IMAC Xpert
Sophisticated Alarm Analysis
IMAC Xpert extracts the alarm system’s Key Performance
Indicators which are crucial to understanding, refining but most importantly
reducing alarms. The system connects to IMAC Sentinel to give detailed
reporting and analysis. IMAC Xpert provides numerous condition based monitoring
functions which show you exactly what is happening on plant, all in real time.
Key Features
• Real time frequency analysis and alarm rates monitor.
• Dynamic alarm suppression.
• Symptomatic alarm analysis.
• Automatic web based reports.
• Plant equipment run time totalises.
• Critical condition alerts via SMS text, email, voice and SNMP.
• Key Performance Indicators based on EEMUA 191 guidelines:
• Standing alarms.
• Chattering alarms.
• Operator intervention ratios.
• Alarm initiation and rectification rates.
• Alarm frequency monitor.
• Time between events e.g. valve stroke times.
• Pattern recognition.
• Parent/Child alarm association.
IMAC Xpert’s client/server architecture allows it to be easily deployed around
your network. KPI reports are designed for the web allowing it to be uploaded
to your company’s intranet.
Screenshots
IMAC Xpert Functionality
IMAC Xpert provides standard EEMUA compliant reports in addition to multiple
custom reports and a vast array of other standard features.
Reports run automatically, daily, weekly, monthly or on a shift
basis.
They include:
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Standing Alarms
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A high level of standing alarms can have a detrimental affect on
the performance of the DCS and the operator.
The average and peak number of standing alarms are recorded and
presented graphically over any time period.
Operators can be alerted if a particular DCS alarm has been
standing for longer than say 10 minutes.
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Alarm Initiation Rate
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The rate at which alarms are initiated determines the operator’s
ability to take suitable action within an appropriate timeframe.
Average and peak number of alarms raised are recorded and
presented graphically.
Again operators can be alerted if the alarm rate exceeds a
preset limit of say ten alarms in 10 minutes.
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Individual Alarm Initiation Rate
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Individual alarms that are raised on a regular basis can have a
significant effect on the alarm management system, by distracting the operator
and potentially flooding the system with alarms.
The most frequent alarms, including the number of times they are
raised are presented graphically.
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Alarm Rectification Rate
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An effective alarm management system raises alarms when
associated action is required. Under normal circumstances the alarm condition
should be rectified within a reasonable timeframe. However, this is less likely
to be the case under plant upset conditions.
For alarms that are rectified during the selected time period,
the longest and average times between an alarm being raised and it being
cleared are recorded and displayed.
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Individual Alarm Rectification Rate
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Individual Alarm Rectifications Rates records the alarms which
took the longest time to rectify.
A list of alarms and the maximum time they took to change from
an alarm state to a clear state are recorded and displayed graphically.
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Additional Standard Features
IMAC Xpert is not just designed to produce key performance indicators, its
unique feature packed user interface provides additional functionality
including:
• Pattern recognition.
• Parent/Child alarm associations.
• Real time frequency analysis and alarm rates.
• Standing alarm monitors.
• Alarm frequency monitors.
• Critical alarm pages.
Pattern Recognition
Alerts operators when a certain sequence of alarm and events are received. For
example, alert if alarms A, B and C are detected within 2 minutes of each
other. This can be very useful in informing operators to the likely cause of a
plant disturbance as the initial problem is sometimes masked by the associated
alarm shower.
Parent/Child Alarm Associations
IMAC Xpert will search back for up-to 50 occurrences of a particular alarm. It
will then look at the alarms and events before and after each occurrence and
compile a list showing the percentage of common alarms that occurred before and
after the selected message. This function allows you to see what alarms and
events are associated with each other in an alarm shower.
For example, ‘Gas Turbine’ trips 6 times in 2 months. IMAC Xpert
detects that 90% of the time the turbine trips it is immediately preceded by
‘Low Gas Inlet Pressure’.
Graphical Representation
A wide variety of graphs can be produced which represent the frequency of an
alarm or event over a specified time range. Graph Trends can also be configured
which take automatic snapshots of the frequency of an alarm, say every 10
minutes and displays the history over a set number of points. All graphs can be
printed and exported.
IMAC Xpert is designed to provide comprehensive analysis, simply -
automatically - with minimal effort for maximum effect.
Contact us at sales@ics-ltd.co.uk
to arrange a demonstration or contact our developers for technical discussions
at imac-technical@ics-ltd.co.uk
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