Delta Controls is a leading provider of Building Automation System (BAS) solutions with a strong presence in institutional, commercial, and industrial buildings. The platform centers on ORCA controllers running proprietary control logic, integrated with ORCAweb and enteliWEB for monitoring, trending, and management.
The architecture consists of ORCA Controllers (embedded systems executing real-time control logic), ORCAweb (graphical workstation software), enteliWEB (enterprise server with centralized data management), BACnet Native Protocol (controller communication), and Third-Party Integration support.
| Controller Model | Processor | Points Supported | I/O Capacity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAC-1146 | ARM Cortex | 256-512 | 16-64 analog/digital | Small buildings, single zone HVAC |
| DAC-600 | Intel x86 | 512-2048 | 32-128 mixed I/O | Mid-size buildings, multi-zone control |
| DAC-600FC | Intel x86 + Fieldbus | 2048+ | Modular fieldbus slots | Large buildings, device clusters |
| DSC | Embedded ARM | 64-256 | Limited direct I/O | Plant room, equipment-level control |
ORCAweb presents three primary work areas: Building Navigator Tree (left sidebar showing hierarchy), Detail View (center workspace), and Status Bar (top menu).
Key Views:
enteliWEB is a Windows-based enterprise server providing central data collection from multiple sites, unified alarming, scheduling, web-based reporting, and database archiving.
Prerequisites: Windows Server 2016 or later, SQL Server 2016+, 4 GB RAM minimum, 100 GB disk.
Installation Steps:
ORCA is Delta Controls proprietary control language featuring graphical ladder logic editor, function blocks, 1-second scan cycle, and native point types.
| Point Type | Function | Example | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analog Input | Sensor reading | Temperature, pressure | 4-20mA to 0-100 units |
| Analog Output | Control signal | Valve command, fan speed | 0-100% or 4-20mA |
| Digital Input | Binary sensor | Switch, alarm contact | 0 (off) / 1 (on) |
| Digital Output | Binary command | Pump start, solenoid | 0 / 1 |
| Parameter | Configuration value | Setpoint, deadband | User-defined |
| Internal | Logic calculation | PID output, staging | Intermediate values |
Simple ORCA Program Example:
PROGRAM: Room_Heating_Control
POINTS DEFINED:
Room_Temp (AI) - Actual temperature
Room_Setpoint (Param) - Target setpoint
Heat_Demand (AO) - Heating valve command
Occupancy (DI) - Occupancy sensor
LOGIC:
IF Occupancy = 1 THEN
Active_Setpoint = Room_Setpoint
ELSE
Active_Setpoint = Unoccupied_SP
ENDIF
PID_Error = Active_Setpoint - Room_Temp
IF PID_Error > 0.5 THEN Heat_Demand = 100
ELIF PID_Error > 0.1 THEN Heat_Demand = PID_Error * 50
ELSE Heat_Demand = 0
ENDIF
| Alarm Type | Trigger | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| High Limit | Point > High Setpoint | Supply temp > 75F |
| Low Limit | Point < Low Setpoint | Supply temp < 45F |
| Deviation | Point > Setpoint +/- Deadband | Sensor drift |
| Rate of Change | Change > threshold/time | Rapid pressure drop |
Delta ORCA controllers natively support BACnet/IP for third-party integration.
Steps to Add BACnet Points:
Controller Offline: Check network cable, ping controller IP, verify firewall rules (port 47808), restart ORCAweb Service.
Points Not Updating: Verify I/O wiring, check ORCA program logic, inspect hardware configuration, review scan cycle.
Alarm Not Triggering: Verify point has valid data, check alarm configuration enabled, test SMTP/email settings.