Due to the amount of equipment needed for this project, the efficient management of the supply of equipment according to the schedule was key to having the necessary equipment in warehouses, without affecting operations.
Richard Santa
The CFE of Mexico undertook a project to renew the Scada visualization system for 23 monitoring centers nationwide, in which 21 video wall format 4x2, 1 wideo wall format 4x3 and a last video wall format 5x3 were installed, with UniSee monitors model BVD-5521 with its UniSee installation system and with NGP-410 wall controller both of the Barco brand.
For the development of this project, the integrator Pop Media Technology was designated. Engineer Gabriel López, director of the company, told AVI Latin America the details of this integration that led them to travel 17 states of Mexico to execute it.
"The renovation of the visualization system was carried out due to technological obsolescence and damaged equipment. They needed an update that would help operators to have greater vision and control of the SCADA monitoring system and, above all, because it is a critical monitoring area for CFE, operators are required to have the greatest vision of the system in general," he explained.
Evolution of the system
The system previously deployed the content from a central controller, which was the only one that could deploy the Scada System on the video wall and each operator had a console so that operators could access the display system according to their role, according to this operation each operator required additional monitors to be able to deploy and visualize different sales of the systems that each one monitored.
With the new NGP-410 wall controller from Barco offers the versatility of being able to show both the central controller, as well as the option for operators to display information on the video wall from their work console, this flexibility allows each shift to adapt the system to their operating needs.
In addition, Unisee de Barco has a modular system for maintenance and service, where the monitor, video input card and power supply are separated, allowing to replace damaged parts instead of changing the entire monitor. This same system allows to isolate each monitor to provide service without affecting the alignment and without risk that the attached monitors suffer some damage from manipulating them, since it allows a quick decoupling of the monitors, allowing the change of monitor, source or video card in case of any failure.
"This allows CFE to manipulate the video wall after the warranty time for service issues with much more security, since the previous systems (video wall with Orion panels or rear-projection modules) when a computer failed they had to uninstall part of the video wall to be able to make repairs, risking the other equipment when manipulating them, for this, both the structure and the perimeter framework have the functionality of being able to be freed so that the service mechanism works correctly, "said the director of Pop Media.
Implementation during pandemic
One of the most important challenges that this project had to overcome was its implementation in 17 states between June and November 2020, just when the pandemic generated by Covid 19 was advancing and the various measures taken by governments to face it had to be circumvented.
Gabriel López explained that the contract had to be implemented within a period of 150 days to comply with the supply, installation and commissioning of the visualization systems of the 23 zones, being affected the execution times by the Covid-19 pandemic, this implied for us the following:
Supply of video equipment, supply and manufacture installation structure and finishes adapted to each area, installation and configuration of video wall brand UniSee de Barco, integration to the Controller of Muro brand Barco to the SCADA system, training of use, extreme preventive measures against Convid-19 for all personnel, especially the equipment of manufacture of structures, of facilities and on-site engineering.
This involved the following challenges:
Logistical challenge.
• 150-day execution work plan for 23 zones.
• Equipment delivery schedule for each site, one per week considering safety issues during the equipment transfer.
• Transfer of equipment following safety protocols and handling of equipment in accordance with Boat standards.
Engineering Challenge
• Design of universal structure adaptable to each site and that could be transported in any type of cargo van
• The design of the structure had to be considered movable for the issue of service and maintenance for Barco's Unisee system.
Challenge in execution.
• Implementation of the solution in a maximum time of 3 days per site considering delivery and installation logistics
• Set-up and training in 2 days
Advantages of the project
Gabriel López stressed that the client has found 3 important functions in this system very useful: the first is the function of being able to decouple the panels regardless of the location of the desired panel, this to be able to do a maintenance or revision to a specific panel, avoiding the need to uninstall the entire system completely and manipulate them.
The second advantage of this system is that through the UniSee Connect platform, the client will be able to monitor and diagnose the functional status of each monitor, allowing to plan preventive and corrective actions, reducing service times and affecting the client's operation as little as possible.
Finally, through the Sidebar platform, the client gives the operator the freedom to deploy the information they want according to their operating dynamics.
The director of Pop Media Technology concluded that the client is satisfied with the result obtained in each of the 23 zones, since each video wall has been adapted exactly to their installation needs and functionally has been integrated transparently to their systems, without having any complications with the integration with their Scada system and with the only need to know the control system that is a very very intuitive.
"The key to the success of this project was the experience and the use of knowledge and project management tools, since we allocated the necessary time and adequate resources for the correct planning, thus achieving that the execution was carried out in an efficient way. Thanks to the experience of the entire Pop Media team we were again able to conclude with one more successful project, where the client has been satisfied with the implementation and final integration."
