What is Ignition?

Ignition is an Industrial Application Server. Installed as server software, it uses webpages and web-launching to create a wide variety of industrial applications. These sorts of applications typically fall under the definitions of HMI, SCADA, and MES applications. Ignition achieves its functionality through a modular architecture, meaning that multiple pieces work together seamlessly to provide features like:

OPC-UA Server

OPC-UA the leading industrial standard for data access. Using the OPC-UA Module, Ignition will act as an OPC-UA server, serving data collected by its built in drivers to other Ignition modules, as well as third-party OPC-UA clients.

For more information about OPC, see the section What is OPC?

Data Logger

Ignition offers robust data-logging functionality. The SQL Bridge  module offers historical logging, trigger based transactions with handshakes, and much more. Additionally, the ground-breaking SQLTags Historian feature makes it easier than ever to store and use historical process data.

Status & Control

Ignition offer first class status and control functionality, and can be used to create single-user terminals as well as distributed systems. SQLTags, Ignition's tag system, provides many powerful features and unparalleled ease of use. By simply dragging-and-dropping, you can create a powerful status and control screen in minutes.

Web-Launched Clients

Client application screens are designed using a WYSIWYG designer, and then deployed to any number of client computers without installation or licensing hassles. The client is always up-to-date with the latest version of the project, as changes are distributed automatically. Clients run as full applications, without many of the pitfalls of traditionally installed client runtimes.

Alarming Server

A powerful alarming system is built into Ignition. Dynamic alarm configuration is available for each tag. A powerful alarm notification pipeline system allows for precise control over notification logic. Messages can use email, SMS, or phone calls to be sure to reach the right person when something goes wrong. A built-in alarm journal stores the history of the alarm system to a database, making it easy to track and analyze common problems in your process.

Data Analysis

Ignition offers industry-leading trending and data analysis functionality. The power of SQL database access is built in from the ground up, and offers a tremendous amount of power in today's IT centric plants. Powerful charting, tables, and reports combined with Ignition no-install, web-launched distribution model offer new possibilities in data analysis.

PDF Reporting

Create dynamic, data-rich PDF reports using the Reporting module. Leveraging the power of SQL databases, it's easy to tie together production and business data.

Fault Tolerance

Two Ignition Gateways maybe connected together using the Redundancy feature to create a fault tolerant system for mission critical applications.

See Also:

Modules