Welcome to the Presentation on

How To Use DATALOGGER

Station Assets

Reports

Simulation

NMDL

Control Charting
Yard Diagram of a Two Road
Station
 Assets
1.Tracks
2.Signals
3.Points
4.Buttons
5.Axle Counters
6.Crank Handles etc
Track
Tracks may Fail or Bob due to
1. Conductors lying across
2. Improper Ballast
3. Heavy Rain
4. Mischief
5. Relay Problem
Signal
Problems related to Signals
1. Fusing Of signal Lamp
2. Blanking of Signal
3. Signal Raised Up
4. Signal lamp to be replaced for
preventive maintenance
5.Conflicting Aspects
6.Signal Passing at danger
 Point Machine

1. Friction in movement
2. Loose Packing of Point
3. Point Fail
4. Point not setting due to obstruction
5. Point Button Not Properly Pressed-Premature release
6. Point M/c drawing High Current
7. Relay Bobbing
Point Loose Packing
Obstacle In Point
Button

1. Button Stuck Up
2. Premature Release
3. Unnecessary Pressing of Button
4. Improper Sequence
Circuit

1 Progression Sequence Interrupted

2 Contact offering High Resistance
3 Fuse Blown Off
Analog Voltages & Currents-AC
Analog Voltages & Currents-DC
 So what we require may be a
Recording System

To Record all the

information relating to the
yard i.e Data Logger
 What Is a Data Logger

A Microprocessor based system to log the

changes in the status of Relay contacts &
Analog Channels pertaining to a Railway panel
interlocking or Route Relay Interlocking (RRI)
station.
 Computer Connectivity
Single Data-logger can be connected to Computer for
storing & processing of the Relay and Voltage information
 Computer Connectivity

A Computer can also take data, through an FEP,

connected to a network of Data-Loggers.
 Computer Memory
In a computer all this data is stored in the Hard Disk.
Present Day Hard Disks, of size 40GB can hold
nearly 3 years of information of networks, having an
average of 30 Data-loggers.

Hard Disk

Computer
• Front End Processor(FEP)
The data of the network is collected by the
FEP (Front End Processor), which in turn is
transmitted to the computer
FEP acts as a buffer between the Computer
and the Network
 Information Generation

A data packet is generated whenever a change

occurs in a Relay status or a Voltage channel.
This packet is stored in the storage space available in
the Data logger (Nearly 85,000 packets in 4MB
RAM ).
Data Packet
DLNo Serial Type Time Input ID Status
 INFORMATION PACKET
STRUCTURE

RHNO/DLNO 1BYTE 00
SERL NO 2BYTES 01,02
CRC 1BYTE 03
TIME 4BYTES 04,05,06,07
REC ID 1BYTE 08
INPUT NO / CHANNEL 2 BYTES 09,10
VALUE
STAS/CHANNEL NO. 1BYTE 11
 DLNo.-Packet Structure

DLNo Serial Type Time Input Status

 Time-Packet Structure
The time is a number which gives an
accuracy of 16 milli-seconds.

Relay On/Off Tim

e

DLNo Serial Type Time Input Status

 Input ID-Packet Structure
• Now we need to Know the Relay and its
status – What about this?

The Input ID i.e the Number of the contact

where it is connected to the Data logger,
and the change(Status ) are also sent along.
DLNo Serial Type Time Input ID Status
 Input ID-Packet Structure
Relay1 On/Off Time
1.
1
Time
2. Relay2 On/Off
2

3. Relay 3 On/Off
Time3

4. Analog2 On/Off
Time4

DLNo Serial Type Time Input Status

 Serial Number-Packet Structure
1. Relay1 On/Off
Time1

2. Relay2 On/Off
Time2

3. Relay 3 On/Off
Time3

4. Analog2 On/Off
Time4

DLNo Serial Type Time Input Status

 Record ID -Packet Structure
• Record ID : A number indicating the type of
information i.e Analog or Digital.

Analog / Digital

Record
DLNo Serial ID Time Input Status
 CRC-Packet Structure
The information when passed in a network
may be corrupted due to noise etc.How can
you identify this ??
CRC : Cyclic redundancy Check- is the best
validation algorithm to identify the error, if
any in the data packets.This Byte relates to
this checking mechanism.
 Facilities for viewing
information in the Data-logger
and printing.
The all Inputs status can be viewed in the Data-
logger LCD screen as follows One row at a time
Status of all Inputs
Signal Name Contact Status
Signal 0001 Occupied

A Printer can be connected to a

data-logger to have a hard copy of
events recorded
Printout of Status of Relays at
Data-Logger
Date-Time Relay Status
Relay Information at the
Computer
What is the Use of Relay On-Off
information
• Let us Take an example of a Point M/c working
Normal Sequence Failure situation

Nwkr & Rwkr both ‘down’

for 25 seconds
Point Normal operation
 Point Failure condition
18 RCR Down 03/05/2003 12:43:46:375
18 NCR Up 03/05/2003 12:43:46:516
18 NWKPR2 Up 03/05/2003 12:43:49:672 made to normal
18 NCR Down 03/05/2003 12:43:56:125
18 RCR Up 03/05/2003 12:43:56:266
18 NWKPR2 Down 03/05/2003 12:43:56:359 attempt to make reverse
18 RCR Down 03/05/2003 12:44:15:312
18 NCR Up 03/05/2003 12:44:15:469
18 NWKPR2 Up 03/05/2003 12:44:18:625 made to normal
18 NCR Down 03/05/2003 12:44:20:734
18 RCR Up 03/05/2003 12:44:20:844 Attempt to make reverse
18 NWKPR2 Down 03/05/2003 12:44:20:938
18 RCR Down 03/05/2003 12:45:28:562
18 NCR Up 03/05/2003 12:45:28:719 * tried to make normal
18 NCR Down 03/05/2003 12:45:29:953 *
18 RCR Up 03/05/2003 12:45:30:078 5 attempt to make reverse *** (no fault declar
18 RCR Down 03/05/2003 12:47:06:016
18 NCR Up 03/05/2003 12:47:06:469
 Loose packing
Failure Condition Normal operation

NWKR status change

when TPR ‘Down’
 Signal blanking
Failure condition Normal operation

All the ECRs ‘Down’ for 10

seconds
What is the Use of Relay On- Off
Information

• The correct operation & abnormal operation

of all the relays can be understood by
analyzing the sequence of relay operations.
No Of Basic Relay Operations
• As Train Moves in a station yard an
average of 50 Relays operate generating
nearly 100 data packets . For a station
where some 100 trains pass thru daily the
no. rises to 10,000.
• For a network having some 30 DLs the No.
of data Packets on a whole become
3,00,000.
 Volume Of Data
This huge information needs to be filtered for
a better analysis – isn’t it ?
So what may be the criteria
* Data-logger Name
* Relay Name & Type
* Date-Time Range
Filtering Relays
 Filtered Relay Report

113 Point
Relays
Operation
Filtering Analog Channels
 Selected Analog Channel Report

Sudden
dip in all
the AC
Voltages
Analog Channel Graphs

Variations
in Supply
 Logics In Analysis
How Can You Identify the abnormal sequence of
Relay Operation ?
• An abnormal sequence of relay operation which
should be highlighted by the system, as the relays
operate is termed as a Fault Logic.
• A Fault Entry Software gives us the facility to
define the sequence of operations.
• With this Information, NMDL Software , while
taking data packets from the all the stations
highlights any abnormal sequence of activity .
 Block Diagram of the Process Involved - 1
Computer
Hard Disk
--------------
--------------
------------- 1. Online Relay Status
------------- 2. Online Analog Status
3. Online Simulation

Logic Fault Entry Fault NMDL Fault

Software Files Software Conclusions
Data Packets
From Data
Loggers
Fault Entry Screen

Part 1

Part 2
New Logic
Online fault Pop Up Screen

Identification of faults
Conveying Message of Fault
Occurred to the Data Logger
Through Tele-controls
Faults
Fault Report Filtering
Detailed Fault Report
Fault Report with Signal Information
 Quick analysis of
Faults Summary Report Failures

The
Intensity
of the
Fault can
be got
from the
FCount
 What are the items you need for
analyzing the sequence of an
operation???
The operational details of all the Relays
connected in a circuit are required, whereas
only a few relays are connected to the Data-
logger.Due to this and many other
factors,the conclusions made from this
available information have their own
limitations.
 Examples of common Logics

TPR Fail
Logic Used
IF TPR1, TPR2, TPR3 are in sequence then
If TPR1 UP - TPR2 DOWN- TPR3 UP
Triggering Relay : TPR2
TPR Bobbing
Logic Used
IF TPR DOWN TO UP OR UP TO DOWN
Within the time interval.
 Track failure
A36ATpr,A37BTPR,A39ATpr are in sequence

Failure Condition Normal operation

Track Dn condition occurring in maintenance of

tracks resulted in Track fail Logic wrongly
Cause of common Logic Limitations

Logic Limitation
1. Due to Track maintenance
2. Due to momentary Bobbing of TPR2
3. The POR(Power ON Relay) if not
considered in the Logic,
Fault may be popped up wrongly
 Examples of common Logics
Point Machine
• Fail
NWKR is down and RWKR is down for
more than given time interval.
• Loose packing
When TPR1 is down, then the
corresponding NWKR, RWKR should not
change their status. Triggering signals are
NWKR, RWKR.
 Point fail
Failure condition Normal operation
 Loose packing
Failure Condition Normal operation
 Examples of common Logics

Signals
–Blanking – RECR down and HECR down
and DECR down for more than given time interval

– Bulb fusing – After HR / DR goes up and if

corresponding ECR is not up with in the given time
interval. Triggering signal is HR.

– Flown back to danger -If TPR is

DOWN then RR should be UP,ASPR should be
DOWN, DR should be UP and DECR should be UP.
 Signal blanking
Failure condition Normal operation
Cause of common Logic Limitations

Logic Limitation
Due to maintenance or due to
momentary Bobbing of a Relay or due
to non inclusion of LVR in a Logic,
Fault may be declared wrongly
 Route set failure
After button1 is up and button2 is up and signal is not up within the
time interval sequence is checked. Triggering signals are Button1,
Button2.
Route Cancellation failure.
After button1 is up and button2 is up and route is not cancelled within
the time interval sequence is checked. Triggering signals are Button1,
Button2.
 Quick Identification of failures
Circuit Failure
HR Circuit failure. Button1, Button2 are up and after time
interval if HR is DOWN

Relays which
attained
improper
status
Cause of common Logic Limitations
Logic Limitations
• Maintenance
• Momentary Bobbing of Relays
• Non-Availability of all the Relays
Due to the above limitations some times
Fault may be show up wrongly.
 Importance of Analyzing
Relay status changes
• After seeing the above cases of Limitations
in various Logics ,What do You feel is the
better way of concluding about the failures?
• The Faults triggered and shown to you in
various reports ,the corresponding relay
information should be carefully studied
before concluding the results.
 Introduction to Simulation

At This Juncture
don’t You see that a
better analysis can be
done, with pictures of
yard, showing the
status of relays
changing with time ??
Filtering Information for Simulation
Simulation

Train
Passing
through

Textual
Display of
changed
Relay status
Easy assessment of situations by
Officers through Summary
Reports
Summary Fault Filtering
 Summary Reports

Number of
Operations of
various Point
Machines
Some Frequent problems
occurring in Data-Loggers are:
1. Chattering inputs
2. Validity of contact
3. Data entry Validation
Relay Report indicating Chattering Problem

Chattering On
for 4 seconds
Chattering Relays Report
 Validity Of Entered information
• The Relay Name & Contact Type is to be
carefully noted for all the inputs and entered
in the database at the computer end, as
negative logic is used for Back contacts.
 Validity Of Entered information

•The Fault Logics used

should be tried and tested
regularly and well tuned for
better conclusions.
Validity Of Entered information
•For Analog channels the Minimum,
Maximum voltages and Multiplication
Factor are to be carefully selected.
 PREDICTIVE
MAINTENANCE
OF SYSTEM
Life Time & Bulb operations
 Predicting Failures
• Points working HARD
WLR does not change its status from UP to Down
within the given time interval.

• Frequently Bobbing
Relays
 Preventive Maintenance

• The complete statistics of a Signal

i.e. Down Time & Count, Up Time &
Count, Current Status, and Date &
Time of change in the status etc give
the information about Relays
operating too frequently and help in
Preventive Maintenance.
Relay Operations

Frequency of
Relay
Operations
Signal UP Count
Signal Down Count
 ANALOG
VOLTAGE
FLUCTUATIONS
Battery Discharge condition
Fluctuations in AC causing Fluctuations

in DC due to the problem in charger

Fluctuations in a weak Battery
 What Have you Learnt in this
Module???
• What is a Data-logger?
• How is it storing the changes in the Relay status ?
• How a better analysis of sequence of relay
operations and analog voltages, be done ?
• How a better predictive and preventive
maintenance is possible?
• What are the common problems in relay contacts
and voltage channels?