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Monitoring and alarm functions


Objectives of alarm management systems


The objective for installing an alarm system is to improve security for the installation/facility and its personnel. In addition to security, other benefits are available to operators through the alarm management system. Alarm management also enables continuous improvement. Higher machine availability, better product quality and increased output can be achieved.


Avoiding alarm overload


Alarm overload can occur when the frequency of alarm events dramatically increases. This may happen when upgrading plant or when efficiency settings are over-ambitious. Key performance indicators (KPI) should be measurable and realistic for all areas. A growing reliance on system intelligence is emerging which is capable of delivering a mass of alarms, notifications and diagnostic data. To prevent alarm overload and to deliver the best possible flexibility, ProfiSignal and the AlarmManagement option provide a basic system of rules based on alarm priorities and classes


Basic rules system


The ProfiSignal alarm management system provides easy to configure alarm rules for assigning alarm priorities and classes. An alarm rule can incorporate a confirmation system, i.e. the alarm then remains displayed in the alarm table until confirmed by an authorized person. An alarm rule can be linked to events, e.g. threshold violations. Users can quickly generate notification comments while creating the rule within the DataService.


Notification and actions


Incoming alarms are not only displayed in table format – different types of table in different types of visualisation views can be assigned with different types of alarm class. Alarms can for example appear as pop-ups or as signal lamps, with notification being sent via text messaging, email or fax. In addition to the sending of notifications, the alarm management system can also activate actuators that automatically switch digital or analog outputs, e.g. to activate a siren or to close / open a valve.


Statistical evaluation


An alarm trend diagram is available to users for alarm analysis and statistical evaluation purposes. The diagram portrays all the data and messages associated with the alarm event, and a mouse click immediately displays pre and post history. Evaluation data is fed into a channel(s) that has/have been configured by the user.


Benefits of Inobalt products

 

  • Simple and intuitive configuration of rules
  • Structuring according to categories and priorities
  • Diverse filtering functions
  • Continuous recording of alarms in a database
  • Access to archived data by mouse clicking