Knowledge database model and inference mechanism for SCADA development expert system integrated in a CAD tool

Abstract Designing and implementing a SCADA system is a problem that can be solved with the aid of an expert system. An expert system can use information collected from human experts to solve the problem in a similar manner as they would solve it. The main obstacle in achieving this goal is to structure the obtained data in a knowledge database, and mimic the decision making process of human experts. This article presents a solution to both problems. The expert system is a core component of a SCADA development tool, that would do more than just offer the user a GUI to draw the HMI, or a GUI to write the PLC logic, the CAD tool can do some of the developer's tedious tasks by itself leaving the engineer with more time to concentrate on the overall solution and how to optimize that.