Imagine a control room without alarms... Can you see it?

For decades, alarms have been the way we signal and inform the operator that something is about to happen. A sign to look closer at something or a warning. The problem has been that we have an increased need for automation or digitalization, and we are currently struggling to provide a better way for the operator to get data, other than by presenting an alarm. The development over the past decades from analogue alarm lamps, digitalizing those signals and putting them into a computer, has made the situation even harder for the operator. The challenge is that the modern digitalized systems have the same approach to alert and inform the operators with tools for help that are comparable to the analogue solution, but the number of alarms has increased exponentially. Every problem faced in the operation of a plant is fixed with another alarm implemented, meaning the situation for the operator is only getting worse. The more automation, the harder it is for the operators to understand the situation, react in time, and intervene in the correct way when needed.

Most production loss and safety-related issues start with a small incident that escalates. How can we smartly use the data to mitigate small incidents and avoid disturbances? The goal is to operate as close to the theoretically possible limit, while at the same time being able to handle incidents.

The term data analytics refers to different ways of analysing raw data, using both qualitative and quantitative techniques and processes, to make conclusions about the information. In a control room, the goal is to improve the situational awareness for faster and more targeted decisions. Big data is extremely large data sets that may be analysed by computers to reveal patterns and trends.