Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Department

Engineering

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

A SCADA, or Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition, system is a computer-controlled system that monitors and controls industrial processes remotely. Electric grids, water supplies, and pipelines are all significant SCADA systems. These systems can be controlled and monitored remotely and are typically composed of multiple programmable logic controllers (PLCs). However, SCADA systems are inherently vulnerable to cyber attacks.

During the previous academic year, an electrical engineering senior project team was assigned the task of designing and constructing a SCADA test bed for WKU’s Engineering-Manufacturing-Commercialization Center (EMCC). The test bed was to have three systems simulating SCADA systems: a traffic light system, a water tank system, and a power grid system. Because there were three systems desired, the three-person project was separated into three parts. Each person was charged with the hardware design, programming, and implementation of a system. The focus of this research project was the water tank system. This paper details the hardware and software design process that was eventually built and implemented and discusses the problems that were encountered and how they were solved.

Advisor(s) or Committee Chair

Dr. Stacy Wilson

Disciplines

Electrical and Computer Engineering

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