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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 16 Alarm and Events........................................................................................................................................................ 1 16.1 General Information........................................................................................................................................................... 3 16.1.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................................................... 3 16.1.2 Legend ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3 16.2 Alarm and Events .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 16.2.1 General........................................................................................................................................................................ 5 16.2.2 Data Flow.................................................................................................................................................................... 6 16.2.3 Storage ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7 16.3 Alarm and Event Presentation ........................................................................................................................................... 9 16.3.1 Alarm List................................................................................................................................................................... 9 16.3.2 Graphic Display ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 16.3.3 Faceplate ................................................................................................................................................................... 11 16.3.4 Alarm Band............................................................................................................................................................... 11 16.3.5 Alarm Sequence Bar ................................................................................................................................................. 12 16.3.6 Event List.................................................................................................................................................................. 12 16.4 Alarm Operations............................................................................................................................................................. 13 16.4.1 Navigation................................................................................................................................................................. 14 16.4.2 How to Acknowledge Alarms................................................................................................................................... 15 16.4.3 How to Silence Alarms ............................................................................................................................................. 15 16.4.4 Alarm Status Indications in Faceplates..................................................................................................................... 16 16.4.5 How to Add Comments ............................................................................................................................................ 16 16.5 Creating Alarms and Events in Control Logic................................................................................................................ 17 16.5.1 AlarmEventLib ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 16.5.2 AlarmCond and AlarmCondM ................................................................................................................................. 18 16.5.3 Transmission of Alarm Data..................................................................................................................................... 20 16.6 Alarm and Event Service Configuration.......................................................................................................................... 21 16.6.1 Alarm Manager Service ............................................................................................................................................ 22 16.6.2 How to Reduce the Alarm List ................................................................................................................................. 23 16.6.3 How to Setup the Event Collector Service................................................................................................................ 24 16.7 Name Uploader................................................................................................................................................................ 25 16.7.1 Problem Description ................................................................................................................................................. 25 16.7.2 Names and Description Texts ................................................................................................................................... 26 16.7.3 How to Run the Name Uploader............................................................................................................................... 27 16.8 Configuring Alarm and Event List Template .................................................................................................................. 28 16.8.1 Library Structure....................................................................................................................................................... 28 16.8.2 How to Create a New Template................................................................................................................................ 29 16.8.3 The Sort Tab ............................................................................................................................................................. 30 16.8.4 The Priorities Tab ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 16.8.5 The Column Tab ....................................................................................................................................................... 33 16.8.6 The Time/Date Tab................................................................................................................................................... 34 16.8.7 The Filter Tab ........................................................................................................................................................... 35 16.8.8 Event List Template Configuration........................................................................................................................... 36 16.9 Alarm and Event Lists ..................................................................................................................................................... 37 16.9.1 Alarm List Configuration.......................................................................................................................................... 37 16.10 External Alarms ............................................................................................................................................................. 39 16.10.1 External Alarm Configuration ................................................................................................................................ 39
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16.10.2 External Alarm Silence ........................................................................................................................................... 40 16.11 Hide Alarms ................................................................................................................................................................... 41 16.12 Alarm Logger (Printer) .................................................................................................................................................. 43 16.12.1 Alarm and Event Logger Configuration.................................................................................................................. 43 16.12.2 Alarm Logger Service ............................................................................................................................................. 44
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16.1.2 Legend
<> | Bold Indicates a key name. Indicates when you go from one menu to a sub-menu. Indicates a menu name or an option in a menu, or file structures Indicates dialog box buttons, tabs, instructions etc. Indicates start/explanation of student activity
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Events They give information regarding changes in the process state and other operational occurrences in the plant. Process events e.g. pressure in the reactor back to normal, etc. Object events e.g. motor was set to manual mode, valve opened, PID-controller set point was changed, etc. Alarms are also presented in the Event List The Event List is the log book that indicates what happened in the plant
Alarms They are a subset of events that alert you to an abnormal process or system state. Process alarms e.g. pressure too high in a reactor, level too high in a tank, etc. Object alarms e.g. motor temperature too high, etc. Alarms need to be acknowledged
NOTE!
All alarms are events, but not all events are alarms.
In general an event is the transition of a Boolean variable from one state to another (False to True or True to False). In an alarm condition, the operator is able to monitor status changes of a certain signal. When such a signal changes value, it causes a change in the alarm condition. The alarm condition also changes if any of the following actions are carried out locally on an alarm: acknowledgement disabling enabling
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Beep!
Aspect Server
Beep!
Workplaces (clients) Client/server Network
3
Connectivity Server
2
Field bus
1
Field devices
1. An alarm limit in the process is exceeded. See later in this section for how to create alarms in control logic. 2. A message is sent from the controller, via the OPC server (Connectivity Server), to the alarm (Aspect) server in the operator station. 3. The alarm is displayed on the Operator Workplace.
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16.2.3 Storage
Alarms All alarms are stored, by default, in the main storage. The Alarm Server is capable to save the 10000 (default) most recent alarms in a circular file but the size can be changed. By clicking the Edit button in the Alarm Storage area you can configure the alarm storage.
You can set the maximum number of alarms which can be stored in the Alarm Manager.
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Events / System Messages The System Message server handles messages from the server, connected systems, and workplace clients. Normally you do not need to alter the defaults of the System Message Server. NOTE! Please refer to the manual for more detailed information.
The two reasons to change the default values for the system message configuration are to increase/decrease the number of stored messages, or make sure the system messages do not overflow the disc.
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This is the most familiar presentation, alarms end events are presented in a list format with one line for each alarm:
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Red blinking
The figure shows that there are alarm indications in the graphic display, and there is an Alarm Line in the application bar at the top of the screen.
Alarm Line The indications in the application bar are the most important because the only alarms visible in a graphic will be the set of tag objects in that graphic. It is very similar to any other alarm list, but it is always on the screen and it only has the latest three alarms in it. The designers of the system can filter this alarm list so that only a selection of the alarms for the system show up if they want to.
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16.3.3 Faceplate
Faceplates have by default an alarm indication and the alarm can be acknowledged.
Alarm indication
The number within the button represents the number of unacknowledged alarms. The color of the button indicates the highest priority alarm that is active in that list. If the button is flashing, at least one alarm is not acknowledged.
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Sorting Columns To sort a column double click on the column header. Repeat this action to reverse the sorting. For example, sorting Source Name once may cause the items in the list to be sorted in alphabetical order (A...Z). Sorting a second time will cause the sorting to be reversed (Z...A). These changes are not remembered. Each time the lists are called up again they will come up as the default order they are configured with. You can also return to this order by clicking the Rest button on the toolbar.
Tool bar
Use the Page Down button to show the next 500 alarms in the list.
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Stop/Start Alarm and Event Updates You can stop or restart list updates using the Stop button.
16.4.1 Navigation
If you double-click on an alarm line in the alarm list the default aspect for the process object/alarm will appear, most common a faceplate.
Context Menu You can right-click on an alarm line in the alarm list to bring up the context menu. By using the context menu you can perform some actions on this alarm line for example acknowledge the selected alarm, silence the audible alarm or add a note.
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Alarms can also be acknowledged in a process graphic display or a faceplate. The following figure shows these options:
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Alarm and event handling also requires time synchronization, in order for time stamps to be reliable when trying to analyze a sequence of events. When an alarm is generated it is time stamped in the controller in which the detector is executing. Time stamping is done to a resolution of 1 ms.
16.5.1 AlarmEventLib
Process alarms are generated by functions blocks or control modules which are defined in AlarmEventLib. These modules will generate an alarm to the OPC server on the rising edge of a boolean input. Alarm text is configured here along with severity (priority).
These are placed in the application within the objects that require alarm monitoring. For example the ValveUniM is defined with an Alarm handling module within it. The user may create alarms by using alarm detectors/generators in a similar manner.
The SimpleEventDetector function block type is also located in the AlarmEventLib. It can be used to generate an event on the rising edge of a boolean input. Settings for severity and class are provided.
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Signal Internal monitored Signal. The parameter Inverted can be used to invert the in signal. SrcName Identifies the alarm source, for example, Motor101. CondName Identifies the alarm condition, for example, Level_High. Name of the source has to be unique together with the condition name. The condition name is normally the name of the alarm condition function block or control module instance. Message Can be used to add a textual description of the alarm condition, for example, temperature low. Severity Indicates the degree of severity, where 1 is the least severe, and 1000 is the most severe level. This parameter is very useful when filtering alarms and events.
AckRule Determines which acknowledgement rule is used. The acknowledgement rule decides the behavior of the alarm condition when an alarm has been created. AckRule = 1 normal handling, alarms must be acknowledged and inactive before the normal state is resumed AckRule = 2 alarms need no acknowledgement AckRule = 3 alarms return to normal state on acknowledgement AckRule = 5 alarms return to normal state when a sum system alarm is acknowledged and returns to its normal state
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Considering the transmission of an alarm up to the client, a simplified diagram is shown below: The first link in the chain is the MMS Server; it handles the subscription to alarms in one or more controllers on the control network.
Client Application: Alarm List Alarm and Event Server
OPC Server
MMS Server
Controller 1
Controller 2
Controller n
The OPC Server is connected to the MMS Server. It is configured in the OPC Panel, in the Alarm and Event Tab:
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The Service Group object points to this provider in its own Service Group Definition. During installation a Service Group (called Basic) and a Service Provider (called Alarm_Manager_Basic <PCName> object is created.
The Configuration Tab of the Service Group Definition aspect points to the Service Provider (The Alarm and Event Server running as part of the 800xA system).
A second Service Group called SoftAlarms is also created. This also has a service provider. Soft Alarms are those generated in the 800xA Server rather than the controllers.
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If the check box Make new alarm entry each time a condition gets active is marked, each inactive to active state change will result in a new alarm. NOTE! For reducing your alarm list please disable this setting.
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5. Select the OPC Server that is your collector (supplier of alarm and event information) under Alarm Server. 6. Click Apply.
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Name uploading can be used to secure unique names for control objects that are embedded in type solutions. NOTE! If there are no unique names, the object name in an alarm list will be presented with a GUID number!
Control Builder
Libraries
Engineering Workplace
Object Type Structure
Valve Valve Tank Tank Valve1 (type Valve) Valve1 Relative name Control Builder Applications myTank Tank Valve1 Valve Name Name
In the example above, the tank contains one or more valves created from other control module object types. When the instance is created it must be given a name such as Valve1. When the Tank control module object type is instantiated several times in the application it will also be possible to name the instance e.g. myTank but the valve will still have the same name! NOTE! The valve can therefore not be identified by a unique name and have its own faceplate.
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The Name Uploader tool solves this problem by going through all objects further down in the Control Structure, looking for Name properties. The Name Uploader then fetches the names via the OPC server so that each object has a system-unique name.
Control Builder
Applications
Engineering Workplace
Control Structure
myTank Tank Valve1 Valve Variables Name = V047 Description = Text Variables Name = P01 Description = Text
Control Structure after Name Upload Control Structure before Name Upload
After running the Name Uploader this will result in unique name and description in the name aspect on the Control Structure instances.
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3. Verify the name changes in the Control Structure. NOTE! The Name Uploader aspect is by default placed on all control networks and on all applications.
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16.8 Configuring Alarm and Event List Template 16.8.1 Library Structure
The appearance of an Alarm and Event List is controlled by an Alarm and Event List Configuration aspect. This is always defined in the Library Structure of the Engineering Workplace:
There are default Alarm and Trend Configurations delivered with the system and they are used if no other configuration is defined. We can also create our own objects by adding a new object from the list as we have done previously, or we can copy an existing object and modify it. NOTE! Copying the defaults to new objects or inserting new templates is the most preferable option.
It is never a very good idea to modify system default objects because in a future revision upgrade our customization could be overwritten. The main philosophy is that all configuration templates shall be in the Library Structure and from there be instantiated to objects. If so, the instantiated aspects will change or update at the same time as the aspect in the Library structure. This reduces the cost of maintenance and secure that all aspects will be updated or changed. The actual Alarm and Event List aspect is then set up to use a particular configuration.
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Now you created your own default plant Alarm and Event template, which you can use now for your Alarm & Event List aspects.
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Whether we use the default templates or we use the newly created object on the in the Library Structure, we will configure it in the same way. For configuration select your project Alarm & Event List Template object in the Library Structure. If you select the Alarm and Event List Configuration aspect of this object then you have access to five different tab cards in the Config View: Sort Priorities Column Time/date Filter
NOTE!
To remove an item from the list, select the blank area in the Sort Criteria area.
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It is not obvious from above figure, but the colors under the heading Unack Text /AckBox Bg are blinking. Of course we can change any of the colors and also change whether they blink or not. The top priority row, 938-1000 maps to Priority 1. If we select that level in our tag for some condition such as the active state of high alarm, then these are the colors that will show up in the alarm list. The text will be in red and the background will be in black. It will be blinking when unacknowledged, and steady when acknowledged. Notice that we can assign background color to each priority, perhaps for readability, and we can also assign a background color to the entire list. This will be the color where there are no alarms.
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Some colors need to be the same in all places, to give the system a user friendly look (for example the background colors). You also want to be able to change these colors in one operation for all occurrences.
Logical color is the concept used in System 800xA to be able to fulfill these needs. A logical color is defined once, and the user of the color refers to it by its name.
Setting Sound Click on the Sound column to preview or associate an individual .WAV file, with each priority and set the duration of the sound: OFF = no sound Momentary = one sound when a new alarm gets active Continuous = a constant sound as long as the alarm is unacknowledged
One important thing to know about this is that these sounds are part of the Alarm List Display. They do not send the tone to the sound card unless the display is on the screen. For this reason, it is important to do one of two things if this form of annunciation will be used: One is to keep a dedicated alarm screen with this alarm list up all the time. Many plants do have one screen that always has the alarm list on it anyway so this is a good plan for them. The other thing is to enable the annunciation from the Alarm Line. We will see in the next section that this is a special Alarm List that stays in one place on the screen all the time.
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Viewable Messages Enter a number, 1 to 500, to set how many messages that shall appear in the list. Setting Order of Columns Move a column either by selecting the Message Field and using the positioning arrows to move the column up (left) or down (right) or drag and drop the column to the proper position within the Message Layout area. Changing Column Header Names Select the row to be changed and then click on the column header name. An edit box will appear where you can change the name. The customized name appears in the column heading. Another way to change the name is to select the row to be changed and then press F2. Changing Column Size Select the row to be changed and then click on the column with. An edit box will appear, in which you can change the size. It is also possible to change the width by dragging the columns to the right size in the Message Layout area.
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Regional differences in the format that people are used to seeing are important because the operators need to react quickly to this information. Use the same time separator as defined in Windows Regional Options, to be able to copy data to other applications such as Excel.
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This tab allows the list to have a defined start and end time or to be simply oldest to newest. It allows a selection of which priority levels to include in the list so that we could define separate lists for different levels. It allows us to have only active and unacknowledged alarms so that when we acknowledge, the alarm disappears or to include acknowledged alarms so that they remain until they are both inactive and acknowledged. These options provide a lot of flexibility. Many users have a strong preference for one or the other of these options and there is no one way that works best for all situations. NOTE! The options Process Section apply to AC400 Connect.
Please note that if you change the Message Type from Process Alarms to Events, or vice versa, categories must be selected.
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Description
Used for condition process events (the event carries information about a condition of the process object, for example, the condition PVLEVEL and the subcondition can be HI_HI). Used for simple process events (does not include any state or condition of the object). Used for acknowledgement of alarms and other kinds of tracking events. Used for Security tracking events. Used to store messages that haven't been defined in the system yet. Used for important events that are not directly related to a process object. Used to log operator interaction. Used by the Service Manager and Services. Used to log administrate actions in the system. This can, for example, be that an aspect system is loaded to the system. Used to log status events regarding hardware. Used to log annotations that have been made by a user. This can be an annotation associated with a process alarm.
AE Simple Event AE Tracking Event Audit Event Default Class/Storage Network Messages Operation Services System Administration
The Priorities tab has all events in a single color because there are no priority levels for events. There are also some differences on the Column tab since we do not need some of the ones that apply to alarms such as the acknowledgement related fields.
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Define an alarm filter in the Alarm filter area: All alarms Allow this aspect to display alarms and events for all objects. Object Alarms Show the alarms and events related to the object the Alarm List aspect belongs to. Object and descendents Show the alarms and events related to the object the Alarm List aspect belongs to and to all its descendents independent of structure. Object and descendents in structure Show the alarms and events related to the object the Alarm List aspect belongs to and to all its descendents in the selected structure. NOTE! Using this option increases CPU load.
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Additional Settings The Config View of an Alarm / Event aspects offers some additional settings. List Title The list title name is displayed in the Alarm Band of the operator workplace. Play Alarm Sounds For getting knowledge about new alarms by a sound. This sound is defined in the alarm template Show Tool Bar Enables the tool bar in the Main View of the Alarm / Event aspect.
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2. Add a new aspect from the context menu and select the External Alarm Configuration. 3. In the External Alarm Configuration dialog box, select the alarm list in the Alarm List drop-down menu.
4. Write the destination output to be used in the Destination text field. The destination can be an alterable OPC property. The syntax for the destination is: <Object:Aspect:Property>. 5. Click Apply.
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It provides an interface in the Engineering Workplace as shown below where we can do that. But since it is an aspect, it can be called up with an Aspect Link in a graphic also.
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NOTE!
To configure the Hiding Mask Manager, refer to the Instruction Manual for more information.
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In fact, it is very similar to an alarm list because it is a special case of an alarm list. There are just several things that are not supported on the printer that are supported in an alarm list. For example, since the alarms print out as they occur, there is no need to sort them so no sort options are supported. Also on the priorities tab, colors and sounds are not supported.
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The next thing is to select the Special Configuration tab of the Service Provider inside the Basic Group. This is where a printer is assigned.
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