ABB Review Special Report - ABB - ABB Group

4independent applications without requiringany changes to them. A practicalexample of this could be to integratean OCS system with a CMMS, thusallowing an operator to issue an errorreport in the CMMS when somethinghappens in the plant. The report can be5Integrating a SCADA/EMS system with a Computerized Maintenance ManagementSystem allows an operator to issue an error report in the CMMS when somethinghappens in the plant.OperatorPump alarmCheck control loopCheck cooling systemWrite error reportControlControlCooling systemError reportWork orderSpare partsCooling systemError reportinitiated by just right-clicking with themouse on the faulty object and thenselecting the CMMS Aspect 4 .In the ABB Object architecture, suchflexibility is provided by an AspectDirectory which interfaces betweenThe Plant Explorer lets users navigate through the information in a way theyare familiar with.applications. When an application isinstalled in the system it registers allinterfaces that it supports with theAspect Directory. When any applicationwants to perform an operation that involvesaction by other applications, itqueries this Aspect Directory for referencesto all interfaces that implementthe operation, and then invokes theseinterfaces, one by one.To copy and paste an object, for example,all applications that implementAspects defined for the object must beinvolved and perform their part of theoperation, each application copying andpasting its Aspect respectively.Industrial IT based automationplatformABB utilizes the Aspect Object technologyboth as an integrated part of thenew automation platform and as a solutionfor integration of hitherto independentapplications, thus providing animproved workflow for ABB customers.The automation platform will span traditionalfunctions such as DCS, PLC andSCADA functionality. In the platform,the Aspect Object system will be usedto keep track of all information aboutan object connected to the system, eg acontroller, where the different Aspectsmight be an alarm list, control logic,documentation, graphics, etc.Importantly, the operator is providedwith a tool with a familiar ‘feel’ 5 foreasy navigation through the informationhierarchy. This ‘Plant Explorer’ is abrowser that allows navigation throughthe various structures and viewing ofthe Aspects defined for each object.Optimization by integrating solutionsAdvantage may be taken of the addedfunctionality arising from an integratedsolution to optimize the performanceof the entire system. This opens upspectacular possibilities, such as combiningreal-time information and addedfunctionality. For example, starting fromProduction cost forecastingCapability limitations in productionStatic and dynamic capability, withmargins in the system for both40Special ReportABB Review