Beacon Light Service for Simatic WinCC Unified
By default the SCADA system Simatic WinCC Unified RT shows alarms that occur on the screen in an alarm control. System operators often have a need to receive alarm notifications using light indication, possibly with different color display. The Beacon Light Service gives, in a simple and clear way, the operators the opportunity to get alarm indication with different color display, on a light tower with up to 5 different colors.
Method of operation
Swappcon ApS has developed "Beacon Light Service" as an external service application that always runs in the background when WinCC Unified RT is active.
The “Beacon Light Service” application uses up to 5 binary tags to indicate alarm colors in the beacon. It is the responsibility of the WinCC configurator to ensure a connection between the desired alarms and the associated binary tags in WinCC. This can e.g. realized using scripting in the WinCC configuration module.
In the "Beacon Light Service" application, a correlation is configured between the colors of the light tower and the binary tags used. The configuration is done using a simple setup application. When the application is configured and the "Beacon Light Service" application is started the 1st time, the user does not need to worry about the application anymore. It will automatically be active when WinCC Runtime is active, and automatically start up as a service when Windows is restarted.
Alternative use
Although the "Beacon Light Service" application has been developed for the purpose of indicating alarm display, it can also be used in other contexts. The application associates a binary tag with a certain color in the light tower, and therefore any binary tag from the WinCC configuration can be used. Important automation processes or information can thus be indicated using a light signal, if these can be associated with a binary tag in WinCC.
The “Beacon Light Service” application offers the following options:
- Display of up to 5 different alarm indication colors in the light tower.
- Standard delivery of light tower with USB connection (plug'n'play).
- Standard delivery of light tower with 3 alarm indication colors (red, yellow and green).
- Type: Patlite LR6-USB
- Hardware purchase of 2 extra light tower colors (white, blue).
- Link: White/Blue
Software requirements
- Simatic WinCC Unified RT V16 or above.
Price
Current sales prices per. 1. november 2023:
- Installation package, incl. 3-color light tower for 1 WinCC PC: 1240 € excl. VAT
User manual
User manual can be downloaded via this link…Download section.
More info
For further information, please contact Swappcon ApS by email: cgr@swappcon.dk, mobile: +45 29678332.