Monitoring and control using the Internet and Java

Manufacturers have long wished for a tool that would permit remote monitoring and control of manufacturing operations. The combination of the Java programming language with the worldwide reach of the Internet now promises a solution to this problem. Java's scalability, portability, and platform independence allow remote monitoring and control applications ("applets") to run on any web browser. Java applets eliminate the need to build custom hardware/software when implementing remote monitoring and control systems. Any browser can be configured to display graphical representations of the plant or process and to annotate the image with real time data; thus, any Internet-enabled computer is a potential control station (assuming security concerns are satisfied). This gives rise to the concept of "virtual engineers" or "remote engineers" who, armed with real-time plant information, can optimize machine setting or process control parameters, and troubleshoot problems before they escalate.