Typically, every SCADA server comes with two types of blocks: primary
and secondary. The main difference between these block types is that primary
blocks have scan times and are first in a chain. Secondary
blocks do not have scan times and are never first in a chain.
You can also purchase the following types of optional blocks:
Database
Options
|
The option...
|
Provides...
|
Refer to the section...
|
|
Control
|
Continuous, PID, direct, and digital control.
|
Understanding
Control Blocks to learn more about control blocks.
|
|
Statistical Process Control (SPC)
|
Statistical data analysis and calculations, alarming,
supervisory control, and display of statistical data.
|
Understanding
Statistical Process Control Blocks to learn more about SPC blocks.
|
|
Batch
|
State-driven, interlocked, and batch control.
|
Understanding
Batch Blocks to learn more about batch blocks.
|
|
SQL
|
Read and write access to a relational database on
a remote server.
|
Understanding
SQL Blocks to learn more about SQL blocks.
|
The following table summarizes the differences among all the blocks.
For detailed information on blocks, refer to the iFIX Database Reference.
Block Summary
|
Block Type
|
Primary
|
Secondary
|
Standard
|
Optional
|
|
Analog Alarm (AA)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Analog Input (AI)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Analog Output (AO)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Analog Register (AR)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Boolean (BL)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Calculation (CA)
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
Dead Time (DT)
|
|
x
|
|
x (Control)
|
|
Device Control (DC)
|
x
|
|
|
x (Batch)
|
|
Digital Alarm (DA)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Digital Input (DI)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Digital Output (DO)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Digital Register (DR)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Event Action (EV)
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
Extended Trend (ETR)
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
Fanout (FN)
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
Histogram (HS)
|
|
x
|
|
x (SPC)
|
|
Lead Lag (LL)
|
|
x
|
|
x (Control)
|
|
Multistate Digital Input (MDI)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
On-Off Control (BB)
|
x
|
|
|
x (Control)
|
|
Pareto (PA)
|
x
|
|
|
x (SPC)
|
|
PID (PID)
|
|
x
|
|
x (Control)
|
|
Program (PG)
|
x
|
|
|
x (Batch)
|
|
Ramp (RM)
|
x
|
|
|
x (Control)
|
|
Ratio/Bias (RB)
|
|
x
|
|
x (Control)
|
|
Signal Select (SS)
|
|
x
|
|
x (Control)
|
|
SQL Data (SQD)
|
|
x
|
|
x (SQL)
|
|
SQL Trigger (SQT)
|
x
|
|
|
x (SQL)
|
|
Statistical Control (SC)
|
|
x
|
|
x (SPC)
|
|
Statistical Data (SD)
|
x
|
|
|
x (SPC)
|
|
Text (TX)
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Timer (TM)
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
Totalizer (TT)
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
Trend (TR)
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
NOTE: The tag count limit per tag type is 32,767.
See Also
