iFIX iPower

Product Overview
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Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 3
2 IPOWER OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................. 4
3 NAVIGATION ........................................................................................................................................... 6
4 DEVICE DISPLAYS ..................................................................................................................................... 7
5 OBJECT DISPLAYS ................................................................................................................................... 10
6 ATTRIBUTE INDICATORS ......................................................................................................................... 11
7 OPERATOR CONTROL ............................................................................................................................. 13
8 CONTROL TAG-OUT / LOCK-OUT ............................................................................................................. 15
9 INFORMATION TAG ................................................................................................................................ 16
10 MANUAL OVERWRITE ............................................................................................................................ 17
11 ALARM MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................................................... 18
12 EVENTS .................................................................................................................................................. 19
13 DATA DISPLAY ....................................................................................................................................... 21
14 NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 22
15 IPOWER LISTS ........................................................................................................................................ 23
OPERATE FROM LISTS .................................................................................................................................................... 23
16 SYSTEM STRUCTURE & AUTOMATED CONFIGURATION ............................................................................ 24
STRUCTURED BLOCK NAMING ......................................................................................................................................... 24
AUTOMATED OBJECT CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................................................. 25
AUTOMATIC AUXILIARY SCREEN POPULATION .................................................................................................................... 26
AUTOMATIC DEVICE DISPLAY POPULATION ........................................................................................................................ 27
AUTOMATIC DIALOG POPULATION ................................................................................................................................... 28
AUTOMATIC LIST FILTERING ............................................................................................................................................ 29
MENU CONFIGURATION ................................................................................................................................................ 30
LIST CONFIGURATION .................................................................................................................................................... 31
17 MISCELLANEOUS .................................................................................................................................... 32
SCREEN CONTROL & RIGHT CLICK MENU........................................................................................................................ 32
DATABASE PERMANENCE ............................................................................................................................................... 32

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1 Introduction

iPower is a fully productized software application, tightly integrated with Proficy iFIX. It is
developed by Catapult Software, and sold and supported internationally by GE Intelligent
Platforms, a division of GE Energy Management.

iPower delivers all the power and flexibility provided by the Proficy iFIX architecture. Users can
extend their iFIX iPower system by integrating any of the applications within the Proficy family:
historian, analysis, workflow, web and mobile services. iPower customers benefit from the
ongoing developments of iPower, plus Proficy iFIX SCADA and other Proficy products through
ongoing releases by GE Intelligent Platforms.

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2 iPower Overview

A Consistent and intuitive HMI experience

• Navigation
• Monitoring
• Operations

Safe and secure operation

• Select before operate controls
• Simultaneous control prevention
• Control timeout
• Control fail alarm
• Control tag-out / lockout
• Unusual condition warnings
• Manual overwrite (Local Force)

Operator information
• Alarm, event, display, record, report
• Operator notes and messages

Alarms
• Acknowledge all alarms on a picture
• Acknowledge one alarm
• Alarm disable/enable
• Mute alarm horn
• Disabled alarms list
• Online alarm limit setting
• Off-normal summary

Events
• A permanent record of activity
• Search, Report, Export
• Sequence of Events

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Data Display
• Display current values and attributes for iFIX database blocks

Summaries
• Manual Overwrite list
• Control tags list
• Information tags list
• Off-normal list
• Notes list
• Disabled alarms list
• Customized lists

Low deployment & maintenance costs

Automated configuration:
- Intelligent dynamos and automated picture generation
- Automated replication of complex devices
- Automated navigation configuration

Extensible, flexible, evergreen

• Grow from single computer, to multi-computer distributed, server-client systems
• Build complimentary services: historian, analysis, workflow, web and mobile services
• Avoid obsolescence with technology-matched Globalcare updates

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3 Navigation

A complete navigation system

• Visual, familiar, intuitive
• Highly user-configurable
• Low deployment cost, low maintenance cost

Browser-like navigation
Back Return to the last picture (or older, from the list of previous pictures)
Forward Go to the next picture (or other in the list of later opened pictures)
Home Display the home picture (typically also the start-up picture)
Favorites Each Operator can save their own favorite picture(s)
This completely configurable menu system lets users organize structured access to pictures,
standard iFIX and iPower functions.

Security
Menu supports iFIX security. Only permitted commands are visible in the menu and available to
the logged-on user. Security can be applied to both buttons and/or sub-menus.

Automatic inclusion of new pictures

Menu provides automatic inclusion of new iFIX pictures into user-defined locations in the menu
system. Examples:
*trends = will include all iFIX pictures with name ending in trends.
*_sub = will include all iFIX pictures with name ending in sub(station)

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4 Device displays

iPower device display pop-ups provide an intuitive and consistent user experience:

• For any device, from any manufacturer, for any industry

• Easy, intuitive access to detailed information
• Can include a wide-range of device specific information:
- Alarms, events, data, trends and other SCADA information
- Drawings, diagrams, manuals, photos and other images or documents about the
device.
• Tab number, location, function, content, look and feel is all configurable
• Highly automated, low-cost configuration of database and graphics

As these examples show, the default view is usually a conventional graphic, or a device
faceplate, that provides commonly-required monitoring and control facilities:

Generator example UPS example

Multilin relay faceplate example

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Users click the tabs to display extensive device information. Tab function and content is entirely
configurable. This example shows:

Overview: Main graphic for monitoring & operations

Alarms: SCADA alarms from this generator
Events: SCADA events for this generator
Data: SCADA current values and data attributes for all iFIX blocks in this generator
Trends: Trend(s) of SCADA blocks within the device as required
Notes: Operator notes for this generator
Power quality display for this generator
Functional Diagram for this generator

Clicking on any dynamic element of any display, or any row in an iPower list, in any of the tabs,
will display the appropriate iPower dialog for operations:

Control dialog example Alarm dialog example

Device displays are easily produced using existing or new iFIX graphics, along with iPower
facilities such as lists and dialogs. Once created, iPower enables their replication without
manual reconfiguration, greatly accelerating system implementation.

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*Device displays are available in iFIX iPower 5.8

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5 Object displays

• A consistent user experience for common objects

• Deliver comprehensive information, while retaining clarity and simplicity.
• Highly automated, low-cost configuration

Circuit Breaker example Transformer example

• Breaker status & control • Tap status and raise/lower control
• Phase current values • MW and MVar readings

with… Auxiliary data display for values & attributes of every block in the object:

and… Pop-up dialogs for operator control/interaction for every block in the device:

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6 Attribute Indicators

Attribute indicator lights show the presence of:

• Control Tags (one or many)

• Information Tags (one or many)
• Alarm Disabled
• Manual Overwrite in place

*Configurable look and feel:

• Font, size, weight, style, font color, background color
• Indicator shape: Circle, ellipse, square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, octagon…
• Indicator width, height
• Multiple indicator spacing, orientation (horizontal / vertical)

Fig: Indicator examples

*Tool-tips display more information when you mouse over an indicator:

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*Available in iFIX iPower 5.8

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7 Operator Control

iPower provides a complete environment for safe and efficient operator control, making it ideal
for operator-intensive SCADA applications. No programming or special configuration is required
to deliver the following functionality:

Control Dialog
Click on a device to pop-up a control dialog that is specific to that type of device. The operator is
presented with a clear and consistent control interface.

Select Before Operate

The Operate button is only highlighted once a specific control command has been chosen,
reducing the chance of accidental control.

Check Before Operate

“Are you sure” prompts operators for a last check before issuing a control. This final check can
be disabled for those that don’t require the extra safety step.

Alarm Control Failures

An alarm is raised if a control fails to complete after a user-defined time.

Suppress Alarms for Operator-initiated Changes

Prevents the generation of spurious alarms, when an operator deliberately controls a device to
a normally alarmed state. An example is tripping a circuit breaker open.

Simultaneous Control Prevention

Once the first operator opens the control dialog, any other operators trying to do the same are
advised who has control of the device and on which workstation. This prevents multiple users
on different computers from controlling the same device at the same time.

Dialog Timeout
The control dialog automatically closes if idle for a user-defined time. This releases the device
for control by other operators, thereby preventing any unintentional disabling of control.

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8 Control Tag-out / Lock-out

A control tag is a software lock, applied by operators, that prevents operation of a device.

• Prevents both manual (operator) controls and controls initiated by SCADA automation
• Attempts to control a tagged device cause the tag information to be displayed
• Operators select from up to 50 user-defined control tag types when tagging a device
• Users can define their default tag type
• Operators can add a free-format, unlimited-length tag reason message
• Tag presence is shown by Attribute Indicators
• Adding and removing tags is recorded in the Events list
• Control Tag List displays all tags in a system
• View / remove tags from any display of the block, or from Control Tag lists
• *Control Tag list in a Device display, only displays Control Tags for that single device

*Available in iFIX iPower 5.8

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9 Information Tag

An information tag provides an advisory or warning to Operators. When an operator clicks on a

block, any information tags are displayed to the Operator, before the Operator can control the
device. That is, the Information Tag acts as a pre-control warning, typically of an unusual
condition. However unlike a control tag, an information tag does not prevent the operator
completing the control.

• Attempts to control a tagged device cause the Information Tag to be displayed

• Both Information Tags and Control Tags can be applied to one device.
• When both tag types are present, the Control Tag text message is displayed in preference to
the Information Tag message.
• Operators select from up to 50 user-defined Information Tag types when tagging a device
• Users can define their default tag type
• Operators can add a free-format, unlimited-length tag reason messages
• Tag presence is shown by Attribute Indicators
• Adding and removing tags is recorded in the Events list
• The Information Tag list displays all tags in a system
• *An Information Tag list in a Device display only displays Information Tags for that device
• View / remove tags from any display of the block, or from Information Tag lists

*Available in iFIX iPower 5.8 and later

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10 Manual Overwrite

Manual Overwrite enables operators to write a current value for a block into the SCADA
database, and have the SCADA ignore telemetered readings for that block. It is typically used
when a transducer is not yet installed, is faulty, or has been removed for servicing. Manual
Overwrite is also known as ‘Local Force’

Fig: Operator dialog for Manual Overwrite

• Manual Overwrite is available for both analog and single-bit digital values
• Manual Overwrite presence is shown by Attribute Indicators
• Manual Overwrite values are displayed in an identifiable Manual Overwrite color
• Adding and removing a Manual Overwrite is recorded in the Events list
• Manual Overwrite List displays all blocks in a system where a Manual Overwrite is in place
• Operators can view / remove Manual Overwrite blocks from any display of the block or from
the Manual Overwrite list
• *A Device Manual Overwrite list displays manually overwritten blocks in that single device

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11 Alarm Management

iPower enhances core iFIX alarm processing with:

• Acknowledge a single alarm
• Acknowledge all alarms in the current picture
• Silence the alarm horn
• Change alarm limits
• Permanently record the reason for changing alarm limits
• Disable / enable alarms
• Permanently record the reason for disabling an alarm
• “Off-Normal” List: All blocks not in their normal state, regardless of alarm conditions

*iPower Alarms list

The iPower alarms list provides consistency with other iPower lists, and includes features like:

• Click & drag column sizing

• Click & drag column positioning
• A>Z / Z>A column soft
• Advanced sort
• Configuration-time filters
• Simple and advanced run-time filters
*Available in iFIX iPower 5.8

Fig: Analog Alarm Tab: To change alarm limits, acknowledge an alarm, disable/enable an alarm

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12 Events

iPower provides a comprehensive and permanent event recording system. It provides

recording, display, filtering, exporting and printing of system and operator activity, including:

• Alarms
• Non-alarm changes of state
• Sequence of Events (SOEs)
• Operator actions:
- Control
- Interlock acceptance
- Control & Information Tag, apply & remove
- Apply & remove Manual Overwrite
- Add Note
• Operator comments about SCADA events
• Operator event messages

List Features
• Click & drag column sizing
• Click & drag column positioning
• Configuration-time filters
• Advanced run-time filters
• Seamless scroll into history
• Jump to history using filters
• User-defined file duration to optimize
list performance

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13 Data Display

The data display provides the current value and attributes of iFIX database blocks, without
requiring any graphics configuration. Click on a row in the display to pop-up the iPower
operator dialog for that block, a useful end-to-end testing / commissioning capability.
• Current values
• Block Attributes
• Operations

Alarm status by color

Current values / current states

Block Attributes:
• Control Tag(s)
• Information Tag(s)
• Manual Overwrite
• Alarm Disabled

Fig: Real-time data display

Click a row for the operator dialog

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14 Notes

iPower Notes facilitates operators sharing information about devices or locations. iPower can
be configured to automatically provide a unique note for each main device (say a pump or a
transformer). Notes can also be added to pictures, so adding a note to a substation/pump-
station picture provides a note about that substation/pump-station.

Features
• Per device, e.g. circuit breaker, pump, generator, motor, transformer
• Per picture, e.g. substation picture, pump station-picture, well-head picture
• A Secure text editor, Notes does not provide access to computer hard drives through ‘Save
‘As’
• Automatic Notes history: Each ‘Save’ keeps the previous revisions accessible through Notes
History.
• No configuration costs
• Information is easily accessible to operators
• List of all Notes simplifies management

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15 iPower Lists

The single iPower List application provides a consistent user interface for all iPower lists:
• Events
• Alarms (available in version 5.8)
• Disabled Alarms
• Manual Overwrite
• Control Tags
• Information Tags
• Data values & Attributes
• Notes

Lists have consistent menus, tools, configuration options and “look and feel” including:
• Base Filtering (configuration-time filtering)
• Run-time filtering
• Drag to relocate a column
• Drag to change a column width
• A>Z , Z>A sort
• Advanced sort
• Printing
• The status bar displays the list mode, number of records, filters, sorts, run mode

Operate from Lists

Click on a single block (row) in a list to display the appropriate iPower operator dialog.
Examples:
• Click a row in a control tag list, to display the Control Tag dialog, and remove the tag
• Click a row in a disabled alarm list, to display the Alarm dialog, to re-enable alarming on that
block
The exception is the Notes list: Clicking on a note in a notes list opens that specific note for
display/editing.

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16 System Structure & Automated Configuration

iPower enhances both implementation and operation by building structure into configuration of
the system. While this structure is not required, it delivers important benefits:
• Reduced configuration time and costs
• Reduced commissioning times and costs
• Reduced maintenance costs
• Delivering intuitive, easy to use systems without micro-management

Structured Block Naming

As these examples show, iPower-structured naming usually reflects real-world system

organization:

Electric Power Oil & Gas Water / Waste water

Level example example example
4 part name 4 part name 4 part name
Substation Wellhead Pump Station
1 Substation 6 Wellhead 67 Pump station 3
‘SUB6’ ‘WH67’ ‘STN3’
Device Device Device
2 Circuit Breaker 3 Motor Operated Valve 2 Pump 4
‘CB3’ ‘V2’ ‘P1’
Block Type Block Type Block Type
3 Analog Input Status Input Control Command
‘AI’ ‘DI’ ‘CS1’
Block ID Block ID Block ID
4 A Phase Amps Valve State Indication Turn Pump On
‘AMPSA’ ‘STS’ ‘ON’
Block
SUB6_CB3_AI_AMPSA WH67_V2_ DI_STS STN3_P1_CS1_ON
name

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Automated Object Configuration

iPower uses a structured naming convention to automate the configuration of common devices:

Fig: iPower automatically selects the three phase currents, plus any other blocks,
associated with this circuit breaker

Fig: iPower automatically selects the MW and MVAR analogs associated with this transformer. Users are
able to choose the voltage (color) of the high and low voltage sides of the transformer.

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Automatic Auxiliary Screen Population

iPower auxiliary pictures display all the secondary or minor database blocks associated with a
main device. Structured naming enables iPower to automatically populate these auxiliary
pictures, enabling monitoring and control of every block in the system, without requiring
manual graphics configuration.

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Automatic Device Display Population

iPower almost entirely automates the replication of these complex device displays:

Device facility Configuration requirements

Faceplate or other graphic

List of alarms for this device
All events related to this device
List of blocks with disabled alarms in this device
Configured once,
All Control Tagged blocks in the device
for all instances of this device
All Information Tagged blocks in the device
All blocks in an Off Normal condition in this device
List of Manually Overwritten blocks in this device
Trends configured for this device
All Operator Notes for any blocks in this device
Diagrams, drawings, photos, manuals, other images File device-specific images and
and documents documents in Proficy folders using
structured file names. iPower
includes the right file with the right
device display.

*Alarm Device displays are available in iFIX iPower 5.8

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Automatic Dialog Population

iPower dialogs provide a complete user interface for operations. The many instances of iPower
dialogs available across an iPower system do not require any individual configuration in a
normal iPower implementation. Core dialogs functions:

Control Alarm

Control Tag Manual Overwrite

Information Tag Link

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Automatic List Filtering

This iPower list includes columns that (automatically) display the first two levels in iFIX the block
naming convention. In this example Level 1 is called ‘Location’ and Level 2 is called ‘Device’.
Users can A>Z and Z>A sort on either Location or Device by clicking a column header:

This list also includes drop-down filter for both Location and
Device. Users can filter the list for a specific location, a specific
device, or both

*This facility is only partially available in iFIX iPower 5.5.

Enhancements planned for iFIX iPower 5.8 include:

1) User-defined level names

2) Implementation of the top 4 levels
3) Implementation for the following Lists:
o Alarms
o Data Summary
o Disabled Alarms
o Control Tags
o Information Tags
o Manual Overwrite

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Menu Configuration

Catapult Menu is a software application, completely integrated within the iFIX environment.
The menu configuration tool is accessed directly from within the Workspace in configure mode,
from the “iPowerTools” toolbar:

Menu
Editor

Menu editing requires no programming. Menu editor windows:

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List Configuration

All iPower Lists provide a consistent user experience. The function of any list is set during
configuration, but can also be changed on the fly at runtime. So for example an events list can
become and list of disabled alarms, then a Control tag list, and so on. The List configuration
tool is accessed directly from within the Workspace in configure mode, from the “iPowerTools”
toolbar:

List Editor

Adding a list is simply a case of dropping it into the iFIX picture, dragging it to resize and position
it, then picking the functions required:

iPower List Properties editor, main window

List function selector

List column selector

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17 Miscellaneous

Screen control & Right Click Menu

iPower Right-click menu provides the following tools:

• Zoom in/out
• Zoom (to a) window
• Pan
• (Return to) Full View
• Cancel Pan/Zoom
• Disable wheel zooming

• Resize picture
• Arrange Pictures

• Send picture (up, down, left, right…to another monitor)

• Print picture
• Close picture
• Acknowledge (all alarms on the current) picture
• Silence the alarm horn

Database permanence

Key parameters are retained through a system fail-over, shutdown and restart. These include:
- Block alarm disable/enable
- Block Manual Overwrite
- Block Control Tag
- Block Information Tag

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