Prompt Response to SCADA Alarms a Big Challenge
A GE iFIX HMI/SCADA interfaces with a PLC-based system to monitor the primary refrigeration system at the ice cream freezing plant, watching for and triggering temperature alarms across all stages of production.
Some alarms are capable of shutting down the spiral freezers, hardening tunnels, or cold storage areas, so immediate response is crucial. In the worst-case scenario, an unacknowledged issue could cause the engine room to shut down, forcing the production line to halt. This could cause catastrophic loss of raw ingredients such as cream and egg yolks, variegates and particulates.
Promptly informing refrigeration technicians of these alarms was a big challenge. Before SmartSights WIN-911, alarms had to be acknowledged at the HMI console. If a technician was busy in another part of the plant or offsite, they would need to return to the console to acknowledge and address the alarm, which took up to an hour. What’s worse, all alarms received the same generic notification—so determining severity, cause, and location took even more time—and created the added risk of a production shutdown.
Mobile Alerts Cuts Tech Response Time by More than Half
“We’re importing our existing tags—that’s what is great about WIN-911, you can just import your alarm tags and don’t have to recreate your alarms—it’s easy to make the transition.”
Al Olivares
IT Lead,
Nestlé
A Fast, Easy Transition to Mobile
Alarm Notifications
Nestlé’s software integrator Astec Solutions recommended WIN-911 as an upgrade for their alarm response and distribution system. “WIN-911 is compatible with a wide range of HMI-SCADA platforms, including Nestlé’s existing HMI, GE iFIX Proficy,” said an Astec spokesperson. “WIN-911 is easy to install, import existing alarm tags, configure alarm escalation protocols, and begin implementation. And they offer guidance throughout the installation process, making the transition simple and non-disruptive.”
That opinion was echoed by Al Olivares, Nestlé’s onsite IT lead. “We’re importing our existing tags—that’s what is great about WIN-911, you can just import your alarm tags and don’t have to recreate your alarms—it’s easy to make the transition.”
One new feature Nestlé liked was the ability to design a notification workflow; WIN-911 alarms are now tailored for a more efficient notification process that sends immediate notice to the right refrigeration techs on duty.
Following the implementation of WIN-911 alarm notifications via mobile text, average alarm response times were successfully reduced up to 60%.
The Results
With SmartSights WIN-911 mobile solution, Nestlé’s refrigeration techs can now acknowledge and respond to an alarm as soon as it is triggered, even when they are offsite. By using the same alarm structure and taking advantage of the mobile alert capabilities of WIN-911, the Nestlé ice cream freezing facility streamlined their operations, minimized downtime, and dramatically reduced technician response time.
