DCS

The state-of-the-art approache to implement a process automation is to use a Distributed Control System (see wikipedia for more detailed information). It combines PLC and SCADA functions in one system.

We have experience on Siemens PCS7. It's tide combination of well-known Siemens products Simatic S7-400 and WinCC speeds up engineering in an incredible way. Also FAT and SAT times are reduced. On first sight it seems to be more expensive that the classical automation approach, but project analysis say otherwise.