Substation Automation and SCADA
Gain Clarity
Utilities need a complete real-time overview of complex IEC-61850-based substation automation systems (SAS). This includes intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), remote terminal units (RTUs), gateways, human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and control centers. With our solutions, complying with regulations is easy: You benefit from traceable system verification, test documentation, clear change tracking, and reproducible tests after system changes or firmware updates.
Challenges
Face the Future with Confidence
Substation complexity
The growing deployment of digital substations and IEC-61850-based SAS increases complexity and calls for interoperable, vendor-independent testing approaches. As multifunctional IEDs become more common, you need flexible test tools that can handle frequent configuration changes.
Exorbitant downtime costs
If a logical error persists throughout the substation’s lifecycle, the cost is no longer measured in working hours. It is measured by unplanned grid outages, severe asset damage, and safety risks to personnel, making early, efficient error detection crucial.
Qualified staff
As many experienced employees near retirement, fewer young professionals are entering the field. Intuitive diagnosis solutions help reduce the need for training. With testing knowledge stored on a cybersecure platform, your team can consistently achieve reliable results.
Compliance with regulations
Cybersecurity and regulatory frameworks increasingly require secure, monitored, and well-documented substation automation and SCADA communication. Our versatile testing solutions, system verification reports, and hardened test platforms ensure you remain on the safe side.
Automated workflows
Savings Across the Board
Many large utilities around the globe depend on StationScout as their standard testing and reporting solution for substation automation and SCADA systems. This is not surprising, as automated testing can reduce signal verification time by 70 percent. By relying on standardized system verification reports from the very first phase of the substation lifecycle, you can significantly reduce the risk of catastrophic costs from asset damage and grid outages.
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Recommended Solutions
Find The Right Solution for Your Application
Diagnostics, troubleshooting, and verification
Use StationScout to diagnose the entire SAS, detect errors, and trace signals across bay, station, and control center interfaces throughout the substation lifecycle – from engineering to maintenance and extensions. Monitor IEC 61850 station and process bus mappings and IEC 60870-5-104 or equivalent SCADA mappings with advanced filtering to focus on critical signals. Use IEDScout to perform in-depth analysis on IED data models and communication activities, including data objects, attributes, and live traffic.
SCADA and RTU/gateway signal testing
Automate testing for hundreds or thousands of SCADA signals during commissioning and after firmware updates, replacing manual tick-off procedures. Monitor the translation between IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-104 communication protocols with ease. Reuse and adapt test cases and mappings to significantly reduce test time and ensure consistent verification after each change.
Logic and interlocking testing
Define test plans for control interlocking, automatic command sequences, and complex logic algorithms implemented in the SAS. Execute test cases step by step or fully automate them using simulated signals to validate the logic’s behavior. Generate clear test reports supporting audits and regression testing after firmware upgrades or configuration changes. Reuse and modify test scenarios and mappings to shorten the test duration and enable seamless verification across all engineering phases.
System-level SAS testing and visualization
Receive an end-to-end SAS communication network overview, including IEDs, RTUs/gateways, HMIs, and SCADA links, mapped to the IEC 61850 data model. Visualize signal flows, communication states and device status for intuitive diagnostics that do not require deep IEC 61850 expertise. Automate closed-loop testing. Verify the signal flow from hardwire conversion to IEC 61850 at the process level, and from there to IEC 60870-5-104 at the station level for Control Center / SCADA communication.
Simulating IEDs and substations
Simulate hundreds of IEDs that are missing or not yet available to accelerate design, factory and site acceptance testing (FAT/SAT), as well as commissioning. Simulate IEC 61850 IEDs and substation scenarios to validate SCADA, gateway, and logic behavior without interfering with live equipment.
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What is the main benefit of using dedicated SAS and SCADA testing tools instead of manual testing?
They provide a data-model‑based, automated test approach that reduces human error, speeds up commissioning and regression testing, and delivers reproducible, auditable test results.
How do OMICRON solutions support IEC-61850‑based substation automation systems?
Our systems visualize the complete SAS, analyze IED data models and communication, simulate devices and signals, and automate tests for signals, mappings, and logic functions throughout the entire IEC 61850 lifecycle.
What if I do not have sufficient IEC 61850 knowledge?
No problem! With intuitive graphical interfaces and system views, you can efficiently diagnose and test SAS and SCADA behavior, even with limited protocol knowledge.
How can I ensure that complex logic and interlocking schemes continue to work after system updates?
You can easily define re-usable test plans in StationScout and re‑execute automated logic and interlocking tests after each change to verify correct behavior and document all results.
How do OMICRON test solutions incorporate cybersecurity when testing IEC 61850 substations?
StationScout and IEDScout are operated on the hardened test platforms MBX2, RBX1, or VBX1. These industrial-grade devices are specifically designed to separate your office environment from the substation network and enable cybersecure testing of IEC-61850-based SAS and SCADA systems. They use secure firmware, encrypted storage, and dedicated communication interfaces to isolate test activities from other IT systems and prevent the substation from being exposed to typical PC vulnerabilities. StationScout and IEDScout are both maintained under our cybersecurity‑by‑design product security process, which includes regular vulnerability assessments, security advisories, and updates that keep your IEC 61850 testing environment aligned with current cybersecurity best practices.
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