Lincoln Maine Water District Case Study
Legacy National Instruments replacement with scalable SCADA for municipal water distribution across multiple pump stations.
Industry: Water & Wastewater
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Customer | Lincoln Water District |
| Location | Lincoln, Maine |
| Pump Stations | 4 (in separate buildings) |
| Storage | Twin 500,000-gallon steel standpipe tanks |
| Reservoir | Underground reservoir |
| I/O | Sixnet Ethertrak 2 modules |
| Network | Sixnet Cell Routers |
| Protocol | Modbus |
| Legacy System | National Instruments |
| Integrator | Mobius Automation (Minot, ME) |
The Challenge
Challenge: Upgrade legacy National Instruments data collection system with a modern platform to sustain systems for future expansion.
Specific pain points:
- Old system not stable enough for new requirements and expansion
- Legacy National Instruments system needed replacement
- Required monitoring of massive networks of piping, monitors, remote stations, and pumps
- Needed platform scalable for future growth (additional pumping stations and tanks)
- Central control room connectivity to distributed infrastructure
Impact: Without a stable, scalable platform, Lincoln Water District couldn't support planned expansion while maintaining reliable water service.
The Solution
Architecture
| Tier | Component | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Field | Sixnet Ethertrak 2 I/O Modules | Pump stations, tanks, reservoir |
| Network | Sixnet Cell Routers | Cellular connectivity to remote sites |
| Protocol | Modbus (embedded driver) | Device communication |
| Server | FrameworX Server | Central monitoring and control |
| Client | Rich Client | Operator interface |
| Alarming | Topview | Alarm notification dispatch |
Infrastructure Monitored
| Asset | Details |
|---|---|
| Pump Stations | 4 stations in 4 separate buildings |
| Standpipe Tanks | Twin 500,000-gallon steel tanks |
| Underground Reservoir | Fish Hill Underground |
| Booster Pumps | Additional booster pump stations |
| Meter Station | Howland Meter Station |
Monitored Parameters
- Flow rates
- Temperature
- Amperage
- Chlorine levels
- Tank levels (with overflow, low alarm, high alarm)
Alternatives Evaluated
- Citect SCADA
- FactoryStudio (selected)
Key Enablers
FrameworX capabilities that made this solution possible:
| Capability | Application |
|---|---|
| Embedded Modbus Driver | Direct communication with Sixnet I/O modules |
| Scalability | Small to enterprise system growth |
| "Three Clicks to Everything" | Intuitive engineering environment |
| Unified Interface | All modules have same look and feel |
| Stability & Reliability | Monitor and control current and expansion devices |
| Topview Integration | Alarm dispatch to correct personnel and devices |
| Multi-Platform Runtime | .NET, Web, iOS, Android, Linux, Raspberry Pi |
The Results
Future-Proof Platform — Scalable SCADA to carry district for several decades
Expansion Ready — Easy to add more pumping stations and tanks as district grows
Stability & Reliability — Inherent platform stability for critical water infrastructure
Easy Learning Curve — "Three clicks to everything" engineering environment
Intuitive Platform — Wide range of features and connectivity made selection easy
Centralized Control — Monitor and control equipment across 4 separate buildings
Alarm Dispatch — Topview integration routes alarms to correct personnel
Customer Testimonial:
"We found FactoryStudio to be a very easy and intuitive platform. The Scalability from a small to enterprise system, wide range of features and connectivity made FactoryStudio an easy choice."
— Mike Rioux, Mobius Automation
Resources
Download case study: CaseStudy_WaterDistrict.pdf
This case demonstrates scalable municipal water SCADA replacing legacy National Instruments with future-proof expansion capability.
In this section...