In today's data-driven world, the ability to visualize and interact with complex datasets is crucial for informed decision-making. PI Vision, a web-based data visualization tool by AVEVA (formerly OSIsoft), empowers organizations to create interactive, real-time dashboards for monitoring and analyzing data from the PI System. One of the most powerful features of PI Vision is its support for custom symbols, which can significantly enhance data visualization and user interaction to solve targeted problems specific to the user organization.
PI Vision custom symbols are unique graphical elements that can be added to PI Vision dashboards. These symbols enhance data visualization and user interaction by providing distinctive, tailored visual representations of data that are not offered out-of-the-box within the application.
While PI Vision offers a range of standard symbols, custom symbols provide a higher degree of targeted functionality. They allow users to create specific visualizations that align perfectly with their unique data visualization needs.
Custom symbols are incredibly flexible and adaptable, enabling users to display data in various forms such as graphs, charts, gauges, and maps. This extensibility ensures that users can represent their data in the most effective way possible.
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One of the standout features of PI Vision custom symbols is the ability to create unique visualizations. Users can design symbols that meet specific requirements, ensuring that the visualizations are both meaningful and useful.
Custom symbols can be tailored to fit the specific needs of an organization. This means that users can go beyond the limitations of standard symbols to create visualizations that provide deeper insights into their data.
Custom symbols can display data in numerous forms, such as graphs, charts, gauges, maps, or any other visual representation that might be required. This versatility allows users to choose the best form for their data.
By representing data in different forms, custom symbols improve data interpretation. Users can quickly grasp complex information through intuitive visualizations.
In manufacturing, custom heat maps might be used to show temperature variations across a production line, while flow diagrams can illustrate the movement of materials through different stages of the process.
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Custom symbols can include interactive features like dynamic data updates. These updates ensure that the visualizations reflect the most current data, enhancing their relevance and accuracy.
Interactive features such as clickable areas and tooltips add a layer of interactivity, making it easier for users to explore and understand the data.
In a power plant, custom symbols might be used to create real-time control panels where operators can click on different parts of the panel to access detailed information about each component.
Custom symbols can be integrated with PI Vision's existing data sources and functionalities, ensuring seamless data flow and real-time updates. This integration is crucial for maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the visualizations.
By ensuring compatibility with the PI System, custom symbols can utilize existing data streams and resources, making the implementation process smoother and more efficient.
For example, in the healthcare sector, custom symbols might be integrated with patient monitoring systems to provide a comprehensive view of patient data across different departments.
Developing a PI Vision custom symbol typically involves using technological languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These technologies provide the tools necessary to define the appearance, functionality, and behavior of the symbol.
The development process includes designing the layout, coding the interactive features, and testing the symbol to ensure it functions correctly.
For example, a developer might use HTML to structure the gauge, CSS to style it, and JavaScript to add interactivity, such as changing colors based on data thresholds.
After development, the custom symbol needs to be configured to connect with the PI System data. This involves setting up data bindings to ensure that the symbol accurately reflects the underlying data.
Configuration also involves setting parameters that control how the symbol interacts with the data. This might include setting thresholds for alerts or defining how often the data should be refreshed.
For instance, configuring a temperature gauge might involve binding the gauge to temperature data from a specific sensor and setting parameters for alert thresholds.
Once developed and configured, the custom symbol is deployed to the PI Vision environment. This process involves uploading the symbol to the server and making it available for use in dashboards.
During deployment, it's crucial to ensure that the custom symbol is compatible with the PI Vision environment and other symbols used in the dashboard.
For example, deploying a custom chart might involve testing it in different browsers and devices to ensure it works correctly in all scenarios.
Users can add custom symbols to their PI Vision dashboards by dragging and dropping them, just like any other symbol. This simplicity makes it easy to incorporate custom symbols into existing dashboards.
Once added, users can configure the data sources for the custom symbol and adjust its settings to meet their specific visualization needs.
For instance, in a manufacturing plant, custom symbols might be used in a real-time monitoring dashboard to display key metrics such as production speed, machine status, and energy consumption.
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Custom gauges can display critical metrics such as pressure, temperature, or other key performance indicators (KPIs). These gauges provide at-a-glance insights into system performance.
Users can set specific thresholds and color coding for the gauges, making it easy to identify when a metric is outside of the acceptable range.
In the oil and gas industry, a custom pressure gauge might be used to monitor pipeline pressure, with color-coded alerts indicating when the pressure is too high or too low.
Interactive maps can show the real-time locations and status of assets, such as vehicles or machinery. This feature enhances situational awareness and improves asset management.
These maps can be integrated with other systems to provide a comprehensive view of the assets and their status.
In logistics, an interactive map might be used to track the real-time locations of delivery vehicles, providing valuable information for fleet management.
Specialized charts, such as Sankey diagrams for flow visualization or radar charts for performance metrics, provide unique ways to represent data that are not available in standard PI Vision.
These unique representations can provide deeper insights into complex datasets, helping users make more informed decisions.
In energy management, a Sankey diagram might be used to visualize the flow of energy through different stages of a process, helping to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
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PI Vision custom symbols provide the flexibility to create visualizations specifically tailored to an organization's needs. This customization ensures that the visualizations are relevant and useful.
By tailoring visualizations to specific needs, organizations can ensure that the data presented is relevant and actionable.
In healthcare, custom dashboards might be created to display patient data in a way that is most useful for doctors and nurses, enhancing their ability to provide care.
Custom symbols help provide better insights through more meaningful and intuitive visualizations. By representing data in the most effective way, users can make more informed decisions.
Meaningful visualizations enhance the decision-making process by providing clear and actionable insights.
In finance, custom symbols might be used to create dashboards that display key financial metrics, helping executives make informed decisions about investments and resource allocation.
Improving user engagement by making dashboards more interactive and visually appealing is another significant benefit of custom symbols. Engaged users are more likely to explore the data in depth and derive valuable insights.
Interactive and visually appealing dashboards enhance the user experience, making it more likely that users will utilize the dashboards effectively.
In education, custom symbols might be used to create interactive learning dashboards that engage students and enhance their understanding of complex subjects.
PI Vision custom symbols are a powerful tool for organizations looking to get more out of their PI System data. By creating unique visualizations that provide deeper insights and enhance decision-making processes, custom symbols can drive significant improvements in data analysis and operational efficiency. Explore the potential of PI Vision custom symbols with InCentrik, and transform your data visualization capabilities today.
This detailed exploration of PI Vision custom symbols showcases their immense potential and highlights why they are an essential tool for any organization looking to enhance its data visualization capabilities. By leveraging the power of custom symbols, organizations can create tailored solutions, gain enhanced data insights, and improve user
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