Graphics to list Simulate Active Modules (based on BLOCK_ERR)

We are looking for any know-hows or VBA methods that can ber used to list out all the modules that currently have the Simulate Active status (BLOCK_ERR[13] = 1).

Is ther any AREA level parameter or methods that can be used to quickly identify and DISPLAY modules (or even AREAs) that have an active simulated block ?

saneej

• 25 Apr 2025 4:39 PM
• Cancel

1 Reply

• Andre Dicaire

  

  • 25 Apr 2025 9:21 PM

  Unfortunately, there is no out of box tool that will report modules with a status issue like Block Error[13] = 1. Many customers using Emerson module classes have abnormal conditions like Simulate Active or abnormal mode etc reported using module Alarms. These alarms are given a low priority and are filtered out of the main Alarm Banner and Alarm Summary so that they do not encumber the Operators. By having an Alarm for Simulation Active, an Alarm Summary can be created in the HMI to show all modules with an active Simulate alarm. The Alarm summary can be filtered by unit, Area etc.
  
  If you do not have a Simulation alarm configured, you can use DeltaV Diagnostic Explorer to view all the module Errors and Status by Controller node. Under the Assigned Modules container of the controllers, EIOC's, Explorer will show a table of status values from the modules' MERROR and MSTATUS and BLOCKERR parameters. You can sort on these columns to quickly find any module in the controller to see which modules have Simulate active, or other abnormal conditions. This requires no configuration, but it is a manual verification.
  
  The DeltaV Excel Addin would allow you to build an Excel spreadsheet that could be used to read the above parameter from a list of modules. This requires running the spreadsheet on a node with sufficient OPC DA licensing. Excel Add in license of DeltaV provides a 500 OPC license for a workstation. Having the Excel addin allows Reports to be created that could run periodically. Each report would be limited to the available OPC DA license available.
  
  For a quick verification, the diagnostic explorer can quickly get you an answer. Adding a Simulate alarm to your modules unlocks the Alarm Summary for use in this capacity. Neither of these require any additional licensing. Report Writer requires some effort to create the reports and OPC DA tag licensing to read the data live.

  Andre Dicaire

  • Cancel