Our Background
Global Data Specialists has engineered and supported control systems since 1975, beginning as Motorola's SCADA service center for warranty and repair work in the Southwest. GDS became an independent company in 1996 and has since completed more than 500 SCADA projects for utilities, airfields, and infrastructure owners.
We continue to support installed equipment while engineering new control systems and upgrades. Support is available after hours for contract customers.
Company Capabilities
We provide PLC and RTU integration, control panel engineering, field communications, and HMI development. Our controller experience covers Motorola Intrac, MOSCAD, ACE3600, and MC-Edge RTUs as well as Allen-Bradley, Modicon, Moxa, and AutomationDirect equipment. On the HMI side we work with VTScada, Ignition, Wonderware (AVEVA InTouch), and Intellution iFIX and Proficy.
Our project pages describe the systems we work on and what GDS was responsible for alongside the customer and other contractors.
Aircraft Arresting Controls
GDS manufactures the Phoenix Aircraft Arresting Control System (PAACS), the radio control system for BAK-14, BAK-14M and Type H aircraft arresting gear. In a February 2017 memorandum, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center identified PAACS as the only qualified radio sole-source system for those arresting systems in USAF use.
PAACS is in service at more than 50 Air Force and Air National Guard bases, including Hill Air Force Base, Joint Base Andrews, Joint Base Charleston, Kadena Air Base in Japan and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Under a single 2021 contract, GDS upgraded the encryption on PAACS installations at 19 Air National Guard bases in 18 states.
Motorola Systems and Equipment
Motorola Solutions lists Global Data Specialists in its Industrial IoT partner directory. GDS project work includes ACE3600-based aircraft arresting controls and HMI modernization around installed Motorola RTUs.
VTScada Integration
VTScada lists Global Data Specialists as an Advanced Certified integrator. Our work includes VTScada development for municipal water systems and migrations from older HMI applications.
Ignition Integration
GDS is a Registered Integrator in the Inductive Automation Integrator Program. Our engineering team includes an Ignition Core Certified engineer. We develop operator applications with Ignition by Inductive Automation® for client SCADA systems, including screens, alarms, and operating history.
For the Arizona Department of Transportation, GDS replaced the Wonderware interface for Phoenix metro freeway pumphouses with an Ignition application and prepared an operator guide. View the ADOT project.
Wonderware Support and Migration
GDS is AVEVA Wonderware certified. We support, upgrade, and migrate Wonderware systems, including Medina County's move from Wonderware to VTScada.
Our Project Experience
Our experience includes water and wastewater systems for Nixa, Snowflake, Sidney, Medina County and Magna; PAACS installations and upgrades for Air Force and Air National Guard bases in the United States, Japan and Qatar; ADOT pumphouse HMI development; and fire alarm reporting (FARS) installation in Guam through Booz Allen Hamilton. Our project page lists our work since 2019.
Documentation and Training
Depending on the project, our work can include application software, panel drawings, operating instructions, commissioning, and training. We agree on these requirements and each contractor's responsibilities when we prepare the scope of work.