Alarm Items (Reference) define
Overview
The AlarmItems represent individual tags or expressions monitored within the solution. The AlarmItem triggers an alarm event when a defined condition occurs, notifying users about it. To define an AlarmItem on your solution, the user must enter a tag name, the condition that triggers the alarm (e.g., Hi, Lo, Rate of Change), and the threshold value (Limit). The software platform offers optional properties for customization, including priority, auxiliary values, and the alarm message.
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for alarm conditions within your FrameworX solution. Alarm Items are the fundamental alarm objects that:
- Monitor tag values against configured conditions
- Trigger alarm events when conditions are met
- Associate with AlarmGroups for shared behaviors
- Organize within AlarmAreas for hierarchical structure
- Support multiple limit values for shift-based operations
Each Alarm Item represents a single monitored condition that generates alarms based on your defined thresholds and settings.
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Configuration Properties
| Property | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| TagName | The tag being monitored for alarm events | Yes |
| Condition | Trigger condition (Hi, Lo, RateOfChange, etc.) | Yes |
| Limit | Primary threshold value | Yes |
| Limit1 | Secondary threshold (for shift-based limits) | No |
| Limit2 | Tertiary threshold (for shift-based limits) | No |
| Group | Associated AlarmGroup for shared properties | Yes |
| Area | AlarmArea for hierarchical organization | No |
| Priority | Alarm priority level | No |
| Message | Text displayed when alarm triggers | No |
| Disable | Enable/disable the alarm | No |
| Deadband | Range where changes are ignored | No |
| Setpoint | Target value for deviation alarms | No |
| SetpointDeadband | Range around setpoint to ignore | No |
| AuxValue | Additional information field | No |
| AuxValue2 | Secondary auxiliary value | No |
| AuxValue3 | Tertiary auxiliary value | No |
| Comment | Notes about the alarm item | No |
Alarm Conditions
| Condition | Description | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Hi | High alarm | Tag ≥ Limit |
| HiHi | High-high alarm (auto-acks Hi) | Tag ≥ Limit |
| Lo | Low alarm | Tag ≤ Limit |
| LoLo | Low-low alarm (auto-acks Lo) | Tag ≤ Limit |
| RateOfChange | Rate exceeds limit | ΔTag/Δt ≥ Limit |
| DeviationMinor | Minor deviation from setpoint | |Tag - Setpoint| > Limit |
| DeviationMajor | Major deviation from setpoint | |Tag - Setpoint| > Limit |
| Equal | Exact match | Tag = Limit |
| GreaterThan | Greater than | Tag > Limit |
| GreaterEqual | Greater or equal | Tag ≥ Limit |
| LessThan | Less than | Tag < Limit |
| LessEqual | Less or equal | Tag ≤ Limit |
| Changed | Any change | Tag value changed |
| ChangedUp | Value increased | Tag value increased |
| ChangedDown | Value decreased | Tag value decreased |
| NotEqual | Not equal | Tag ≠ Limit |
Creating Alarm Items
- Navigate to Alarms → Items
- Enter TagName or select from tag list
- Select Condition type
- Set Limit threshold value
- Choose AlarmGroup for behavior
- Press Enter to save
Example configuration:
TagName: Tank1.Temperature
Condition: HiHi
Limit: 95
Group: Critical
Message: "Tank 1 Critical Temperature"
Priority: 100Shift-Based Limits
Use multiple limit values for different operational periods:
| Property | Usage |
|---|---|
| Limit | Default/primary threshold |
| Limit1 | Secondary threshold (e.g., day shift) |
| Limit2 | Tertiary threshold (e.g., night shift) |
Enable via Alarms → Global Settings → Enable LimitsByShift
Deadband Configuration
Prevents alarm chattering:
Value Deadband:
- Alarm triggers at Limit
- Must drop below (Limit - Deadband) to clear
- Must exceed (Limit + Deadband) to re-trigger
Setpoint Deadband:
- Applied around setpoint for deviation alarms
- Prevents minor fluctuations from triggering
Runtime Properties
Access alarm item state at runtime via @Alarm.Item.[ItemName]:
csharp
// Check alarm state
bool active = @Alarm.Item.HighTemp.Active;
DateTime activeTime = @Alarm.Item.HighTemp.ActiveTime;
// Get current values
double currentValue = @Alarm.Item.HighTemp.Value;
double limitValue = @Alarm.Item.HighTemp.Limit;Best Practices Checklist
- Use meaningful names - TagName should clearly identify the monitored point
- Set appropriate deadbands - Prevent alarm flooding from oscillating values
- Configure priority levels - Critical alarms get higher priority
- Write descriptive messages - Include context and severity in alarm text
- Group related alarms - Use AlarmGroups for common behaviors
- Document with comments - Use Comment field for maintenance notes
- Test conditions - Verify alarms trigger at expected values
Troubleshooting
Alarm not triggering:
- Verify TagName is valid
- Check Condition logic matches requirement
- Ensure not Disabled
- Confirm AlarmGroup is active
Excessive alarms:
- Increase Deadband value
- Review trigger Condition
- Check for tag oscillation
- Consider time deadband in AlarmGroup
Wrong threshold:
- Verify Limit value
- Check shift-based limits if enabled
- Confirm Setpoint for deviation alarms
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AlarmItem Configuration
To configure a new or existing AlarmItem, follow the steps below:
Access Alarms → Items.
On the Tag Name column, type the Tag name or select from the available list. Alternatively, copy and paste the Tag's name from Unified Namespace → Tags.
- Enter the condition to trigger the alarm in the Condition field and configure the threshold value in the Limit field.
- In the Group field, choose which AlarmGroup object that best defines the behavior for this AlarmItem.
- Once finished, press Enter on your keyboard to save the AlarmItem.
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To modify an existing AlarmItem, double-click and modify the desired field. Note that any changes made to the Item will take effect immediately, and the new or modified AlarmItem will be evaluated against the tag values in real-time. |
The image below illustrates the process described above. In it, we created an AlarmItem monitoring the tag "ExampleTag" and when its value exceeds or is equal to 50, it will trigger an alarm in the "Warning" AlarmGroup.
For more details about each available property field, see the section below.
Properties Reference
Alarm Item Properties
When configuring an AlarmItem, the essential properties to define are the Tag Name and Condition. These two elements form the core of the configuration, dictating when and how alarms are triggered. Additionally, you can set up other properties based on the specific use of the alarm. The following is a table describing each available property field:
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If a property column is not visible on the grid, enable it by right-clicking the grid header and selecting it from the list. |
Property
Description
ID
The unique identifier for the item.
VersionID
The version identifier associated with the item.
TagName
The name of the tag being monitored for alarm events.
Condition
Defines the condition that triggers the alarm. The next section of this page describes in more detail the different options for this property.
Limit
Defines the predefined threshold for the alarm.
Limit1
A secondary threshold value. You should use this property in conjunction with the Limits by Shift functionality. Learn more on the Alarm Limits page.
Limit2
A tertiary threshold value. Learn more on the Alarm Limits page.
Disable
Enables or Disables the alarm.
Deadband
Defines a range in which changes are ignored.
Setpoint
The desired target value.
SetpointDeadband
A range around setpoints where changes are ignored.
Group
The group to which the alarm item belongs.
Area
The area designation for alarm management.
Priority
Defines the priority level of the alarm.
AuxValue
It provides additional information about the alarm, such as the responsible team to be associated with an Alarm Area. Read more on the Alarms Areas page.
AuxValue2
A secondary auxiliary value.
AuxValue3
A tertiary auxiliary value.
LockState
The current lock status of the alarm item.
LockOwner
The user or system that locked the item.
DateModified
The date the alarm item was last modified.
DateCreated
The date the alarm item was created.
Comment
The comments or notes related to the alarm item.
Message
This is the alarm message displayed to the user upon triggering the alarm.
Alarm Condition Options
The Condition property defines the trigger for the alarm using the Limit property as the threshold value. It offers a wide range of options and the table below describes them in more detail:
Condition
Description
Hi
Tag >= Limit.
HiHi
Tag >= Limit (when acknowledged, a Hi alarm is automatically acknowledged for the same Tag).
Lo
Tag <= Limit.
LoLo
Tag <= Limit (when acknowledged, a Lo alarm is automatically acknowledged for the same Tag).
RateOfChange
The tag's rate of change >= Limit.
DeviationMinor
Absolute value: (Tag - Setpoint) > Limit.
DeviationMajor
Absolute value: (Tag - Setpoint) > Limit.
Equal
Tag = Limit.
GreaterThan
Tag > Limit.
GreaterEqual
Tag >= Limit.
LessThan
Tag < Limit.
LessEqual
Tag <= Limit.
Changed
Tag value changed.
ChangedUp
Tag value increased.
ChangedDown
Tag value decreased.
NotEqual
Tag different from limit.
In this section: