A DCS is an automation system designed for real-time process control in large, localized industrial facilities, such as oil refineries, chemical plants, and power plants. Unlike SCADA, which is optimized for wide-area monitoring, DCS systems are designed for tightly integrated process control within a single site.

Key DCS Components:

• Process Control Units (PCU): Localized control units that manage industrial processes in real time.
• Field Devices (Sensors, Actuators, Valves, etc.): Directly interface with physical processes.
• Engineering Workstations: Used for configuring and optimizing control logic.
• Operator Consoles (HMI): Interfaces for monitoring and managing plant operations.
• Industrial Communication Networks: Used to connect different DCS components (e.g., Fieldbus, Profibus, OPC-UA).