Industrial Control Systems: Common ICS Types and Terminology Explained
An industrial control system or ICS is a type of control system that consists of a variety of different equipment and instruments used for observation, control, and potential automation of a system. These systems can be highly complex arrangements of devices and controls within a network that are used to monitor and execute a variety of industrial processes. The actual devices and controls established in a given industrial control system will vary according to the nature and scope of the industry as well as with the complexity of the process involved. These are some of the more common types of industrial control systems, along with some proprietary terminology that is commonly used alongside them. Types of Industrial Control System s Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) : A programmable logic controller, or PLC, is a hardware component of a control system that is often incorporated into other control systems, such as SCADA and DCS systems (see below). The PLC is user-programmable ...