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Date Feb 27, 18
SIMCA®-online 15
Information

SIMCA®-online 15.0 (Q889)

Summary:

SIMCA®-online 15 brings the following major new features along with many other updates and fixes;

  • Create projects directly in SIMCA®-online for multivariate modelling of batch or non-batch processes within minutes.
  • Create Data Exploration projects to quickly look at process data for any data source tag.
  • Notifications - email notifications for important SIMCA®-online events such as alarms or errors.
  • Batch Context Generator - makes it easier to monitor batch processes without the necessary infrastructure in the data source or SimApi.
  • Phase iterations in SIMCA® 15 projects enable the same phase model to run more than once, which is useful in processes where batches are split into several units, or when a batch goes through the same step multiple times.
  • The SIMCA®-online web client for monitoring active and recent batches in mobile or desktop browsers, and for displaying details about alarms when clicking in links in notification emails. Read more in SIMCA®-online 15 Web Client 15.0

Read a more comprehensive list of changes at the end of this article.

SIMCA®-online 15 is a major release. To run the server other than in demo mode you need a license for the 15 version (a license for an earlier version does not work).

SIMCA®-online 15 works with Umetrics Suite Active Dashboard as well as the SIMCA®-online Web Client, and has an evolved Web API with new features and JSON authentication.

Update 2018-02-27: SIMCA®-online 15.0.1 is the latest version of SIMCA®-online 15.0. We recommend that customers install 15.0.1 for new installations.

More Information:

Download and installation

Download the software from the SIMCA®-online download page (one-time registration required). To unzip the files you need a password which you obtain from your Umetrics sales representative. Refer to the Readme and Installation.pdf included in the zip-file to learn how to install the software.

Demo limitations

If you install SIMCA®-online without a license it will run in trial (demo) mode. The trial is limited to only work with the SimApi for the database simulation software DBMaker included with the server installation and can be used for demo purposes or testing, even with your own data, and not connect to production data sources.

Release date

The full version of this release is 15.0.0.4795. It was released on 2017-11-21.

Validation

SIMCA®-online 15 has been fully validated. The validation report is available at the download page.

System requirements

  • Any x64 or x86 computer hardware supported by the Windows versions listed below.
  • Supported versions of Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 or later.
  • 200 MB available hard disk space for a full installation.
  • SIMCA® projects built with SIMCA® 15, 14.1, 14.0, 13.0.3. Note: to use the latest features SIMCA® 15 is needed.

To learn more on installation guidance see the SIMCA®-online Implementation Guide (available on the download page) and the SIMCA®-online Technical Guide.

Technical details

SIMCA®-online 15 is a separate program and installation from the previous versions. SIMCA®-online 15 can be installed in parallel with earlier versions on the same server computer. Different database directories and settings are used. Note that we do not recommend running more than one Umetrics Suite server per server computer in production. See the SIMCA®-online Technical Guide (2.1.1) for more information.

SIMCA®-online 15 is backwards compatible with the SIMCA®-online 14.0, 13.3, 13,2 and 13.1 database formats (but no other versions). This means that a copy of the database for those versions can be used if you want to migrate a previous server to 15 and keep old data. Note that SIMCA®-online 14.0 introduced Unicode-support, and if you want to take full advantage of that (correct sorting) you should start with an empty database in SIMCA®-online and not import a database from a version earlier than 14.

The application SIMCA®-online Server Options is started automatically following the installation. If an earlier supported version is installed it will ask if you would like to import data and settings from that version. Follow the instructions on the screen.

To learn more about migration of databases and settings, refer to Supported migration of database and settings between SIMCA®-online versions (Q801).

Licensing

SIMCA®-online is licensed on the SIMCA®-online server. Client computers need no licenses and can be freely installed and used on many PCs. A server license file is needed to connect to data sources other than the built-in data source simulation tool DBMaker (see above under Demo Limitations).
SIMCA®-online licensing works the same as for SIMCA®-online 14:

  • You place an order with your sales representative.
  • You receive an email with an Activation Key together step-by-step instructions. Save a copy of the email as you might need it later if you reinstall the product or want to change the license.
  • Follow the instructions in the email to use the Activation Key to download and install a license file on your server computer.
  • The downloaded license works for the server it was downloaded for. It cannot be moved to other servers.

Third party software

SIMCA®-online is bundled with ExamDiff, a freeware tool for visual comparison of configuration changes in the SIMCA®-online audit trail for 21 CFR Part 11 (Electronic Records) compliance. For even more features, check out ExamDiff Pro.

New features and important changes in SIMCA®-online 15

Here are the major changes and new features in SIMCA®-online 15 compared to the previous version 14:

For everyone:

  • Create 'Data Exploration' projects to quickly look at process data for any data source tag
  • Easy creation of variable plots and switching between variables in a plot for continuous processes
  • Create projects directly in SIMCA®-online for multivariate modelling of batch or non-batch processes within minutes.
  • Coloring and sizing of points in batch plots based on data from the process bringing extra dimensions to the same plot.
  • Support for multiple y-axes with independent scaling in plots making it possible to view data with different ranges in the same plot.
  • Alarms in continuous processes (non-batch) are now be triggered many times if the process has returned to a normal state between the alarms. Previously an alarm had to be acknowledged and manually reset by an operator for a new alarm to be triggered.
  • Production overview, unit overview, and batch identity filter for configurations are filterable using sub strings, wildcards or regular expressions.
  • DBMaker is started automatically when Server Monitor is used to start the server.
  • It is possible to abort opening a workspace.
  • SIMCA®-online handles high-resolution, high-DPI screens.
  • The SIMCA®-online web client for monitoring active and recent batches in your phone or tablet, and for displaying details about alarms when clicking in links in notification emails. Read more inSIMCA®-online 15 Web Client 15.0.

For operators and IT-administrators:

  • Notifications - email notifications for important SIMCA®-online events such as alarms or errors. Important events can also be routed to the Windows event log if desired.
  • Automatic configuration of default Active Directory settings for notifications and user-authentication.

For data scientists and project administrators:

  • Batch Context Generator - makes it easier to monitor batch processes without the necessary infrastructure in the data source or SimApi.
  • Unit IDs in the SIMCA® project are now used as the starting layout when creating a project configuration.
  • Phase iterations in SIMCA® 15 projects enable the same phase model to run more than once, which is useful in processes where batches are split into several units, or when a batch goes through the same step multiple times.
  • Limits and alarms created in SIMCA® 15 are automatically used by SIMCA®-online.
  • Per-model significance level can be used for batch level models.
  • Batch attributes can be read from the data source and used to color batches.
  • Batches in the data source can now have the same names as workset batches.
  • Data list under View in the ribbon now shows active batches.
  • Built-in troubleshooter for batch project execution so simplify diagnosing batches that stop early or other problems.
  • You can now see batches in batch nodes using Find batches button and context menus.
  • The project configuration wizard now can skip past all the configuration pages when you just want to add a copy of an existing configuration (BCG-file).
  • Default configuration names are now taken from file name of an imported BCG-file.
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