This capability can help industrial users capture any existing hierarchy designations from their programmable logic controllers (PLCs), Wells said. New application development features for HMI/SCADA in iFix 6.0, allow for long tag names and descriptions. iFix 6.0 security features also include use of digital certificates and web tokens. Incorporation of the OPC UA server ensures platform independence, meaning that iFix 6.0, can run across a variety of hardware platforms and operating systems, allowing organizations to more easily share data, alarms and events across supply chains with user authentication and encryption, Wells said. New security enhancements in iFix 6.0 have been introduced via the addition of an OPC UA server. According to the company, this level of alarm management can help plants increase productivity by up to 70 percent. A new alarm summary grid in iFix 6.0 allows operators to filter and focus on the critical alarms that matter, making it easier for immediate responders to review information and deal with the priority situation at hand. GE notes that support for ISA 18.2 standards in iFix 6.0 allows for consistent alarm shelving and interface presentation, enabling operators to more easily prioritize critical alarms.

Ge ifix scada