Configuring an STT20 on FCnet

Scenario: You want to configure Desigo CC for connecting to an STT20 fire system on an BACnet network.

 

Reference: For background information, see the reference section.

 

Workflow diagram:

 

 

Prerequisites:

  • The CMSI STT20 extension module is installed and included in the active project.
  • System Manager is in Engineering mode.
  • System Browser is in Management View.

 

Steps:

1 – Define IP & BACnet Network Planning

Before proceeding with the configuration, make sure that the communication network planning is complete and the following BACnet information is available:

 

2 – Export the STT20 SiB-X Metafile
  • Export the SiB-X metafile from the STT20 tool. The SiB-X metafile is an XML file containing the complete internal structure of one or more control panels.

 

3 – Configure the BACnet Driver

You can create one or more BACnet drivers. However, note that the fire system should always use a dedicated BACnet driver.

  1. Depending on where the driver runs (on the server or FEP station), in System Browser select one of the following:
    - Project > Management System > Servers > Main Server > Drivers
    - Project > Management System > FEPs > [FEP] > [drivers folder]
    NOTE:     When you work on a FEP station, the drivers folder must be available in System Browser. You can create it using New .
  1. In the Object Configurator, click New , and select New BACnet Driver.
  1. In the New Object dialog box, enter a unique description.
    NOTE: All drivers must have a distinct description, even if they are running on different stations.
  1. Click OK.
  • The newly created driver is automatically selected in System Browser.
  1. Select the BACnet tab and open the Settings expander.
  1. In the Management Station section, enter the Instance number: the BACnet Device Identifier to assign to the driver as a BACnet client (default: 9998).
  1. In the Extended Operation tab, select Manager Status and click Start to fully activate the driver, or click Start Conf… (start in configuration mode) to run the driver without activating any real connection to the field.
  1. Open the BT BACnet Stack Config expander.
  1. In the BT BACnet Stack Gateway Port Table, click Add and select BACnet/IPV4.
  1. In the Port Properties expander, set the Network number where your management station is connected (typically =1).
  1. Select the hardware adapter in the Adapter drop-down list.
    NOTE: You must start the BACnet driver in full mode to select the network adapter. If you are configuring offline, you must postpone this step.
  1. Click Save .

 

NOTICE

If you create more than one BACnet driver, the drivers can be assigned to the same Network Interface Card (NIC) or to different NICs. To avoid configuration conflicts, apply the following guidelines to the physical port configuration:
- The network number of each physical port must be unique.
- The IP address and UDP port (default is 47808) of each physical port must be unique. This means that the physical ports must have a different IP address or a different UDP port. For example, if two drivers are assigned to the same NIC you can use the value 47809 for the UDP port of the physical port of the second driver.

 

NOTE:
In the BACnet tab, the Threads and Driver Devices expanders are not used.

NOTE:
Multiple BACnet connections can share the same BACnet driver as long as the Device Identifier required for the driver is the same for the connected BACnet networks. If the identifier is different across the networks (that is, if the BACnet client configuration on all fire networks does not include a common Device Identifier), then you must create separate drivers.

 

4 – Configure the BACnet Fire Network for STT20
  1. In System Browser, select Project > Field Networks.
  1. Click New , and select New BACnet Network.
  1. In the New Object dialog box, enter a name and description.
  1. Click OK.
  • The newly created network is automatically selected in System Browser.
  1. Click the BACnet tab and open the Network Settings expander.
  1. In the Monitored by driver drop-down list, select the driver.
  1. Click Save .

NOTE:
In the BACnet tab, the Auto Discovery Progress, Block Commands Behavior, and Global Object Folder Mapping expanders are not used.
You can ignore the Fire System Options tab.

 

5 – Import the STT20 SiB-X Metafile
  • One or more valid files that you want to import are available locally or over the network.
  • The driver associated to the destination network was configured and started.
  • The destination network node was created.
  • To speed configuration, make sure the Desigo CC Transaction Mode is set to Simple or the Automatic Switch of Transaction Mode is set to True.
    The automatic switch setting is recommended. Without it, to re-enable the logs, you need to set the Transaction Mode to Logging at the end of the configuration procedure.
  1. In System Browser, select Project > Field Network > [fire network].
  1. In the Import tab, click Browse to select the configuration files.
  1. Click Open.
  • The files are checked for errors and the Analysis Log button becomes available to show the check log.
  • If the files are valid, the list of control panels displays in the Source Items section on the left, showing the units whose database is in the configuration file.
  • The Source Items list includes a panel ID, the panel name, and the number of instances, or objects, that belong to each panel.
  1. (Optional) In the Hierarchies Mapping expander, drag an additional hierarchical structure (physical and/or logical according to the database contents) from the System Browser position where you want to import.
    ATTENTION: Carefully select and drag the node to the correct position, as you cannot change it later. The only way to modify the additional import setting is to delete the destination node and create it again.
  1. In the Source Items list, click to select all files for import, or click to select an individual file.
    NOTE 1: You can filter the content of the lists by typing some search-matching characters in the fields above the lists (Type to search fields). The filter is removed if you delete the text.
    NOTE 2: If you are importing a database that was previously imported, you can choose to delete part of the existing configuration by selecting the check box called Delete unselected items from the views and leaving the panels to delete unselected.
  1. Click Import.
  • The configuration data is available in System Browser.
  • The Import Log button becomes available to show the import log.
  • A backup copy of the imported file is saved in the project folder, in the shared\Imported_Config_Files\[subsystem name]\ subfolder.
    The file is compressed into a ZIP file named after the current date and time. For example: 2021-10-22_13-52-07.zip.
    NOTE: See also the configuration procedure of the backup folder, which allows you to control the disk space occupancy, and also to disable the backup copy altogether.

In case of problems, see DELETED Handling STT20 Import Errors.

NOTICE
Objects limit in a project

Based on the hardware category of the installation, there is a limit to the number of objects a project can have.
- The system prevents you from performing imports that would exceed this limit.
- The system warns you if an import would approach this limit (90% or more of allowed objects). You can then choose whether to proceed.

NOTICE
Incorrect Interpretation of Messages

After first import, if the panel configuration is modified, you will need to import the configuration file again to align Desigo CC. Failing to import the latest configuration file may result in an incorrect interpretation of field messages. An Unidentified event is generated in all cases when a message is received with no corresponding data point.

 

6 – Configure the STT20 BACnet Time Synchronization

Fire events displayed on the management stations are time-stamped by the fire actuation panels. To avoid inconsistencies, the clock of the fire actuation panels must be aligned with the clock on any of the management stations.

  • The management stations and the fire actuation panels are properly set to the same local time zone.
  1. In System Browser, select Project > Field Networks > [BACnet Network] > BACnet.
  1. Click one of the STT20 units.
    NOTE: Only one unit must be synchronized. If you know which of the units is set as Global System Time master, select that unit.
  1. Click the BACnet tab and open the Timing and Status Info expander.
  1. In the Time sync type drop-down list, select UTC.
  1. In the UTC offset field, check that the value matches the time zone of the management station.
  • The UTC offset value is acquired from the fire system. The UTC offset is expressed in minutes, with opposite sign (for example, if the UTC offset is +1 hour, it has to be expressed as -60). You can correct the UTC offset value offline in the fire system tool, then restart or reconnect the fire system, and check the new value acquired.
  1. (Optional) Adjust the time synchronization parameters in the BACnet driver:
  • Depending on whether the driver runs (on the Server or FEP station), select one of the following:
    - Project > Management System > Servers > Main Server > Drivers > [BACnet driver]
    - Project> Management System > FEPs > [FEP] > [drivers folder] > [BACnet driver]
  • Open the Time Synchronization expander, and configure the following:
    - Time sync interval: Set the synchronization delay in minutes. Default is 1440 (24 hours).
    - Align intervals: Select the check box to start the periodic time synchronization on the hour.
    - Interval offset: Set a delay between the Time sync interval and the actual time sync.
  1. Click Save .