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No Audible Alarm in PCS 7

Created by: Import-User-1 at: 1/22/2007 5:52 PM (7 Replies)

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1/22/2007 5:52 PM

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Import-User-1

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Imported from Process Automation User Connection, Talk to Other Process Users Forum.

Jill M Harriswrote:

Does anyone have a nice audible alarm solution for PCS 7? As I understand it, this is not an out-of-the-box feature of the system.

Our plant culture requires audible alarms. In my experience on OSx and our other process control platforms, this feature was always a no-brainer.

1/22/2007 5:54 PM

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Import-User-2

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Steve R Lovellwrote:

Although audible alarm is not a standard feature for PCS7 it is a "no-brainer" (as long as you have a good solutions provider like CCA to show you how).

Siemens likes to push their signal module as an audible/visual annunciation solution. This is a PCI card with 3 relays that can be used to control a horn, beacon, strobe light, etc. This control of this card is integrated in a PCS7-OS. Using the Alarm Logging Wizard you can assign each message class to one of the 3 relay controls. These relay controls are tied directly to 3 internal tags in a PCS7-OS: @Signal1, @Signal2, and @Signal3. When a new alarm comes in one of these tags turns on (depending on how you assign message classes in the Alarm Logging Wizard). There is a silence horn button on the PCS7 runtime toolbars that simply turns @Signal1-3 back off.

With this explanation behind us let me explain a simple solution we are using in the Water Softeners project at Eastman. I wrote a global action script (that just means a script that is triggered on a timed event or change in state of a tag) that is tied to @Signal1 - @Signal3. Whenever one of these three tags changes from 0->1 OR 1->0 the script runs. This script calls a function from the Windows API to play a .wav file over and over until the silence horn button is pressed. To get this working with any PCS7 project you just need to copy my script file into the \PAS\ directory of your OS and edit the script to define which 3 .wav files to play for @Signal1 - @Signal3.

This gives you more functionality than with PCS-OSx because you can have Alarm class messages (critical) play one .wav, Warning class messages play another .wav file, and use the third .wav (controlled by @Signal3) to alert operators of action requests.

Anyone interested in this script can send me an email at slovell@cca-corp.com, and I will send it out

1/22/2007 5:56 PM

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Import-User-2

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John Elderwrote:

There is an alarm card in PCS7. Part Number : 6DS1 916-8RR. There is also a connecting cable: Part Number: 6XV2 175-8AH30. Both parts are listed in the STPCS7 catalog.

1/22/2007 5:57 PM

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Import-User-2

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Jeff Winbornwrote:

The alarm card mentioned is for an external horn. If you want something similar to the PCS7 OSx, Siemens does sell a WinCC add-on that will play .wav files triggered by alarm messages. You can even configure different sounds based on alarm priority.

Of course, event-triggered global scripts that play .wav files can also be written by the programmer.

Last edited by: Import-User-2 at: 1/23/2007 5:16 PM

1/22/2007 5:58 PM

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Import-User-2

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Ed Melowrote:

I think that any modern DCS system should have the ability to perform a basic function such as sounding an alarm hornbuilt into the system rather than requiring the users to purchase an add-on or program the function.

My two cents.

1/22/2007 5:59 PM

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Import-User-2

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Olan Athertonwrote:

This function is now a built-in feature with Ver 6.0 of PCS7, the Horn Editor withing WinCC Explorer now provides this functionality as well as the ability to drive real I/O if desired. The standard Ack buttons will silence the horn once alarm is acknowledged, but there is no silence without acknowledge functionality built in. This functionality can drive both real I/O and wav files simultaneously if desired.

1/22/2007 6:01 PM

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Import-User-2

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David Parkswrote:

Let me also add that the Horn Editor in Version 6 also allows the user to play different WAV files or write to a different tag depending on the alarm class and priority level. I have used it with my current project, it is very easy to configure, and works well.

1/22/2007 6:18 PM

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Import-User-2

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Jonathan Plummerwrote:

Worked well for me for a while too. Then it broke, and I cannot seem to get it working again. Only plays the sound for "Process" alarms, not Alarms or Warnings. Anyone else encountered this?

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