This article compares the data logging methods used by FactoryTalk View SE and Wonderware, two leading industrial automation platforms. It is designed for automation engineers, system integrators, and plant managers who want to understand how each system captures, stores, and manages historical process data for monitoring, analysis, and reporting.
FactoryTalk View SE Data Logging Overview
FactoryTalk View SE uses FactoryTalk Historian SE as its primary data logging solution. Historian SE collects real-time data from PLCs and other devices, storing it in a time-series database optimized for high-speed writes and efficient retrieval. This integration allows seamless data logging directly from the HMI, enabling operators to view trend data and generate reports without additional configuration.
Wonderware Data Logging Overview
Wonderware typically employs Wonderware Historian for data logging, a high-performance time-series database designed for industrial environments. It supports large-scale data collection from various sources and offers advanced compression algorithms to minimize storage requirements. Wonderware Historian integrates tightly with the InTouch HMI platform, allowing users to configure and analyze historical data within the same environment.
Data Acquisition Techniques
FactoryTalk Historian SE uses OPC (OLE for Process Control) and native Rockwell Automation protocols like CIP (Common Industrial Protocol) for data acquisition. This ensures reliable, high-speed data collection with minimal latency. Wonderware Historian also supports OPC but extends connectivity with native drivers for a broader range of devices, including legacy systems, providing flexibility in diverse plant environments.
Data Storage Architecture
FactoryTalk Historian SE employs a SQL Server backend combined with a proprietary time-series database engine, balancing transactional integrity with fast time-series data access. Wonderware Historian uses a proprietary historian database optimized for rapid writes and efficient data compression, enabling storage of years of data with minimal disk space. Both systems support distributed architectures but differ in scalability approaches.
Compression and Data Reduction
Wonderware Historian is known for its advanced compression algorithms that reduce disk usage by up to 80% without losing data fidelity. It uses delta compression and intelligent bucket-based storage to eliminate redundant data points. FactoryTalk Historian SE also applies compression techniques but generally achieves slightly lower data reduction ratios, focusing more on ease of integration with Rockwell devices.
Data Retrieval and Query Performance
Wonderware Historian offers fast data retrieval through optimized query engines and supports complex SQL-like queries for historical analysis. It also integrates with Wonderware’s ActiveFactory and System Platform for advanced reporting and visualization. FactoryTalk Historian SE provides efficient data retrieval optimized for trending and alarm analysis within FactoryTalk View SE, but its querying capabilities outside the Rockwell ecosystem are more limited.
Integration with Visualization Tools
FactoryTalk View SE’s data logging is tightly integrated with its HMI and SCADA visualization tools, allowing real-time trending and historical charts directly in the runtime environment. Wonderware’s data logging feeds into InTouch and System Platform, enabling customizable dashboards and analytics through Wonderware Intelligence. Both platforms support third-party visualization tools via OPC and ODBC interfaces.
Alarm and Event Logging
FactoryTalk Historian SE captures alarm and event data alongside process values, enabling correlation between process trends and operational incidents. Wonderware Historian also logs alarms and events with timestamps and supports event frames for contextual grouping. Wonderware’s event frames are more flexible, allowing users to define custom event types and durations for detailed root cause analysis.
Scalability and Deployment Options
FactoryTalk Historian SE is scalable from small single-server setups to multi-node distributed systems, optimized for Rockwell Automation environments. Wonderware Historian scales from small plants to enterprise-level deployments with redundant servers and cloud integration options. Wonderware’s open architecture often makes it preferred in heterogeneous environments where multiple vendor devices coexist.
Security and Data Integrity
FactoryTalk Historian SE benefits from Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk security framework, including role-based access control and encrypted data transmission. Wonderware Historian supports Windows security models and offers data integrity checks, audit trails, and compliance features for industries with strict regulatory requirements. Both systems support data backup and recovery procedures, but Wonderware provides more granular audit logging.
How to Choose
Choosing between FactoryTalk View SE and Wonderware data logging methods depends primarily on your plant’s existing automation infrastructure and interoperability needs. If your facility predominantly uses Rockwell Automation hardware and software, FactoryTalk Historian SE provides seamless integration, simplified configuration, and consistent vendor support. Conversely, if your environment includes diverse equipment from multiple vendors or requires advanced compression and flexible event management, Wonderware Historian offers broader device support and powerful analytics. Consider factors such as scalability, security requirements, ease of use, and the visualization tools your operators prefer. Budget and licensing models also differ, so evaluating total cost of ownership is essential.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can FactoryTalk View SE and Wonderware Historian be used together?
Yes, through OPC interfaces and middleware, data can be shared between FactoryTalk View SE and Wonderware Historian, but this requires additional setup and may introduce latency.
2. Which system offers better support for legacy devices?
Wonderware Historian supports a wider range of legacy protocols and devices due to its extensive driver library, making it more suitable for mixed-vendor environments.
3. Is cloud integration available for these data loggers?
Wonderware Historian supports cloud connectivity options via AVEVA’s cloud platform and other third-party services. FactoryTalk Historian SE is primarily on-premises but can integrate with Microsoft Azure through additional Rockwell Automation solutions.
4. How do these systems handle data compression?
Wonderware uses advanced delta and bucket compression algorithms achieving high storage efficiency, while FactoryTalk Historian SE applies compression optimized for Rockwell data streams but generally with less aggressive reduction.
5. Are both systems compliant with industry standards?
Yes, both support compliance with standards such as ISA-95, FDA 21 CFR Part 11 (with appropriate modules), and cybersecurity best practices, but implementation and certification depend on configuration and use case.
6. What visualization options are available for historical data?
FactoryTalk View SE offers integrated trending within its HMI runtime, while Wonderware provides more extensive visualization through InTouch, System Platform, and Wonderware Intelligence for advanced reporting.
Final Thoughts
Both FactoryTalk View SE and Wonderware provide robust data logging methods tailored to industrial automation needs, but their strengths align with different operational environments. FactoryTalk Historian SE excels in Rockwell-centric plants offering tight integration and straightforward configuration, whereas Wonderware Historian shines in heterogeneous environments requiring flexible device support, advanced compression, and rich analytics. Understanding your plant’s architecture, scalability needs, and reporting requirements will guide the best choice for reliable and efficient data logging.
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