USING THE SUPERVISORY ELIPSE E3 IN DISTANCE

EDUCATION

Marcelo Macedo, Rinaldo Pismel Franco

Tupy Superior Institute, Educational Society of Santa Catarina, Albano Schmidt Street, 3333, Joinville, Brazil

Fernando Ostuni Gauthier

Department of Knowledge Engeneering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

Keywords: Ellipse E3, Didactic Bench, Distance Learning.

Abstract: The aim of this article is to present a method to control a didactic bench containing a frequency converter, a

programmable logic controller PLC and an electric motor. To achieve the proposed objective, a computer

equipped with surveillance software and a digital camera control these devices, making it possible to view

and track all actions that occur on the bench. The bench controller computer is connected by internet to

other computers, physically far from each other, and has a communication software that allows remote users

to monitor and interact with processes running on the bench. This method opens the opportunity for distance

learning, where students can interact with remote experiences and no longer as a passive user.

1 INTRODUCTION

The realization of practical engineering classes on

the use of frequency inverters, PLC (Programmable

Logic Controller) and induction motor require

complex, expensive and scarce laboratories.

This article shows that through broadband

technology offered by telephone operators, via

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) to

access the internet, it’s possible to control and to

visualize processes generated by inverters, PLC and

induction motors that are physically distant from the

controller.

To achieve this, supervisors commercial

softwares widely used such as Elipse Scada E3

(Elipse, 2010) or Labview must be applied. These

softwares control a didactic bench containing an

inverter PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and

an induction three-phase motor. To watch the bench

a digital video camera is necessary. The whole

process is controlled using the internet with the

utilization of internet Elipse E3 Scada modules.

2 WORKING PROPOSAL

Due to the difficulty of having adequate laboratories

in locations outside of educational institutions, a

system in which the teacher, even outside his lab can

control and display devices is being developed.

This approach is also adequate to distance

education systems in which the students can have

access to the costly equipments such as controllers,

motors and drives, among others.

There are several alternatives to implement

distance learning such as video conferencing

systems via ISDN (Integrated Services Digital

Network) or IP (Internet Protocol), and more

recently the social networks and sites such as Orkut

or Twiter or even several applications such as

Microsoft's softwares.

The teacher, therefore, may use the system as a

classroom anywhere needing only to have a

computer with Internet access. Students will be the

main beneficiaries; they may interact with the

mentioned features, performing practice and seeing

situations in their homes or in the classroom,

provided you have Internet access. In figure 1 is

shown the simplified scheme of work. (Prado Junior,

2008).

128

Macedo M., Pismel Franco R. and Ostuni Gauthier F..

USING THE SUPERVISORY ELIPSE E3 IN DISTANCE EDUCATION.

DOI: 10.5220/0003399701280132

In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU-2011), pages 128-132

ISBN: 978-989-8425-50-8

 2011 SCITEPRESS (Science and Technology Publications, Lda.)

Figure 1: Simplified scheme of work.

3 METHOD USED

The didactic bench shown in figure 1 consists of a

controller Siemens S7-300 model, a WEG CFW-08

inverter and a motor WEG tree-phases as well as an

ADSL to 1.5 Mbps, Fixed IP and a microcomputer,

where the software Elipse Scada is installed. A

digital camera with USB for visualization is attached

to the computer. Tests are performed, so that

through the Ellipse, it is possible to control the PLC

(Programmable Logic Controller) and, consequently,

the devices (motors and drives among others) via the

Internet using the Symantec´s software Pcanywhere

(Symantec, 2008) or VNC (Virtual Network

Control).

In order to better detail the operation of the

didactic bench, the article discusses first, how the

software ellipse E3works, its components and the

E3WebViwer. In the following section describes the

operation of the digital camera, and soon after, the

frequency inverter. Later, is approached the

Controller SIEMENS S7-300 and the description of

the experiment. Finally shows the expected results

and the conclusions.

4 DIDACTIC BENCH

4.1 Elipse E3

The software currently used is devoted to network

operation of distributed applications, enabling the

applications development and connectivity with

devices and other applications.

This software makes possible communication

with devices for data acquisition and control

manipulating this information in various ways. It

also includes the creation of a graphical user

interfaces as well as alarms verification, databases

actualization, information exchange between

different software and other components. The tasks

can be done on a single computer, local network or

the Internet.

The E3 is the newest product of the Brazilian

company Elipse Software, in field supervision and

control systems. It is a complete system for data

acquisition and control, based on modern concepts

of connectivity, scalability, reliability and flexibility

demanded by the market.

It is the result of years of R&D activities that

construct a system whose architecture is distributed

and the networked operation completely transparent,

among other features.

The system is adopted by many companies inside

and outside Brazil, and ensures the solution to the

different fields like electrical systems and energy,

pharmaceutical and food industry, petrochemical

industry, manufacturing and sanitation and also in

intelligent buildings.

Its application uses object-orientation, which

reduces programming time and maintenance of

applications. The E3 allows communication with

various protocols and equipment from different

manufacturers, indispensable feature for today's

automation systems, and can be applied to both the

local systems, and geographically distributed

systems. E3 still uses proprietary client-server

transparent network architecture which makes it

unnecessary to copy the application between

hardware stations. Besides these features, the ellipse

has several other features related to its efficiency:

• Has robust servers that collect, process and

distribute data in real time;

• Has independent operation interfaces, thin

clients, that allow applications viewing through

the E3 Viewer, Terminal Services, Internet

Explorer or any browser that supports files of

type ActiveX;

• Is fully prepared to work on the Internet;

• The license includes over 3000 symbols and

vector graphics;

• Allows on-line configuration;

• The database is open, ie: not work with

proprietary formats;

• Has complete alarm management and powerful

reporting tools;

• Accepts applications OPC (Ole for Process

Control) client-server;

• Support for ActiveX components;

• Redundant servers’ easy configuration;

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• Allows integration with other enterprise

systems such as ERP and similar systems such

as MONTH and Elipse SCADA;

• Elipse ensures system upgrades and even then,

an application created in a version can run on

other older versions or higher without the need

for conversions and

• It is based on open industry standards such as

COM / DCOM, ActiveX, Visual Basic

Scripting, Windows NT/200X/XP, OPC and

SQL, among others.

4.2 Components of Elipse E3

The Elipse E3 is composed by three softwares:

•E3 Server is the server application system,

where all data is managed, communications are

processed, and information requirements are sent to

any network client. It was designed to run on

operating systems Windows Vista, XP and 2003 (32

and 64 bit);

•Studio E3: it is the only application tool. It have

on a modern setting environment, with icons for

easy identification, making shorter the programming

time. The Studio E3 allows a single application to be

edited by multiple users simultaneously using

multiple E3 Studios or even several E3 Studios

connected to the same server, each using different

configurations. This component is designed to run

on Windows Vista operating system, XP and 2003.

•E3 Viwer: this is the applications generated by

E3 Studio viewing and operation environment. It

allows to view an application on any client computer

connected to the network or via the Internet using a

browser and an application called E3WebViwer. In

any case, is not necessary to install the application

on the client machine due that all components are

downloaded from the server E3Server and recorded

automatically.

4.3 E3 Webviewer

The E3WebViwer is an ActiveX component whose

functionality is to have a browser that supports

ActiveX controls behaving as E3 Viewer, allowing

viewing and controlling applications via the Internet.

The only assumption is that the client has permission

to access the server E3.

Once installed, the WebViewer works as the

viewer, by downloading all the elements of the

application for the client in operation. Importantly,

all the features of E3Viewer are supported, such as

alarm management, access to data bank, historical

trends, etc.

5 CAMERA CONTROL

To control the camera DC servo motors are used,

which are a special type of motors, characterized by

their capacity to fix itself, immediately, at any

position within its operating angle.

The servo has three electrical connections: Vcc,

GND and input signal. The wiring diagram of the

motor is shown in figure 2.

Figure 2: Servomotor Futaba S148 3003 (Sabereletronica,

2010).

The servo Futaba 3003 S148 has a torque of 479

grams / cm. This means that with a pulley, gear or

arm of 2.5 cm radius, attached to the shaft of the

servomotor, he will be able to lift up to 1200 grams.

The control of a servo merely indicate what

position it should be located. These "orders" consist

of a series of pulses. The duration of the pulses

indicates the angle of rotation of the engine. Each

servo has its operating margins, which correspond to

the lengths of the pulse maximum and minimum.

The controller programming was developed with the

help of software Siemens Simatic, as shown in

figure 3. (Prado Junior, 2008)

Figure 3: CLP Siemens programming.

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Programming is easy to implement, because the

majority of controls are already being performed by

the monitoring software, like the return of the

camera to the point of origin and the functions on /

off this. Thus, the programming was based on the

value set of sliders (scroll bars), which are in

supervisory screen, on the analog outputs of the

PLC. This was achieved through the use of block

scheduling "MOVE", placed at the entrance of the

memory corresponding to X and Y movements of

the camera and the output of the block, the analog

output of their every move so that the servomotor

moves, with a necessary circuit pulse generator,

which was developed in a circuit PWM (Pulse

Width Modulation), shown in figure 4. (Prado

Junior, 2008)

Figure 4: PWM Circuit.

This circuit provides at its output a wave of type-

toothed saw.

6 FREQUENCY INVERTER

The frequency inverter CFW-08 has in the same

product a V / F (scalar) and sensorless vector control

(VVC: Voltage Vector Control) programmable.

The user can choose either method of control,

according to the application. In vector mode

operation is optimized for use in the engine resulting

in better performance in terms of torque and speed

regulation. The function of "Auto-Tuning", available

for vector control, allows the automatic adjustment

of the parameters of the inverter from the

identification (also automatic) of the parameters of

the motor connected to the inverter. The V / F

(scalar) is recommended for simpler applications

such as the firing of most pumps and fans. In these

cases it is possible to reduce losses in the motor and

inverter using "Quadratic V / F", resulting in energy

savings. The V / F is also used when more than one

motor is driven by an inverter simultaneously (multi

applications).

There are two versions of the CFW-08: a

standard version that has the control board with

connections to the signal and control functions

equivalent to old line μline, and CFW-08 Plus

version that has an additional analog input (two

analog inputs in total) an additional relay output and

an analog output. The general scheme of the system

is shown in figure 5. (WEG, 2008)

Figure 5: General scheme of the system motor-inverter.

To interface the frequency inverter with

controller S7-300 was developed a relay board that

drives the control points on the inversor, allowed

control and the departure of three-phase motor.

(Prado Junior, 2008)

7 S7-300SIEMENS CONTROLLER

With a modular architecture the S7-300 provides

space-saving, configuration flexibility and rapid

expansion. The PLC S7 300 requires no pre-defined

numbers of slots (slot position) to be mounted. The

assembly is inserted and screwed on a standard rail.

The modules are interconnected to one another via a

bus that becomes embedded in the track.

A wide range of CPU's are available for simple

applications or high performance. The CPUs enable

short cycle times, up to 1 μs per binary instruction.

There are also compact CPU with I / O's (inputs and

outputs), technology functions and communication

interfaces already integrated. The variety of

expansion modules allows adaptation of the setting

for different types of application.

Are available:

a) Modules I / O's - digital, analog;

b) Communication Modules: AS-Interface

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(master), Profibus DP/FMS, Ethernet, serial

ponto-a-ponto, Modbus;

c) Function modules (FM) - fast counters, fast

pulse outputs, position control, motor stepper

control, closed loop control. In a centralized

configuration can use up to 32 expansion modules.

Expansion modules for S7-300 are also used at the

station I / O distributed ET200M.

d) Communication - In addition to several

communication modules that can be added to the

configuration, the S7 CPU 300 has an MPI port,

through which it is programmed and parameterized.

(Siemens, 2003)

8 THE EXPERIMENT

The student or teacher in possession of a computer

can access the software Elipse E3 from anywhere in

the world.

On the student or teacher computer the remote

control configuration must be set and on lab

computer the host configuration one.

The access to the computer where is installed the

Elipse E3, which has control of the PLC through an

application developed is done by using login and

password.

With the application of the Ellipse Watcher is

possible visualize by one or more camera, all

devices controlled by PLC (Programmable Logic

Controller).

The software currently used in the work is

devoted to operating a network of distributed

applications, offering a graphical interface and a

new and flexible architecture that enables rapid

application development and good connectivity with

devices and other applications.

It is also possible to communicate with many

devices, data acquisition and control, and manipulate

this information in various ways, including creating

user graphical interfaces, both within a single

computer, local network or the Internet, in addition

to alarms verification, recording in databases,

exchange of information between different software

and other components, besides reporting.

It is expected that the student can control various

applications and devices designed to operate the

inverter, change parameters of engine operation, and

on the same screen of the Ellipse, control the camera

position.

The use of didactic bench also prepares the

student for the use of these technologies in every day

activities like the control of remote stations via the

internet.

The proposed didactic bench will be constructed

and the application using Elipse E3 developed.

Three practical engineering classes on the use of

frequency inverters, PLC (Programmable Logic

Controller) and induction motor will be designed.

A group of students will be required to

accomplish these experiences. The success of the

students in reaching each experiment goal will be

evaluated and use as indicator of the didactic bench

utility.

9 CONCLUSIONS

The ultimate goal of this work is to assist in training

of skilled professionals in more remote geographical

locations.

To implement the proposal of this article,

supervisor commercial software - Elipse Scada E3-

is used needing only a room with computers,

resources to support teaching and basic internet

access to broadband.

The implementation feasibility of a didactic

bench comprising inverter, motor and PLC, will be

shown and it acceptance by students evaluated in a

future paper.

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ELIPSE Software, 2004 Sistema de Supervisão e

Controle: Manual do Usuário. Porto Alegre, Elipse

Software, 2004 - Versão 2.26.

ELIPSE Software, 2009 - Available at:

www.elipse.com.br. Access date: 02/10/2009

Ferrari, Antonio Martins. 1998.Telecomunicações:

Evolução & Revolução. São Paulo: Érica.

Kurose, James F. 2003. Redes de Computadores e a

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Wesley.

Prado Junior, Alcindo do; Franco, Rinaldo P. 2008.

Automatic System Control via Internet and Applied to

the Distance Teaching, VI INDUSCON.

SABERELETRONICA, 2010 - Available at:

www.sabereletronica.com.br. Access date:

07/01/2010

SIEMENS - 20030 SIMATIC S7-300. Especificações do

Módulo Controlador Programável. Manual de

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SYMANTEC CORPORATION, 2010 - Available at:

www.symantec.com. Access date: 06/02/2010

Vasconcelos, Laércio. 2003. Como montar e configurar

sua rede de PCs Rápido e Fácil. São Paulo: Pearson

Education do Brasil.

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469E.

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