About SimApis
A SimApi is a software interface between the Umetrics Suite software and a data source. The primary purpose of a SimApi is to provide data to SIMCA®-online or SIMCA®.
Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics develops SimApis for many different data sources, such as process historians and general purpose databases. There are also SimApis offered by partners and other companies.
To learn how to plan for a SimApi deployment, install a SimApi in SIMCA® or SIMCA®-online, and how to troubleshoot, download the SimApi Guide
Obtaining SimApis
This page lists available SimApis, provides user guides and download links, and explains features in SimApis. Consult the feature matrix below to learn more about SimApi functionality and also limitations in functionality for some SimApis. Use the download links below to obtain the SimApis, free of charge.
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics Batch Table Wrapper SimApi can be used to generate a batch node from process data in a system where batch information is otherwise not available. This makes it possible to execute batch projects in SIMCA®-online. Batch Table Wrapper can also make batch identifiers unique to SIMCA®-online by modifying data from an existing batch node.
Previously the BIOPat Spectro SimApi. Contact OEM sales
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics CSV SimApi reads the most recent data from text files with comma separated values (CSV).
This SimApi is not available to purchase. Please contact Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics directly to obtain it.
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics Discoverant SimApi connects to a Accelrys Discoverant data source.
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics IP21 SimApi connects to an AspenTech InfoPlus.21 data source. Supports current and historical process data. Also See the IP21 Batch SimApi.
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics IP21 Batch SimApi connects to an AspenTech InfoPlus.21 data source. Supports batch contexts and batch data. Also See the IP21 SimApi.
The JUNE SimApi connects to a VIDEC JUNE5 system to obtain current and historical data.
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics MFCS Access SimApi connects to a Sartorius BioPAT MFCS /win 3.1 system to obtain process data and batches in the process units of the MFCS system.
Optimize Your Manufacturing Processes with Actionable Insights
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics MFCS 4 SimApi allows Umetrics® Suite of software solutions to access BioPAT® MFCS software and obtain historical and on-line process data from the connected bioreactors.
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics DA SimApi connects to a data source using the industry standard OPC DA.
The Sartorius Data Analytics HDA SimApi connects to a data source using the industry standard OPC HDA.
The OPC UA SimApi connects to an OPC UA (Unified Architecture) server.
The Sartorius Data Analytics ODBC SimApi connects to a SQL database with process data. The required database schema is described in the user guide.
The OSIsoft PI interface connects to to an OSIsoft PI Server, specifically the PI Data Archive. The interface can connect to both the PI Batch Database and the PI Asset Framework (AF). Read more at the OSIsoft Partner Solutions Showcase.
This interface is offered by OSIsoft who in their terminology refers to it as the PI interface for SIMCA®-online or SimBatchOL, with part number PI-IN-SIM-BO-NT.
Download documentation and view the latest technical news at OSIsoft (registration required). The installation kits for the interface must be obtained by contacting OSIsoft.
2017-09-30: OSIsoft will continue supporting this interface but will stop selling it. Customers should instead use the Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics PI AF SimApi (see above)
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics PI AF SimApi connects to an OSIsoft PI Server, specifically the PI Data Archive and the PI AF (Asset Framework) Server.
This SimApi is built by and fully supported by Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics unlike the OSIsoft PI SimApi described in the next section.
The Siemens SIPAT SimApi connects to a Siemens SIPAT data source.
This SimApi is provided by Siemens, please contact Siemens for further details.
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics Wonderware Historian SimApi connects to a Wonderware Historian data source.
Not all data sources are alike. A SimApi need not implement all functions in the specification. For these reasons, different SimApis offer different functionality. The following matrix lists available SimApis and their features.
The table below the matrix explains the features. Notice that the table has separate columns to show which features are available in SIMCA®-online and SIMCA® respectively.
Feature | Purpose | SIMCA®-online usage | SIMCA® usage |
Current data | Read the most current value from the data source. | Real-time normal execution | |
Historical data | Read historical data from the data source. | Catch-up and repredict of past data, create projects using File > New | Database Import Wizard to import process data for model creation. |
Discrete data | Read laboratory/IPC data from the data source. Discrete data can be used for batch configurations when data needs to be re-read during the batch evolution. Many observations per batch. | For batch projects with phases configured for discrete data retrieval. | |
Batch data | Read batch conditions and final quality attributes (or other MES type data). One observation per batch | Batch conditions or local centering. | Database Import Wizard to read batch conditions for batch-level model creation. |
Batch node | Specify the start time and the end time (empty for an active batch) for a specific batch. Enumerate all batches that existed in a time range. | Required for execution of batch configurations. | Database Import Wizard to select batches to import. |
Write back - continuous data | Write discrete data, such as predictions, back to the data source | Write back for batch configurations for the batch evolution level or for continuous configurations | |
Write back - discrete | Write discrete data, such as predictions, back to the data source. | Write back for batch configurations at the batch evolution level for phases configured for discrete data retrieval | |
Write back - batch data | Write back batch level data, such as predictions or final quality attributes, to the data source. | Write back for batch configuration at the batch level | |
Node hierarchy | The SimApi supports a hierarchy of nodes, similar to a file system. Each node can contain tags and other nodes. The hierarchy makes it easier to manage a large number of nodes and tags. | Supported in all places where tags are used. | |
Array tag expansion | An array tag stores multiple values. The SimApi expands the array tag to many individual tags, one for each value in the array. | Supported where tags are used for continuous data. | |
Multiple data sources | The SimApi can connect to more than a single data source, or supports multiple instances of itself with individual settings and log files for each instance. | Connect to several different data sources of the same kind. | |
Connection resiliency | If the SimApi becomes disconnected from the data source, it will try to re-establish the connection. | The SIMCA®-online server doesn't have to be restarted to re-establish connections to the data source. | |
| Developed in-house | The SimApi is developed, provided and supported by Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics |
SimApi usage in SIMCA® and SIMCA®-online
SIMCA® can use a SimApi to retrieve data for project creation and model building as the following picture illustrates.
SIMCA®-online use SimApis to obtain data in real-time for monitoring and control, as well as write-back of data to the data source. The following picture shows where the SimApi is located in a system consisting of a data source, SIMCA®-online server, and clients
The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics online support team answers technical questions about SimApis, and can also forward requests for enhancement of SimApis to the appropriate people.
To learn more about the inner workings of SimApis, see the SIMCA®-online Technical Guide.
The SimApi specification for developers and a software development kit with sample code can be obtained from The Sartorius Stedim Data Analytics by contacting your sales representative.
