Efficient analysis and display of OPC-UA events and alarms

Raphaela Brückl

28/08/2023

In the world of industrial processes, alarms play a crucial role in the smooth operation and safety of various systems. With Autonoma's digital customer platform, alarms can be actively received via OPC-UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture).

What is OPC-UA?

OPC-UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) is a communication protocol between machines that is widely used in industrial automation. It enables secure and reliable data exchange between devices, systems and applications and facilitates compatibility and seamless integration in industrial environments.

Alarms in industrial processes

Alarms serve as important indicators of unusual events in industrial processes. They provide information about potential problems that require attention or immediate action. By actively receiving alarms via OPC-UA, operators gain real-time insight into the status of the system and can respond immediately, minimizing downtime and increasing operational efficiency.

Visualisation of messages

Alarms are triggered based on specific events, such as a machine emergency stop or a faulty sensor. Each time an alarm is triggered, it must be acknowledged manually. The duration and frequency of these messages provide valuable information about system behavior and potential problems.

To evaluate the messages, a diagram is created where the x-axis represents the duration of the notifications and the y-axis the frequency of the notifications. By plotting the alarms on this graph, patterns, trends or anomalies can be identified. Alarms with the largest area therefore also have the most significant impact on the operation of the plant.

Error Chart

An intuitive visual correlation display allows operators to see at a glance the distribution of alarms over time. This allows them to quickly determine whether certain periods are particularly alarm-intensive or whether certain patterns or deviations are occurring. This visual representation facilitates the identification of critical events and the targeted analysis of system behavior.

In addition, visualization can also be used to monitor and improve system performance. By tracking the number and duration of messages in the diagram, operators can identify trends that indicate possible bottlenecks or inefficient processes. This allows targeted optimization measures to be taken to increase operational efficiency and reduce downtime.

Optimization Board

In order to be able to make tailored evaluations, several reports with predefined filters of errors can be created. This way, warning messages or general information can be hidden.

For perfect integration into everyday life, evaluations can be sent monthly by email.

Error code translations and alarm text generation

If an error or malfunction occurs, these are often output in industrial systems with error codes that must be translated into meaningful and understandable information.
Error codes are usually numerical representations of specific errors or problems in industrial systems. Translating these error codes into readable alarm text helps users understand the nature of the issue at a glance so that they can respond appropriately and efficiently.

To facilitate the translation of error codes, error code lists can be imported into the Autonoma app. These lists contain mappings between the fault codes and the corresponding alarm texts and provide a convenient reference for creating meaningful messages. Optionally, criticalities can also be stored.

In addition to importing, error messages can be created by drag-and-drop. In this case, the texts are assembled and saved with the help of a modular system.

Summary

The active reception of alarms via OPC-UA brings considerable advantages for industrial processes, as critical events become visible in real time. By configuring managed processes and using OPC-UA capabilities, operators can stay informed and respond immediately to alarms, improving operational efficiency and minimizing downtime. In addition, analyzing the alarms generated by the controller in a graph helps to identify patterns and trends, enabling proactive measures to optimize system performance. Effective fault code translations improve understanding of alarms and enable operators to act quickly and appropriately.

Error Overview

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