Why WinCC OA is the system choice for large, distributed and mission-critical systems
WinCC OA is an open architecture platform from ETM (a 100% subsidiary of Siemens AG) designed for the automation of complex, distributed and scalable systems.
Key benefits:
- Flexibility and openness — support for various protocols, equipment, and the ability to integrate disparate systems.
- Scalability and distributed architecture — from small sites to systems with many geographically dispersed sites.
- Reliability and stability are critical for systems where downtime or failure is unacceptable. WinCC OA allows you to build redundant solutions, support heavy loads, and scale projects as the facility grows.
- Extensive monitoring, archiving, data analysis, and event/accident management capabilities are important for energy, water utilities, research, or critical facilities.
This makes WinCC OA one of the best solutions for critical infrastructure facilities: energy networks, water treatment and water supply systems, large industrial complexes, distributed control and monitoring systems.
European and international cases where WinCC OA has proven its effectiveness
CERN is a leading scientific ‑research center
CERN is one of the most famous examples of WinCC OA application in Europe and the world. Since the late 1990s ‑and until today, this platform has been used to manage critical engineering systems: cryogenics , power supply, cooling, ventilation and other services that ensure the operation of scientific facilities.
It is because of these complex requirements — a large number of I/O points, distributed systems, the need for redundancy and reliability — that WinCC OA went through a long selection process and became CERN’s main solution.
WinCC OA- based projects at CERN encompass hundreds of thousands of I/Os, dozens of servers, and multidisciplinary engineering networks—all of which demonstrate how well the system is suited to extremely complex infrastructures .
Water supply and utility networks – an example in Europe
One such example: Hera Group (Italy) has chosen WinCC OA for water ‑and wastewater management. In this case, the platform provides control, monitoring, accounting and management of water supply networks – which is critical to ensuring a stable water supply and efficient operation of municipal services.
Such solutions often deal with distributed pumping stations, water and sewage networks, and treatment plants – and WinCC OA, thanks to its flexibility and scalability, is ideally suited for such tasks.
Industrial applications in Europe and industrial projects where flexibility is required
WinCC OA has also proven its effectiveness in cases where it is necessary to combine heterogeneous equipment, old and new controllers, and integrate numerous subsystems. For example, manufacturing and technology companies in Germany and other countries use it to automate complex technological processes – from basic machines to systems with logistics, data processing, control, and monitoring.
This emphasizes that WinCC OA is not just SCADA for a single site, but a solution for large-scale multi-site ecosystems.
Industrial applications in Europe: integration of complex technological processes
WinCC OA is widely used in industrial sectors where large, complex systems with many subsystems, heterogeneous equipment and high requirements for reliability and safety need to be managed. European companies choose WinCC OA to integrate, monitor and control technological processes that cover not only individual machines, but also entire infrastructures, including power supply systems, cooling, logistics, as well as real-time data processing.
1. Automation in chemical production in Germany
One of the largest chemical plants in Germany, engaged in the production of polymers, chose WinCC OA for the centralized control of its technological process. The company had more than 50 different technological lines, each of which had its own specific requirements for monitoring, control and optimization. WinCC OA provides integration with more than a dozen different types of controllers and sensors operating according to different protocols. This allows you to create a single platform for data collection, monitoring the condition of the equipment, controlling the technological processes, as well as for predicting possible problems or accidents at an early stage.
In addition, the system communicates with the plant’s energy management systems , which allows for energy optimization and more sustainable production. This project is an example of how WinCC OA can integrate various subsystems and improve the efficiency of the enterprise, reducing costs and reducing the likelihood of accidents.
2. Steel production at a plant in Austria
In Austria, at one of the largest steel production plants owned by an international corporation, WinCC OA was implemented to manage processes that involve high temperatures, precise equipment setup, and continuous monitoring of technological steps. The plant consists of several production lines, each of which must be precisely synchronized to achieve maximum efficiency and product quality.
WinCC OA integrated data from dozens of real-time control and monitoring systems. The platform also includes predictive equipment diagnostics to minimize downtime and ensure timely maintenance. In this project WinCC OA provides the flexibility needed to continuously improve production processes and adapt to new technologies without interruption to production. This allows you to reduce operating costs and improve product quality, which is critical for success in the steel industry.
These examples demonstrate how WinCC OA solves specific challenges for industrial companies in Europe, ensuring the integration of different subsystems, efficient process control and resource optimization. It is the ideal solution for companies where not only local automation is important, but also centralized control and integration of large amounts of data for improved efficiency and safety.
Why WinCC OA is the logical choice for mission-critical projects, not “regular” SCADA
WinCC OA positions itself as a platform designed specifically for “demanding, large, distributed, and complex applications” — not just local machines or processes.
This distinguishes it from systems for simpler tasks, and provides:
- Support for large networks with tens – hundreds – thousands of input/output points, geographically dispersed sites, and high load.
- Possibility of integrating heterogeneous subsystems (power supply, cooling, water supply, security, cryogenics , energy management , etc.).
- Flexible interface configuration, data processing, archiving, analytics, centralized management.
- Reliability, scalability, the ability of the system to evolve with the growth of needs or the object.
It is for these properties that WinCC OA is chosen for critical and infrastructure systems where failures are unacceptable , security, control, redundancy, scalability and integration must be guaranteed.
How these examples and advantages can be useful for Ukraine
For Ukrainian energy, utility, engineering, research or industrial enterprises, WinCC OA can become the foundation of a reliable, scalable, secure control and monitoring system.
Given our experience (as a system integrator, Siemens partner), we are ready to implement projects:
- water utilities and water purification systems;
- power grids and power plants;
- distributed systems (large geographically dispersed facilities);
- enterprises with heterogeneous equipment;
- complex infrastructures with high requirements for reliability, security, continuity and scalability.
Also, the experience of international implementations — from municipal water supply to CERN — confirms that WinCC OA is suitable for even the most demanding conditions and allows you to create a reliable, adaptive, long-term control system.
Taking into account how WinCC OA is used abroad, we can identify several areas where it can be useful for Ukrainian enterprises and infrastructures :
1. Utility networks – water supply, water treatment, sewage
In Europe, many municipal utilities choose SCADA ‑systems to manage water supply and wastewater — pumping stations, treatment plants, networks, tanks, water quality control systems. Since WinCC OA supports the integration of various equipment and subsystems, centralized monitoring, management and archiving of data — it can become the basis for the modernization of such systems in Ukraine.
- This is especially true for large settlements and agglomerations, where water supply includes many lines, pumps, water lifts, tanks, and treatment plants.
- The ability to scale the system to accommodate load growth or infrastructure expansion.
2. Energy – electricity and heating networks, distribution substations
European cases show that WinCC OA is used in the energy sector, at facilities where coordination of many components is required: from power supply, energy distribution, load monitoring, to substation automation or facilities with distributed generation.
For Ukraine, with its large-scale energy networks, frequent need for remote monitoring, modernization of generation and distribution — WinCC OA can be an effective tool for increasing reliability, reducing losses, and controlling the quality of supply.
3. Industrial enterprises – adaptive automation for production
European factories use WinCC OA when it is necessary to integrate many disparate systems: machinery ‑, equipment, old and new controllers, cooling subsystems, energy supply, logistics, security, etc.
For Ukrainian industry — metallurgy, chemical industry, mining, food, combined production — WinCC OA can provide flexibility and scalability, especially when plants have different generations of equipment or need integration with new systems.
4. Infrastructure and distributed networks – transport, logistics, municipal systems
WinCC OA is a system designed for distributed systems: many servers, many clients, critical redundancy, centralized management.
This opens up opportunities for projects that cover large territories or have geographical distribution : power grids, water grids , engineering communications, distributed enterprises, trans- regional systems ‑- those that are relevant for Ukraine, especially given the modernization of infrastructure and the need for sustainable, centralized and reliable automation.