Seven Key Questions You Should Ask Your Industrial Video Provider
Video solutions intended for industrial use may be purchased by different departments within an organization and fall under operations, security, IT, or manufacturing. This often presents budget, control, and integration challenges within the organization. Treating the video system as part of the process control or SCADA system rather than the security system helps to clearly delineate the video’s use, purpose, form factor, and control. Video equipment intended for industrial use should be treated like any other piece of equipment in the plant. Video is a critical part of every plant’s operation and an important
tool to improve:
- Operational efficiency
- Worker safety
- Product quality
- Loss prevention
Key Considerations
Not all video solution vendors are the same. Here are some key questions to ask your vendor to make certain you get the right solution.
- Cameras may be deployed in harsh or hazardous areas. Can you provide industrial cameras that are certified for use in Class I and Class II areas? Do you offer options such as wipers, air knives, and cooled enclosures?
- Does your camera line include high-definition, high speed, and temperature-monitoring radiometric thermal imagers?
- Does your system support process control integration technologies such as OPC or MODBUS?
- Does your video management software (VMS) support the ONVIF standard and allow other vendors’ cameras to be added to the system? Or am I locked into your cameras?
- Does your VMS allow for simultaneous playback of video when clicking on SCADA alarms or historical trends?
- Can I use your software for recording and playing back HMI console monitors?
- For remote sites, do you have recording at the edge, remote sitewide bandwidth management, store-and-forward clip upload technology, and a management system to centrally monitor and manage the system??
Comprehensive industrial video solutions, like those from IVC, should include video management software that integrates video into your SCADA system, turning video cameras into additional process sensors.
Who’s Integrating Industrial Video with SCADA?
Thanks to advances in networking, video, and processing technologies, video systems can now be an integral part of any critical manufacturing process. Examples of where these types of systems are in use include:
Automotive manufacturers use video technology to quickly identify quality issues to maintain production efficiency.
Petrochemical producers deploy cameras certified to operate safely where explosive gasses exist. Video is tightly integrated with the production facility’s SCADA system.
Food & beverage producers use video integrated with their SCADA systems to maintain product quality and ensure adherence to government regulations.
Steel manufacturers use cameras to monitor the external temperature of molten metal ladles to warn for breakouts.