorite OPC server.
DAQFactory
Base -
DAQFactory
Base is for those that don't need networking, ODBC logging, advanced
analysis functions, or the image library, and don't need more than 64
channels/tags, but still want to be able to take data, automate their
system and display their data on an unlimited number of screens using
all the DAQFactory screen components. This version is a good halfway
point between the Lite and Standard versions.
DAQFactory
Lite -
DAQFactory
Lite is the perfect low cost data acquisition system, providing data
acquisition and automation with custom screens from 39 different
screen components. It does not include some of the more advanced
features like alarming, PID loops, ODBC logging, networking, or the
image library, but you can still add the connectivity pack for £49.
Connectivity
Pack -
The
connectivity pack provides native support for many PLCs and other
devices. Currently, the connectivity pack adds support for Modbus,
Allen Bradley SLC-500's, and Telemecanique TSX Nano systems. The
connectivity pack is included with DAQFactory Pro, or as an option on
any other version of DAQFactory. If you need support for a different
PLC, RTU or other serial device and would like it added to the
connectivity pack for use in DAQFactory, please contact us and we
will look into adding it for you. We will be constantly adding more
devices to this library as well.
DAQFactory
Runtime -
The
runtime version of DAQFactory uses the documents created in any of
the other regular versions of DAQFactory, but doesn't allow you to
add or edit channel parameters, sequences, or edit or create new
pages. Use this in systems when you don't want the user to mess
things up. DAQFactory runtime includes the connectivity pack.
DAQFactory
USB
MARX Key -
The
optional hardware key allows you to easily move your licence from
computer to computer. This is especially useful when using runtime
licences. If you have a system running under a DAQFactory-Runtime
license you can insert the hardware key and switch to development
mode without stopping your application. You can then make changes
live, again without stopping your application, and when you are done
you simply pull the key and the system reverts to runtime mode.
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System
Properties |
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DAQFactory
Any
computer capable of running Windows 98 or newer. We suggest at least
a Pentium 90, and preferably much more. The program is designed to be
responsive even under processor strain, however, the refresh rate of
graphs and images will be greatly reduced on slower processors.
DAQFactory
Runtime
The
runtime version of DAQFactory requires less disk space because it
doesn't include the image library. It also requires less memory
because you can only do limited data analysis with it. It will run at
any screen resolution, provided the DAQFactory document is designed
for the new screen size. The operating system requirements remain the same.
We
strongly suggest running DAQFactory on Windows NT 4.0, 2000 Pro, or
XP, as these are much more reliable operating systems
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Phone
+44(0)115 925 8412 | Fax +44(0)115 925 9757 |