Run Client
3. Close the Derived Tag Editor
Section 5: Alarming (30 – 40 minutes)
About This Section
In this section, you will learn about:
Types of Alarming Systems
o FactoryTalk View SE Alarming (HMI tag alarm system) o FactoryTalk Alarms and Events (centralized alarm monitoring) o HMI Tag Alarm System Configuration
o FactoryTalk Alarms and Events Configuration
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events Objects
o Alarm Banner – design and runtime behavior o Alarm Summary – design and runtime behavior o Alarm Log Viewer – design and runtime behavior o Alarm Status Explorer – design and runtime behavior o Expressions
Device-Based Alarms
Tag-Based Alarms
Alarming
Alarms are an important part of plant control applications because they alert operators when something goes wrong. Often, it is also important to have a record of alarms and whether they were
acknowledged.
FactoryTalk View SE supports the existing traditional HMI tag alarm system and the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events system. The choices you make will depend on factors such as the design of your application, the processes you need to monitor for alarms, the types of devices used in the application, and whether you want to build alarm detection into those devices.
Traditional HMI Tag Alarm System
In FactoryTalk View Studio, you can set up a complete alarm system. At run time, alarm monitoring occurs at the HMI server. If alarms are detected – tag values outside the configured limits - notification is sent to connected FactoryTalk View SE clients, where operators can view and acknowledge the alarms. This is a traditional HMI tag alarm system.
An HMI tag alarm system only detects alarms set up for tags in an HMI server’s tag database. HMI tag alarm detection does not include FactoryTalk alarms. Use a traditional HMI tag alarm system if your application uses HMI tags for other purposes, and you want to monitor these tags for alarms.
FactoryTalk View SE Clients receive HMI tag alarm information by way of the FactoryTalk View SE Servers (also called HMI servers) that contain the HMI tags.
HMI tag alarm data is not managed by FactoryTalk Alarms and Events services. To monitor and
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System
The FactoryTalk Alarms and Events Services centralize the distribution of device-based and tag-based alarm data to run-time clients, through FactoryTalk alarm servers that you add to a FactoryTalk View SE application.
device-based alarms, set up by programming alarm detection instructions directly into Logix5000 controllers. FactoryTalk View SE Clients receive device-based alarms by way of Rockwell
Automation Device Servers (RSLinx Enterprise) that you add to a FactoryTalk View SE application.
tag-based alarms, set up to specify alarm conditions for tags in older programmable controllers (PLC-5 or SLC 500), in third-party devices communicating through OPC data servers, or in an HMI server’s tag database (HMI tags). FactoryTalk View SE Clients receive tag-based alarms by way of FactoryTalk Tag Alarm and Event Servers that you add to a FactoryTalk View SE application.
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events
Provides a single, integrated set of alarm information. All participating FactoryTalk products work together to provide a consistent way to define, manage, log, and view alarm and event information across a FactoryTalk application.
Streamlines alarm programming and eliminates polling with device-based alarm monitoring. If your automation system includes Logix5000 controllers, you can use pre-built alarm instructions,
available in RSLogix 5000 v. 16 or later, to simplify coding, and then download to the controller.
Device-based alarm monitoring eliminates the need for duplicating alarm tags in an HMI server and requires fewer controller communication resources by eliminating polling.
Allows other controllers to participate in the integrated system with tag-based alarm monitoring. If your automation system includes older controllers, such as PLC-5s or SLC 500s, or if you prefer not to use the new alarm instructions with Logix5000 controllers, software-based tag servers monitor controllers for alarm conditions and publish event information.
Allows monitoring alarms and events from third-party controllers. Tag-based alarm monitoring also makes it possible to monitor alarm conditions from third-party controllers, which communicate through OPC-DA servers.
Provides accurate time stamps on alarm conditions that are generated from Logix5000 controllers using device-based alarm monitoring. With device-based alarm monitoring, time stamps are applied immediately in the controller and are not delayed until alarms reach an HMI server. To ensure accurate time stamps on device-based alarms, synchronize the clocks of all controllers that produce alarms. The event time is propagated throughout the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events system, so inaccurate time stamps can affect where alarms are displayed in the Alarm and Event Summary or the Alarm and Event Banner as well as reports about the alarm and event history. The Logix5000 Clock Update Tool which is included with RSLogix 5000 can be used to accomplish this
synchronization.
Sends process data with events and messages. You can associate up to four tags with each alarm to include process data with event information and alarm messages.
Secures access to alarm and event operations through integration with FactoryTalk Security.
Generates messages for logging, including audit messages that track operator actions, system-related diagnostic messages, and historical alarm and event messages.
Displays alarm messages and status information during run time, from FactoryTalk View graphic displays.
Configuration
FactoryTalk Administration Console, FactoryTalk View Administration Console, and FactoryTalk View Studio support configuration of the alarming systems. Both the FactoryTalk Administration Console and FactoryTalk View Administration console have limitations on what can be configured. Neither of these consoles will allow you to create, configure, and test HMI Displays.
FactoryTalk View SE supports the existing HMI tag alarm system and the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events system. Configuration for both of these alarming systems is fully supported from within FactoryTalk View Studio.
The comparison chart on the next page shows which alarming tasks can be performed from within each user interface.
FactoryTalk
Create and configure application, area, and data server elements in a FactoryTalk Directory.
Yes Yes Yes
Create and configure alarm and event servers, including both tag-based and device-based servers.
Yes Yes Yes
Configure alarm conditions for tag-based alarm detection. Yes Yes Yes
Import and export for tag-based alarms. Yes Yes Yes
Create database definitions for logging historical alarm and event messages.
Yes Yes Yes
Organize securable actions into groups. Yes Yes Yes
View and manage alarm states (e.g., suppress,
unsuppress, disable, and enable). Note: This is done by running the Alarm Status Explorer in Test Display mode.
No No Yes
Create and configure displays with alarm objects (Banner, Summary, Log Viewer, Status Explorer).
No No Yes
Test displays with alarm objects. No No Yes
HMI Tag Alarm System
Configure the alarm setup (e.g., maximum update rate, whether an alarm will be generated when tag value is approaching normal range, and how printing and logging are handled with redundancy enabled).
No Yes Yes
Configure the alarm log set up. No Yes Yes
Import and export for HMI alarm tags. No Yes Yes
Configure alarm tags and conditions for the alarms. No No Yes Suppress, unsuppress, and view suppressed alarms. No Yes Yes
View alarm logs. No Yes Yes
Create and configure displays with Tag Alarm Summary object.
No No Yes
Test displays with Tag Alarm Summary object (Note: this can only be done in FactoryTalk View Client).
No No No
HMI Tag Alarm System Configuration
The FactoryTalk View Studio objects for the HMI Tag Alarm System are located here:
HMI Alarm Tags are created using the HMI Tag Editor or using the Tag Import Export Wizard. The HMI Tag Editor is invoked from the Explorer by double-clicking on the Tags icon under the HMI Tags Folder.
The HMI Tag Alarm Summary object can be added to a display by selecting the Objects >
Advanced > HMI Tag Alarm Summary menu item.
or by selecting the HMI Tag Alarm Summary button on the tool menu
Library objects are located in HMI Tag Alarm Information library display
HMI Tag Alarm Log Setup, HMI Tag Alarm Log Viewer, and Tag Import and Export Wizard are located under the Tools menu:
FactoryTalk Alarms and Events Configuration
The FactoryTalk View Studio objects for the FactoryTalk Alarms and Events System are located here:
Device-based alarms are configured in the control program and enabled in the Rockwell
Automation Device Server (RSLinx Enterprise). This was done in Section 1 – Add a data server.
Tag Alarm and Event Server can be added to the application by right-clicking on the application and selecting the Add New Server > Tag Alarm and Event Server… context menu item.
Tag based alarms can be created and configured with the Alarm and Event Setup Editor by double-clicking on the Alarm and Event Setup icon under the Alarm and Event Tag Server in the Explorer.
or tag based alarms can be imported and exported by right-clicking on the Tag Alarm and Event Server and selecting the Import and Export context menu item.
Banner, Summary, Log Viewer, and Status Explorer are located under Objects > Alarm and Event > Banner, Summary, Log Viewer, and Status Explorer
or by selecting the button for the object on the Tool menu
Library objects are located in the Alarm and Event library display