Swiss station organises its infrastructure

The largest radio station in Switzerland uses Cimplicity automation software from GE Fanuc to co-ordinate its infrastructure.

DRS, the largest radio station in Switzerland, uses Cimplicity automation software from GE Fanuc to co-ordinate its infrastructure.

Installation and commissioning was carried out by the system integration company, GSY.

At its three sites in Berne, Zurich and Basle, the renowned radio station, Schweizer Radio DRS, produces five radio programmes: DRS1, DRS2, DRS3, MW531 and Virus.

These programmes are put together at the Berne site using the mixing and switching matrix, MSM, in a range of signals.

The signals include VHF, ADR (satellites), DAB (digital radio), MW and the Internet.

This requires a 'contribution network' for communication between the studios, and a 'distribution network' for broadcasting the programmes.

These networks are operated by external providers.

The switching centre, which was set up in 1982, was a customised application that was geared to three programmes and to analogue technology.

It was not possible to extend or adapt the system, and so the last two years have been spent in modernising the switching centre.

The aim of the modernisation was to implement a technology based on standard products, which would also be adaptable for any future developments that may arise.

Conventional technology, as used by other broadcasting companies, was not suitable for Schweizer Radio DRS because of the different locations of the three studios.

It was therefore necessary to develop a new control system that met the following criteria: digital signal processing; simple control directly at studio control panels; signalling of states at studio control panels; listening function for inputs and outputs; a modular, flexible and location-independent setup; high operational reliability (better than 99.9%); and five-year investment protection.

The MSM is controlled by PLCs and Cimplicity software.

Communication between the controls and the software is implemented over Modbus Plus with an OPC interface.

The studios in Berne, Zurich and Basle are each equipped with a Cimplicity server based on Windows 2000 with five client terminals.

The three servers are linked to each other using Ethernet TCP/IP.

Overall, up to 700 data points can be collected and controlled in the application.

The Cimplicity software enables visual display of the states of the MSM and provides the switching options, as well as controlling access rights.

Control is implemented using browser functions - the server dynamically translates the control interface into web pages.

Access by operators from each terminal is controlled.

The open control system is extremely flexible and easy to use.

The application was developed by the system integration company, GSY Industrieautomation.

Initially, a basic application was created for the Berne studio, whereby GSY went to great lengths to ensure object-oriented implementation of as many functions as possible.

It was designed to make it as easy as possible to transfer the basic application in Berne to the Basle and Zurich locations.

For this purpose, PLC data structures for identical objects were mapped using a class.

New objects that were created using these classes were then automatically generated by data points.

By using an OPC server, it was possible to create the predefined tags as addresses of the individual Cimplicity data points.

Konrad Bussmann, Applications Engineer at GSY, had the following comments to make on the creation of the control system: "Cimplicity offers two key advantages during system configuration.

The first is the openness of Cimplicity.

This supports communication to products of third-party manufacturers, which in turn provides the flexibility now essential for the development of modern intelligent solutions.

Secondly, the object-oriented functionality allows us to develop control systems much faster and more easily".

The control system is running successfully and has more than fulfilled the expectations and demands of Schweizer Radio DRS.

Hans-Peter Konig, IT Support Berne, at SR DRS, says: "The modularity of the system gives us a great deal of freedom.

We can create programmes, or broadcasts even, in different studios.

Furthermore, if one studio experiences a technical problem, we are also in a position to transfer that broadcast to another studio".

The alarm and report functionality of Cimplicity also ensures that the broadcast is of better quality.

If an underload occurs for an extended period (up to 30s) or a transmitter cable fails, an on-screen alarm informs the presenter or broadcast engineering department and they are able to respond accordingly.

If an alarm is output for more than 60s, it is paged to the relevant person for elimination of the fault.

All alarms are stored in an SQL database, the evaluation of which allows conclusions to be drawn regarding the quality of the networks of the external provider.

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