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AVEVA PI System vs PowerFactory DIgSILENT

AVEVA PI System logo

AVEVA PI System

Software

Industrial data infrastructure for real-time insights

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PowerFactory DIgSILENT logo

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

Software

Advanced power system analysis and grid simulation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AVEVA PI System pricing is not published and comes through an account representative; PowerFactory DIgSILENT no prices are published; the product pages only offer Request a Quotation and Demo Request
  • They diverge on capability: AVEVA PI System covers Real-time data collection, PowerFactory DIgSILENT covers Load flow calculation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AVEVA PI System and PowerFactory DIgSILENT actually diverge.

Attributes where AVEVA PI System and PowerFactory DIgSILENT differ
AttributeAVEVA PI SystemPowerFactory DIgSILENT
Pricing modelone-timequote
PlatformsDesktop, Web, Mobile, ApiWindows, Linux, Api
Founded19671985

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AVEVA PI System

  • Real-time data collection
  • Time-series data storage
  • Asset framework
  • Visualization
  • Analytics
  • Event management
  • Notifications
  • Data integration

Only in PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • Load flow calculation
  • Short-circuit analysis
  • RMS and EMT simulation
  • Harmonic analysis
  • Stability analysis
  • Protection coordination
  • Renewable energy integration
  • Scripting and automation

Both cover

  • SCADA systems
  • Python

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AVEVA PI System

  • Collecting and historising real-time process data from plant equipmentnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • Operations dashboards and alerting through PI Visionnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • Edge data collection where connectivity is intermittentnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • Pulling process data into Excel analysis with PI DataLinknot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • Utilities, pharma, mining and oil and gas process monitoringnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • Power system load flow, short circuit and stability analysis for transmission and distribution networksnot AVEVA PI System
  • Grid code compliance studies and protection coordinationnot AVEVA PI System
  • Modelling renewables and distributed generation integrationnot AVEVA PI System

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AVEVA PI System

  • Pricing is not published and comes through an account representative
  • The vendor is moving to a subscription commercial model, so perpetual licence expectations no longer hold
  • Made up of several separately named components, including PI Server, PI Vision, Edge Data Store and the adapters and connectors needed per data source

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • No prices are published; the product pages only offer Request a Quotation and Demo Request
  • The commercial licence is sold by node count, in tiers of 100, 250, 500 or unlimited nodes
  • Functions are sold as a configurable package rather than included, so advanced modules are priced separately
  • Support, maintenance and upgrades are included only for the first 12 months of a perpetual licence and then require an annual maintenance contract
  • The number of concurrent users on the Multi-User Edition is limited to the number of licences purchased
  • A floating licence used on a local machine is time limited to a maximum of 30 days
  • Centralised project data on Oracle, SQL Server or PostgreSQL requires the Team Edition; Single-User and Multi-User editions use a local SQLite database
  • Education licences are capped at 50 nodes and forbid commercial use
  • Student licences are capped at 50 nodes, are cloud softkey only and expire 12 months from issue

Pricing, plan by plan

AVEVA PI System

On request
  • Data Archive$undefined/license
    • Time-series data storage
    • High-speed data collection
    • Data compression
  • Operations$undefined/license
    • PI Vision dashboards
    • AF analytics
    • Event frames
  • Enterprise$undefined/license
    • PI Integrator
    • Cloud connectivity
    • Advanced analytics

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the PowerFactory DIgSILENT review.

Which should you pick?

Choose AVEVA PI System if

  • You need real-time data collection.
  • You work on Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want time-series data storage.
AVEVA PI System review

Choose PowerFactory DIgSILENT if

  • You need load flow calculation.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Api.
  • You also want short-circuit analysis.
PowerFactory DIgSILENT review

Questions people ask

Is AVEVA PI System or PowerFactory DIgSILENT better?
Neither clearly leads. AVEVA PI System starts at On request and PowerFactory DIgSILENT at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AVEVA PI System or PowerFactory DIgSILENT?
AVEVA PI System starts at On request and PowerFactory DIgSILENT at On request.
Does AVEVA PI System or PowerFactory DIgSILENT run on more platforms?
AVEVA PI System runs on Desktop, Web, Mobile, Api. PowerFactory DIgSILENT runs on Windows, Linux, Api.
What is AVEVA PI System best used for?
AVEVA PI System is most often used for collecting and historising real-time process data from plant equipment, operations dashboards and alerting through pi vision, edge data collection where connectivity is intermittent, pulling process data into excel analysis with pi datalink. Of those, collecting and historising real-time process data from plant equipment and operations dashboards and alerting through pi vision are not what PowerFactory DIgSILENT is typically brought in for.
What can AVEVA PI System do that PowerFactory DIgSILENT cannot?
AVEVA PI System covers Real-time data collection, Time-series data storage, Asset framework, Visualization. PowerFactory DIgSILENT covers Load flow calculation, Short-circuit analysis, RMS and EMT simulation, Harmonic analysis. Both handle SCADA systems, Python.
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