Beacon Light Service for Simatic WinCC
The SCADA system Simatic WinCC shows alarms that occur by default 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 Runtime is active.
The “Beacon Light Service” application uses Central Signaling Device tags to indicate alarm colors in the light tower. A Central Signaling Device tag is called a CSD tag, and is explained in the following:
In the WinCC alarm configuration module, a CSD tag is attached to the individual alarm message types. A CSD tag is a binary tag in WinCC that can assume the values 0 or 1. When an alarm belonging to a Message type is active, the corresponding CSD tag will assume the value 1. A CSD tag is reset when all alarms belonging to the Message type has been acknowledged. However, the configurator of the alarm system can choose that it is only the operator who must manually reset the associated CSD tags.
In the "Beacon Light Service" application, a correlation is configured between the colors of the light tower and the CSD 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 a CSD tag can be replaced with any binary tag from the WinCC configuration. 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 V7.5 or above
- The application can be run on a WinCC Server, WinCC Standalone or WinCC Client PC.
Price
Current sales prices per. September 1, 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.